S.S. Minnow

Living in North Dakota is freezing cold 9 months out of the year. After 9 months of hearing me complain about being stuck in the house my husband suggested we buy a boat and enjoy the short summer. We went on a long search and had a few "discussions" before purchasing the boat. I wanted the pretty, sparkly fiberglass speed boat. He wanted the utilitarian aluminum fishing boat. He won but as he reminds daily. . I have diamonds.

We take the boat out a few times with no incidents, that is until last Sunday. The routine has been for me to stand on the dock holding the rope and when he lets the boat go from the trailer I guide the boat to the dock. This particular Sunday he tells me to sit in the boat while he unhooks it from the trailer. Now I originally object to this saying who is going to hold the rope. He says it will be fine just throw him the rope from the boat. He obviously did not see me try to play softball in 7th grade or he would have known I cant throw worth a damn. So he stands on the dock and I throw the rope and it is not even close to him. By the time I bring the rope back to me I have drifted far enough away from the dock that throwing is not an option.

Here is the critical part to the story- very close to the boat dock is a dam. A very large powerful dam that I am now drifting towards. I start to freak out a little but I have seen him start the boat. I just need to lower the engine, push the throttle forward a little and push the key and turn to start. Nothing. I turn the key and the engine just makes a little noise but doesn't turn over. I try again. Nothing. I am getting more upset and drifting closer to the dam. Luckily we have a second smaller engine called a kicker. I drop that down into the water but this has a pull start- much like a lawn mower. I pull the cord but I am not strong enough to get it started. Now panic has set in. I sit down in the drivers seat and yell back to my husband that I can't do it.

I have given up- the dam is going to suck me in along with the boat. My husband see's that I am no longer of any use and jumps from the dock and swims to my rescue. The boat is a little farther out than he realized and this is not a lake we are allowed to swim due to the dam obviously. He makes it to me and pulls himself on to the boat. He leans over, pulls the cord on the kicker and it starts right up. He looks over to me and is out of breathe and says "Next time throw the damn anchor overboard". Oh yeah the anchor.

He also was able to start the main engine- apparently there is a little button that says "run". Now I know for the future. When re-telling this story to a friend her comment was "So I take it you are the Gilligan on the boat." We have now christened the boat the S.S. Minnow.