There is not a lot to mention about canoeing as far as excitement is concerned, it is just good exercise, fresh air and beautiful surroundings.
However, Tuesday, August 25, 2015 about 6 PM changed all that.
I was canoeing on the other side of the lake opposite the South Shore on Lake Arthur when the canoe suddenly capsized. There was no wind, the water was almost glass like barely a ripple evident. It just felt like something grabbed a hold of it and flipped it over.
My wife said that the bow of the boat was high in the air when I left shore earlier, which meant that the canoe inherently was in an unstable situation.
I did everything wrong that day. The clothing that I wore, mostly nylon could not be shed. It wrapped around my body like armor threatening to take me under. As a result I couldn't swim to shore but sensibly clung to the canoe and shouted for help. Stupidly, I was not wearing a life jacket which could have made my situation a lot less precarious.
I shouted for help but no one was near by and could hear me. They couldn't see me because my canoe was green and blended in with the surrounding terrain.
My grandson Mendel finally spotted me after I was 10 minutes in the water and he told his father Yaakov who immediately knew what to do. He launched our inflatable kayak and rescued me about 10 minutes later pulling me to shore.
A sailing vessel near by helped by gathering the canoe and all the other floating debris and brought it to shore.
The whole episode totaled less than an hour but it has changed my life and I will probably recognize it more so in the days ahead.
I am very appreciative to those people who came to my assistance especially Mendel who noticed my distress and to Yaakov for coming to my assistance in a timely fashion and knew exactly what to do.
In the days ahead I expect to learn how to dress more appropriately while on the water, always wear a life jacket and possibly replace my canoe with one more readily visible. I will also be looking for more safety tips and advice. There is a small air horn with a compressed air canister which you can buy and to attach to your person which can allow someone to at least hear you.
The canoe itself was not buoyant and the seats( flotation part of the canoe) rapidly filled with water, another 20-30 minutes and it would have gone under.
After canoeing for 30 years I received a wake up call to safety on the water (don't take it for granted) and to life (don't take it for granted) either.
