BOATING SEASON HAS OPENED - - !!

LAST SUNDAY (3/20/11), Captain Dave Anderson had the honor of getting our first legitimate Boating Season case, which wound up  being a chain reaction of Boating Follies that didn't want to stop - - sorta like a "Train Wreck" - - We had a surprise sunny and 80 plus degree day, SO that means that many of our CABIN FEVER sufferers HAD to get on the water - - Not all were prepared.  MIX a newly purchased boat, out for the first time this year, add a Novice Boater at the helm, throw in a DISTRAUGHT wife, who was ready to immediately give up the family's newest hobby - - "boating", then throw in a DEAD BATTERY, 2 grand kids,  and you have a VERY VOLATILE MIX!  IT WENT KINDA LIKE BELOW:


This should have been a single, simple, at the dock "Jump Start" by vehicle.  Capt Dave arrives at Bridal Cave docks by truck and gets them started, they shove off and "kill" it about 100 yards out (oops!) - - It then turned in to a nightmare which had Capt Dave climbing up and down the bluffs at Bridal Cave carrying a 20 pound "Jump Pack" (which seemed to gain 25 lbs every time he told the story), providing services to this boat 3 separate times over the period of an hour.  Trying to catch them as the wind blew them toward shore, the "boater's" attempt to throw a 6 ft line and think it will reach 30 feet!  At one point Dave asked them to throw him a longer line, like the "anchor line" he suggested, the wife threw him the end of the Anchor line, which he caught - - while the "husband" threw the ANCHOR over too! - - - Finally, (with the help of a good sam pontoon boat) Dave was able to capture them and get them started and running a second time at which point they headed for their Condo dock about 3 miles away - - - first going in the wrong direction - - Capt Dave finally makes it back to his truck (where he tipped his 14 year old "guide"who had lead him up and down the bluffs) and heads out to meet them at their dock, retrieve our jump pack and fill out the paper work - - he arrives where they should be, but doesn't see them - - He hears voices several docks away and finds them once again DISABLED - ADRIFT with a stern line wrapped in their prop!! - - As the wind blows them close by a dock, he is able to get a line from them (after telling them to please keep the anchor on board) - and FINALLY Gets them to their home dock and the boat on it's lift and untangled the mooring line from their prop - - YEP - THE SEASON IS OFFICIALLY OPEN!  LESSON LEARNED - - NEVER RESPOND TO ANY CALL WITHOUT A BOAT!!!! - - If this is an "omen" for the 2011 season - - we're in TROUBLE!!