Was looking through some pictures and came across this memory. It happened in the last century. Yes, I'd say it was about 1993 or so, although I'm not certain of that, as I didn't write a date on the photographs. It's funny because that is something I often cajole others about. Amazing how quickly we can forget the details when it comes to time. The actual events I remember clearly enough, every detail in focus, just not the exact year. Doesn't seem that long ago but as we all tend to say, a while back. So, let me tell you about this from a while back.
I was working at the Standard Fusee Corporation, also known as Orion Safety Products as an industrial maintenance mechanic. This company manufactured road flares at the facility where I was employed. One particular chemical came in steel barrels of a 35 gallon size. There were a lot of barrels and I received permission to take home all I wanted. I had in mind to build a raft to drift down the Choptank river. That river runs through Greensboro where I live and is less than a half mile from my house. A few years earlier I was working at the Annapolis Naval Station. I was on active duty then just finishing up my career. I had come into possession of some sails that were being retired from service. Now being a person that just naturally collects stuff that I feel I may be useful at some time I couldn't resist. So, I brought that stuff home and had it in storage in the shed.
Well, I gathered some materials like plywood, 2x4's and some metal strapping and began to construct my raft. I thought I would go ahead and add a sail. I had done some calculations and figured six barrels would be enough to keep the whole thing afloat with the weight of myself and one other person. My calculation were correct! Well, perhaps the weight distribution was off a bit and a bit more freeboard would have been good but it worked. I enlisted my son Kenny for the maiden voyage. That happened on the 4th of July. I do remember the day, if not the year.
The raft was ready, we put it in the back of my pick up truck and went to the ramp. We launched that raft and it was floating just fine. Pulling it around to the docking area we loaded the safety gear aboard, two life jackets. We had two seats fastened on one end but quickly determined that just wasn't going to work. Weight distribution issue. So ditching the chairs I took up my spot at the "helm" and Kenny manned the sail. I began paddling down the river while my wife took the pictures. I ordered the sail be hoisted but we weren't catching any wind. Nevertheless, I kept paddling and with the help of a gentle current we were making headway. We were going down river like Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. And no, there wasn't any alcohol involved in this.
We had gone maybe twenty minutes or so and traveled perhaps a 1/4 mile down river when there was a rumbling in the distance. The sky was turning black, a stiff breeze was picking up and the sail was doing its' job. Well, the job of a sail is catching the wind and it did that, just not in the fashion I had planned. Then the rain came. I ordered the sail lowered and we made landfall as quickly as possible. Pulling that raft onto the shore we tied it to a tree, gathered our belongings and walked back home. It rained as hard as I can remember it ever raining, the storm was raging as we trudged along. But it passed almost as quickly as it had arrived. We made it back home soaked to the skin, laughing about our adventure. Never did go back and retrieve that raft and to this day have no idea what happened to it. It was a fine voyage, a good time and a good memory.
Ready to sail!
notice the chairs. Yeah that didn't work out
but the sail did!
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