As I'm floating along, enjoying the scenery and meditative motion of my paddle, thoughts tend to drift.
On Wednesday four 14-year-old kids decided to go kayaking on Lake Erie between 8 and 9pm. Some nights it's a beautiful paddle but when it's windy, not so much.
Luckily for them an adult saw them fighting to get back to shore and went to rescue them in his own kayak. At some point someone called in the coast guard and ALL 5 were rescued thanks to a U.S. Coastguard Helicopter. Crisis averted. They were all wearing PFD's. THANK GOD!
The London Free Press reported the story and I saw it in their FaceBook feed. You can just imagine the comments, "Where were the parents?", etc and so forth.
One of my pet peeves is the number of people who venture out on the water with NO safety equipment, not even a PFD (personal flotation device). I've experienced paddling many types of water over the years and know you just don't leave shore without it. Too many scenarios can happen.
Having raised kids, I know kids are gonna act like kids! It's their job. Especially the dreaded teenagers who see themselves as invincible. I won't accept that I'm wrong because I was once one myself. So, they did something really stupid and hopefully learned a valuable lesson. It happens.
My only question now is: "Did the parents teach these kids kayaking safety and technique?"
Who knows?
So then Thursday, the next day! the London Free Press reports this story:
Do you see them wearing PFD's? They may be with them but where are they?
I've paddled the Thames River here in London and I've had some hairy times. The current is so strong that you only paddle with it. (My husband laughed his ass off one day watching me trying to paddle against the current.... I went nowhere fast.) There are rocks you have to avoid, eddies and dead trees that move about. Sure there are parts that are deeper and have fewer hazards but anything can happen.
Then my thoughts turn to the media today and...... "OH!! Are the muskrat home?
Nope. Not today. This is usually where I find them if I'm quiet enough. I'm guessing the family's den is somewhere near by.
It was a lovely day! After I landed I found my Hubby was still out walking so I swam in my clothes and thoroughly enjoyed acting like a kid!
For those of you who are interested, my sweet potato is taking off. I still have to grab some more soil this weekend. They should like that.
Until next time friends...
