Little Water Buggy: Travels with Mom

So, the second time I took out the boat, I took my mother for a putter around the cove. Now, I really had planned on using the boat at least two more times before taking mom, but, at 82, her schedule trumps. She tends to change her mind, so if she says she wants to go, we GO.

I found her a nice little powder-blue life jacket that she loved. She was ready to go.

So I told my sister to keep mom at the cottage while I tied up to the dock. I knew that if mom saw me have a hard time just launching the boat that she'd never get in it with me. She had never been on a private boat, except to sit on my brother's. She never actually went OUT on one. The only boat she ever went anywhere on was the Nantucket Ferry. And that was a long time ago.

When I got to Hoppy's Landing, Sandy and Joe were walking out to the floating dock to fish. I know them from the paper and around town. They are very nice people, friendly, and I was happy to see familiar faces there.

Turns out Joe was a charter boat captain. Who knew?

Anyway, he asked if I needed any help. I told him it was only my second time launching, so if I could throw the line to him that would be great.

I managed to get the boat off the trailer (with some difficulty still), and started to back it up to the dock, quickly realizing I needed to go forward. I mean, the stupid outboard-tiller-sitting-back thing is all backwards anyway. Trying to back up with that backwards setup is just ridiculous. So, I backed off the trailer and then went forward. Besides, that motor just LOVES to pop up in reverse. I really need to figure out how to use that clamp-down thing from INSIDE the boat.

This time, I wanted to tie up on the other side of the dock, the north side, so I could leave the ramp side open. I was going to call my sister after I tied up and she was going to drive my mother down. I didn't want to hog the dock too long. They were only about 1/8 mile away, but still....for the guys who use that dock, that's all the time they need to launch or load. They're so fast at it (grrr....)

So, with Joe directing me, I managed to get the boat around to the other side of the dock. Unfortunately, I ended up facing the dock head on, not alongside it. Joe kept saying that was good. I thought I knew what he was going for but I didn't know how to do it.

He grabbed the front of the boat and said, "that's good, Beth."

I, from behind, with Joe directly in front of my boat, said, "but I don't know what to do now, Joe."

He said to give it a little gas and turn the tiller whichever way (I'll be damned if I can remember which way) and that would make the back end of the boat swivel around.

Okay, that's what I thought he wanted.

So, I gave it just a tad of gas and turned the way he said, and the back end of the boat just swung around towards the dock while Joe held it by the rails in front.

How cool is that?

Then the front of the boat kind of started climbing up the dock a tad. Joe told me to cut the power.

Well, now, I told you...everything is backwards on a boat and this stuff doesn't come as second nature to me.

Yup, you guessed it....I turned the throttle the wrong way. Gave it the gas....revved that baby right up... VROOM!

My Little Water Buggy just climbed right up that dock like the Great White in Jaws after Quint. Straight for Joe.

Picture it from the tiller: the bow of my little boat heading right up out of the water, just Joe's head visible above it as he held onto the rails trying to push it back.

Oh, my God, I'm going to kill Joe. With Sandy right there watching the whole thing.

I turned the throttle back the other way, shaking, waiting for some admonition or laugh, or something.

"Looks like you've got a pretty good motor there, Beth," said Joe (or some such similar thing).

Do I love this town or what?

So, I jumped out, all shaky legs and hands, moved the car, and called my sister.

Meanwhile, the wind started to pick up, bringing a little fog with it. My sister and mother got in the boat. Joe suggested I stay in the mooring field. I told him the plan was to go under the causeway, to the north side, where the water was calmer. He suggested I avoid the tight quarters of the causeway opening.

We headed out to sea, but it was too windy. My little boat was getting bounced around.

Now, the other thing is, the boat doesn't have any stationary seats yet. I'm just not sure where I want to put them. I have two, but they are in the shed until I make the big decision.

Meanwhile, the plan had been to put a couple of beach chairs right up against the back console (which is what the gas and battery are under). Unfortunately, after we got the motor on, I realized I needed that whole back section to steer. So we put two chairs on the deck, but they could slide around a little. It wasn't really rough enough for that, but the chairs aren't really secure, either.

Anyway, I turned the boat around as soon as we could clear the rocks off Long Island and we headed under the causeway. I told my sister I'd just go slow. If it looked like I was going to hit the sides, she could just push us away. Remember, it's just a 15-foot tri-hull, low in the water.

I got us under there just fine and it was so calm on that side. Of course, there were a bunch of kids jumping off the causeway, but they had the good sense to wait until I got through.

Maybe they could see I was new at this.

We puttered around Bella Vista Island. It was the first time my mother had seen it from that perspective. We've had the cottage since the 60s, but you really need a boat to see it up close from that angle. We remember when the house got built. We remember the island before this new owner started gutting it like a grapefruit. The house is still a sight to behold, though.

My sister and my mother had a cigarette as I puttered very slowly. We invoked the memory of my late Aunt Terry, who would've just loved the whole concept. We didn't have any mimosas, though, kind of a necessity with an Aunt Terry memory.

Next time, we promised ourselves, we'll have mimosas.

The fog started to roll in, but it was still light. Shoot, I've only lived on the island for 18 years. I've seen that fog roll so fast and thick you couldn't see 10 feet within 10 seconds, but, for some reason, I thought, "no problem." My sister was there, she could go to the front of the boat and direct me, right?

Except...when she was at the front of the boat, I couldn't see.

Ah well, live and learn.

So, we started to approach the causeway. The fog was thick. Really thick. We puttered slowly, my sister and I trying not to sound nervous so mom wouldn't be nervous.

"You have lights?" asked my sister.

Um...yeah, but they're in the little plastic bin behind my legs under the console next to the gas tank and the battery.

Hmm....probably not a good place for them.

Do you remember which boats we passed on the way out?

We could see the causeway itself, but not the opening.

Oh, wait, there are the kids jumping off, there's the fence....that's the opening.

Phew.

"Do you have a horn?" asked my sister.

Um....yeah, but it's right next to the lights in the little plastic bin behind my legs under the console next to the gas tank and the battery.

Hey, wait, I have a whistle on my kayaking life jacket....oh, no, I gave that to my 10-year-old cousin for a hiking whistle (to scare away the bears).

Okay, no problem. Approach the causeway slowly, the kids on the bridge see us, are waiting. No one coming through on the other side. That's good, I understand it's kind of interesting if two boats  "commit" themselves to going under at the same time.

Don't even think about that. Let the other guy hit reverse. My motor pops up when I use reverse. Don't tell mom!

Okay, under the causeway, kids waited to jump. They waved, even said something, but we couldn't understand them.

Man it was foggy.

Apparently, when we got through on the other side, Sandy & Joe clapped.

Okay, so now I needed to get back to the dock. Remember the first time? It took four tries.

Well, I'll be honest, I don't remember why or how I did it, but we went back to the north side. Maybe someone was using the other side. Maybe it just seemed easier. Mom got out of the boat and Joe and I moved the boat around the dock using the lines. I learned then that my $2, 15-foot lines from Ocean State weren't long enough. Went back and bought more 25-foot lines.

I went to get the car, and my sister's husband showed up just about then to greet us (and pick up mom and my sister).

When I got back to the dock, after mom had a few minutes to talk to Sandy and Joe, mom said, "You didn't tell me this was only the second time you took the boat out!"

I didn't hide that fact. I thought you knew.

Oh well.

Anyway, my brother-in-law helped me line up the boat with the trailer. I did a terrible job of getting it on the trailer, but my brother-in-law George helped and we got it done. I kept cutting the power too soon and the wind and tide just pushed that baby off kilter. Somehow, though, George managed to get it on there and make it look so easy.

So, the second time out and I still didn't get the stupid thing on the trailer.

Mom told me later she'd pay to put seats in.

She wants to go out on it again.

So, how cool is that?