Some of my best stories (best being subjective) are about the things that we forgot to bring, do or say. I mean they are both funny and relatable which is a key ingredient of a good yarn. Think about your own tall tales, the ones that you break out around the campfire or in the boat to pass the time. I bet there at least one of those involves something you or someone else forgot.
The World’s Worst Shore Lunch
As I have mentioned before I love me a shore lunch Eat Your Heart Out Choronzey. It’s a big part of our trips and something we do at least twice each time out. Due to the size of Ogoki Lake we decided early on that we would eat on the lake everyday. It was to be a mix of sandwiches and shore lunch. As we got into our trip groove, I got into the habit of making lunches the night before as the other guys made dinner and prepped for the campfire that evening. On shore lunch days this meant ensuring that we had everything we needed including fresh fish when we headed out. On Thursday we headed to a familiar beach and started to get set up. As I began unpacking a feeling of dread rolled over me. Did I pack everything? Well the short answer is no! It may have been the beers consumed while packing the night before or it could have been the hangover I was working through when I added the final touches in the AM BUT: I had forgot a few key ingredients: utensils, oil and plates! After some relentless teasing Colin offered to run back to the cabin and grab what we needed. He wasn’t even out of eye site when I had to suck up my pride and get on the radio to also ask for a spatula and the beans as well! I hear about this one whenever we get together and we all (well more like they) get a good laugh out of it
The Anchor Mishap
In 2008 my Dad surprised the heck out of my brother and I when he decided to buy a boat. He had been looking at a few used boats and had gotten frustrated. He asked that we meet him at Bass Pro Shops in Vaughan one evening and after conversing with the Sales Staff he pulled the trigger (I will never forget the look on the sales guys face when my Dad pulled out his cheque book to buy the boat that evening) When the boat was ready my Dad and I headed up to Balsam Lake to christen the boat and fish for bass. As we pulled into one of our favorite area’s the wind was just pounding. Being the first time in the boat we were still getting used to all the bells and whistles. As I jumped up on the casting platform, I asked my Dad to throw out the anchor while I got the trolling motor ready. Head down for what felt like 30 seconds I finally got the motor plugged in and was just about to deploy it when I realized we were almost on shore! Just as I was about to yell at my Dad to back us up, I heard a solid thud as the boat bucked on a shoal. As I turned back to figure out how we had ended up on the shoal I noticed that there was a long yellow anchor rope floating in our wake, unattached to the boat. While we had remembered to put the new anchor in the boat, we had forgot to tie it off! I jumped in the water and manhandled the boat off the shoal and into deeper water. Thankfully we escaped unharmed, NOT! In my haste I didn’t realize my phone and wallet were in my pockets and were now sopping wet. Worse our brand-new transducer had been mashed against a rock and needed to be replaced. Needless to say; My Dad, Brother and I together = this story. To this day my Dad blames me, I blame him, and my brother just calls us the idiots.
The Rain Coat
I have talked a few times about the importance of a good rain suit. IMO its one of the most important items to bring on your outdoors trip. Top 5 Items for Your Trip No, I didn’t forget to bring my rain suit on a trip. But I did forget to bring my rain jacket on the boat. On one of our fly ins we are on a small lake, so we generally headed back to the cabin for lunch. This day the weather had been cool but sunny and so when we headed back out, I left my raincoat picnic table. Mark and I headed to a spot and within a few minutes of starting our drift some dark clouds appeared on the horizon. Two things happened 1) The fish turned on and 2) Mark asked me if I wanted to grab my coat. Not wanting to leave the bit I shook it off, no worries how bad it can be. Plus, with 6 horsepower engines and two studs in the boat (Think the Rock x2) the run back to the cabin would take more than a minute. Well wouldn’t you know it those clouds turned into something I have never witnessed. A wall of rain seems to appear out of nowhere at the bottom end of the lake and proceed to roll towards us like a herd of black stallions. Before we could even start the engine, it was on us and I was just soaked! Honestly, I looked like I jumped in the water. While Mark was a bit wet, he was fine but the idiot who forgot his jacket – well he was soaked to the bone and spent the rest of the night shivering (and complaining). Lesson learned - bring the jacket, or when someone says let’s get the jacket, get the jacket!
Like my personalities post That Guy this may be a topic I revisit at some point. A part 2, as I know I have many more stories about the thing that your forgot (like the time I attempted a wake jump w a motor that was only partially affixed to the boat).