Writer's Workshop: Overboard

Yay, another Writer's Workshop that I remembered to participate in!

This week's topic of choice: Describe a memorable camping trip.

Growing up (and still today) my family wasn't your typical camping family... my dad doesn't like to sleep on the ground when he has a perfectly fine bed at home, thank-you-very-much.

So we're not a hiking, sleeping in tents, campsite family. (Although I've come to love it since my college internship in the North Cascades... but that's another story.)

We're a boat-camping, fishing family.

The parents got the forward cabin and Jayme and I would trade off on the floor or the table-turned-bed.

The best part about it all was the food. Catching crab and eating it on the boat for that night's dinner? Yes, please!

The worst part was taking the dog(s) to the beach to do their business.

One summer a few years back we moored out at Faye Bainbridge State Park and we took my sister's dog, Jessie. The plan was to take the pup to shore in the Zodiak.

Great plan. Not-so-great execution.

I had never rowed a boat of any kind before. You add my sister laughing (and me, too), the dog worried about getting her feet wet, plus waves and "encouragement" from my parents in the boat... let's just say we had a few issues getting to shore (a few circles may have occurred). I eventually got fed up and jumped out of the Zodiak after failed attempts of "landing" and pulled it in the rest of the way.

Then Jessie wouldn't even pee. Nothing. Nada.

So back to the boat we went.

Again, issues. We made it to the boat, but not in a way that allowed us to get gracefully from the Zodiak and into the boat.

Again, I got out of the Zodiak. I swam to the swim-step where my dad pulled me in while Jayme and Jessie waited for my parents to pull the Zodiak around.

The best part of it all? There was a group of people on the beach watching the entire time. They even applauded when we finally made it back into the boat.

I don't know why they didn't help land the Zodiak... hm.

I'm pretty sure my parents have a video of the whole show somewhere. The only thing you can hear is my parents' commentary and laughter from me and Jayme, muffled by the waves.

I just wish that Jayme and I had been wearing little microphones so we could have a recording of whatever we were discussing. All I remember is that it was pretty darn funny.

A recording of our beach audience's commentary would have been nice, too...