Nana & Papa's High Adventure

True Story...written by Anita Stenersen

In order to keep peace in the household I agreed to go fishing with Papa on Friday, September 26th. It started out as a very normal day, I arose at my usual time, made the coffee and sat down to read the paper. Seconds later dad appears and wants to know how soon I will be ready!! After convincing him I was not going anywhere until after breakfast and not until I shampooed the carpet in the trailer he settled down to wait.

In the meantime John, Rob Thornberry and Jim Hinman stopped to leave my car and headed off to Orfino to a boat show. They were all talk of the big fish they were going to catch and as they drove away dad says "you know Rob will break his fish pole over there, the fish are much bigger and he always horses them in"!! "Well we will wait and see" I reply.

Then it was off to finish the trailer and dad was to load the equipment. About 10:30 I had made the lunch and told dad we could go--around the house he came like a cannon shot. As I started to get in the pickup I ask "Where are the oars?" "Oh! I forgot them" as he takes off backwards and backs over my new curbing. "Stop" I cry but too late!! You know someone has messed with his mirrors!! Ha Ha. We get the oars and off to the store to pick up the boat but low and behold he has the wrong size ball and he can't, hook up the boat so again he heads home to change the ball while I wait at the boat. After an extended wait he returns and off we go to 4th of July Creek boat launch.

I jump out of the pickup and say "I'll hold the rope while you back in" Bob where is the rope?? "Well there is a rope in the boat" he says. Guess what? That is the anchor rope--well you know that will work as the other rope is at home in the garage. Backing the boat in was again a challenge--the river was low and after he backs up a couple of times I say " Bob why is there water in the Boat?" "Oh ! I think I forgot to put in the plugs" he answers. Finally he agrees that I can back up the boat and he will push it off and it really worked!!

This was a test run you know. We were going to see if dads little motor would push the 16' Clackcraft up stream so he wouldn't have to row all the time. Well it worked pretty good as we slowly crept up stream against the current and then as we started in towards the bank in the slow water it worked amazingly well as we flew towards the bank! Cut the motor I yell--Too late as we fly half the boat length up the bank and atop a rock to a dead stop. "Well" Bob says "Good thing they say fear no rock!!" As I lay across the bow hysterical with laughter dad says. "Mother get out and push us off here!" "No way" I reply there is water and snakes in the grass. After 5 ,minutes of rocking and pushing with the oars we are back afloat and able to fish.