Middle-aged man to the rescue (Alexandria, Reston: to buy, high school, law)

[Carlingtonian]

Figured I'd post my latest installment of my Potomac kayaking thread on the Virginia forum, since this morning's Potomac trip didn't border DC at all.

I put in with my 18-foot sea kayak about 6:15 from Fort Belvoir (Gunston Cove/Accotink Bay). It was raining, but there was no lightning, so I didn't let it stop me. It actually made it really nice--not hot at all and no worries about sunburn.

Around an hour later, I noticed a small motorboat (large aluminum skiff) was in the middle of the river, and its three teenaged occupants (two guys and a girl) were trying to paddle the boat and getting nowhere. I moseyed over to them and asked if they needed help. Their outboard motor (which they hadn't even bothered to remove from the water when trying to paddle) wasn't working. They said they go to a nearby high school. I offered to try to tow them back to the dock about a half-mile down river, at Pohick Bay Regional Park. I wasn't sure it would work.

They hooked a line to my deck rigging, and I started paddling, as did they. I don't know if a rogue ripple hit us or what, but suddenly my boat went rightward, and I went into the drink. This never happens; my boat is super-stable under way, but the initial stability (when it's stationary) is not great. Fortunately I'm a good swimmer and was wearing my PFD. (And this is a pretty calm part of the Potomac.)

My cheap sunglasses had gone into the river, as had one of my beach shoes. And the foam pad I use for a backrest was floating nearby. I swam to get it and then tried to get back in the kayak. No dice. I had to push it toward their boat and use theirs for stability. Finally I got in and bailed the river water out with a sliced plastic coke bottle, which they kept on board as a bailer, apparently. And then we tried again, staying perpendicular to the waves.

It ended up working. I had to paddle pretty furiously--and actually had to remind them to keep paddling at one point rather than sit back and enjoy the ride. I flagged down another motorboat by waving my paddle in the air, but the jerk didn't stop. He had to have seen me. I finally got them to the dock after about 30 minutes.

The two guys thanked me, but to my surprise, the girl did not. They didn't even offer to buy me a cup of coffee. Maybe they were embarrassed. Oh well. I'd kind of hoped they would at least take a picture so I could send it to the wife. I thought these kids Instagram everything! Shoulda asked, I guess. But seriously, what's with the manners of this generation?

I guess I have some karma points now.

Interestingly, the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue boats moored there at the dock are completely unmanned. On July 4th weekend. What gives, Farifax?!

It was a fun paddle nonetheless.

[Bigfoot424]

Will we see you on the news? Sounds like it was a fun day.

[JfromReston]

Thanks for rescuing the group. I'm sure the river gods will repay your generosity at a later date.

[AlexandriaVa11]

Wow! I can't rep you because I need to spread it around but you definitely DID earn many many many karma points and brownie points and namaste points. Bravo! If I could I would buy you nice replacement sunglasses (and beach shoes).

I'm not sure what to say about the teenagers; I have 2 of 'em myself and I do believe they would both thank you profusely - but I don't know that they'd think to buy you coffee.

I hope the rest of your holiday weekend is a bit more peaceful.

[Carlingtonian]

Originally Posted by Bigfoot424

Will we see you on the news? Sounds like it was a fun day.

Not unless Pat Collins was hiding behind a tree with a telephoto lens. Yeah, it was fun. So tranquil down there, especially in the morning.

Originally Posted by AlexandriaVa11

Your post.

Thanks. Just abiding by the law of the sea. You're not supposed to leave anyone in distress if you can help them. Hopefully they'd have done the same for me. The sunglasses were $10 six years ago, so I got my money's worth.

Originally Posted by JfromReston

Thanks for rescuing the group. I'm sure the rive gods will repay you generosity at a later date.

My starry-eyed dream is for someone at Lake Barcroft to offer to let me paddle on their private lake as their guest.

[Sgoldie]

Configuring a bridle ( two lines one on each side of the boat) can aid in stability when towing.

Youre a good guy for saving them so they didn't have to swim the boat in.

I hate it when others don't stop to help. Apparently don't know the rules of boating and shouldn't be on the water.

[Carlingtonian]

Originally Posted by Sgoldie

Configuring a bridle ( two lines one on each side of the boat being towed) can aid in stability when towing.

Good tip--thanks. Their boat (which was pretty heavy) seemed stable enough; it was mine that was the problem. I think that's because their boat would lurch forward, and then I would get ahead and the tow rope would go taut as the slack went away. That's when I think I lost speed the first time, which is when my secondary stability (high) went away and my initial stability (low) kicked in, sending middle-aged man over the deck, balding head first!

[Sgoldie]

It's because you were paddling and impossible to keep tow rope taut at all times.
Lucky for them you were there.

A bridle is used on the boat towing too if possible but not in your case.

[car54]

Great job helping those kids, Carlingtonian! You must have some arms on you, man! It's got to be at least a mile just from the mouth of Pohick Creek up to the park dock!

The "code of the sea" thing is lost on a lot of folks nowadays....I guess the me, me, me attitude doesn't stop at the water's edge. That boat at Pohick is a fire boat and usually is unmanned, especially at that hour. Eventually, either a Good Samaritan or one of the river pirates (commercial towboat) might have happened by...and they probably would have wanted a couple hundred to tow those kids in.

Boy, this sure was the weekend for high seas rescues by C-D members!

Yesterday morning the wife and I cast off for our "big cruise" to Nova Scotia. It was such a beautiful day that I was driving from the flybridge and about 5 miles below Turkey Point (entrance to Elk River/C&D canal) I see something white in the water. Figuring it was the usual flotsam I didn't think much of it. But as we closed in on it, my binocular peering wife screams. "it's a dog!". Sure enough, it was a miniature poodle...out in the middle of the Bay! I got as close as I dared and killed the engines and the wife dove off the swim platform and grabbed him. She rinsed him off in the galley sink and blow dried him and I got on the radio.

A lot of lucky things happened...1) the dog was wearing a life vest or he would have probably drowned...2) he fell off a sailing yacht (slow enough to still be in radio range...about 12 miles south of our position)...3) and last but not least, the vessel answered our radio call.

Anyway, we turned around and headed back down the Bay to meet up with his owners. They were a charming older couple aboard a 60 foot ketch from Australia, of all places! They had been cruising the world for over a year! They were obviously ecstatic to have their pup back!

He had a collar and I imagine we could have eventually contacted his owners but it sure would have been sad sailin' for those folks...

[choff5]

Car54, can't rep you but that's an incredible story! Talk about being in the right place and all stars aligned.