Okay this is going to take awhile. Let's start by saying that You my friends will take my version of the story as fact. So I'm always saying to Zach "hey we have to make a memory". Because what we do mostly is eat dinner together. He s busy working ,teaching ,seeing his girlfriend (wink wink. More on that later)
and we need to make some memories too. So in the past we go to the paradise pup for burgers or we go to a bulls game or cub game. Perhaps we should stick to cleaning the house together...
So I decide we should go kayaking in Lake Michigan because this is the best time of year to do this. And I'm an outdoorsy mom,art least in my head.....
So we get the kayaks in the truck after we check beach conditions on line and fireman comes along
We need someone to watch from shore and to park the truck after we drop off
Well we get there on this glorious day and it's a bit wavy. Just a bit. But I say let's forget it
Firema n and I have gotten into fights over less er waves in door county ....
Well Zach says hey I'm going to try it. Fireman says just hit those waves head on and after you are past them parallel the shore and head south.
Well it went south alright
Zach maneuvers said kayak beautifully over the waves and smiling gives me the thumbs up
I'm energized. He made it look easy.My short Hungarian feet are firmly In the sand when I make the decision to meet him. Out there
I ask fireman what should I do if I tip. He gave instructions and I was out like a shot. I paddled my damndest. I hit thoSe three lines of 1-3 foot waves head on. I'm whooping it up. We are all smiles. I meet Zach. Okay. Stay close I say and parallel the shore!!!!(( woop woop
Swell
That's what I hit next a big old swell and I was out of the kayak and immediately panicked
I recall fireman saying heck you can stand out there.... but shortlittle me could not stand and I panicked more
Fireman seemed a speck on the sand. My life jacket was on loosely and I was fighting it. Wave upon wave hit me. I tell myself don't panic. Do not panic. But I panic
I have and I'm so ashamed of this..... No regard for my adult child who I last saw in his kayak
I tell myself I can tread water for nearly an hour. I'm so good at treading water
In a calm pool
I'm panicked. This was so dumb. The water is strong
I get on my side and swim.
But I can't really move forward or so it seems.
Fireman is on the shore calmly signaling something to me
I pull harder I tell myself to breathe between waves and swells
I try to stand. No I can't. This makes me think I'm way far out. I swim. I try again to stand and again and finallyn I can.
Oh thank you God I say and I mean it. I mean it more than ever
Now as I pull myself and my paddle which I somehow hung on to towards shore. I am walking upright in the water as any human should only be in lake Michigan in the waves and I notice.
Fireman is pulling off his shirt.
Oh don't go in I tell him please don't it's so strong out there
Will you quit panicking he says. Look at Zach
I have to help him with the kayaks
Oh yeah. Mother of the year. All about me every. Mother for herself....I'm so ashamed.
I turn around and Zachary in the water too now trying to hang onto two kayaks and a paddle
Fireman is s with him in a flash. Seeing them together is not quite relief
Call 911!!!!! I say to the foreigner next to me
What?? She says
Please do it. Call '
911. We can always cancel
Then I look out and Zach and fire
Man are both standing up pulling their kayaks in
She didn't call 911.
I felt so utterly stupid.
Thank god the water wa..S 68 degrees.
Fireman said it was more like the scene in What about bob when bob falls off the pier with his life jacket on
In my mind it waS near death
Zach says he wants to whitewater canoe now
This is not the lesson I want him to take away with him
I'm a panicky person. I think I'm part squirrel I swear I am. Even my Mom In her dimentia says I m nervous!
Thank you God I was very afraid
For me
I just bailed on Zach
I think we will stick to dinner for memories
I need a drink.
Zach said he had fun!
Lesson learned. I'm a quiet water person.
Somehow my ten dollar sunglasses stayed on
I love my boy. I love my fireman. Thank u God
and we need to make some memories too. So in the past we go to the paradise pup for burgers or we go to a bulls game or cub game. Perhaps we should stick to cleaning the house together...
So I decide we should go kayaking in Lake Michigan because this is the best time of year to do this. And I'm an outdoorsy mom,art least in my head.....
So we get the kayaks in the truck after we check beach conditions on line and fireman comes along
We need someone to watch from shore and to park the truck after we drop off
Well we get there on this glorious day and it's a bit wavy. Just a bit. But I say let's forget it
Firema n and I have gotten into fights over less er waves in door county ....
Well Zach says hey I'm going to try it. Fireman says just hit those waves head on and after you are past them parallel the shore and head south.
Well it went south alright
Zach maneuvers said kayak beautifully over the waves and smiling gives me the thumbs up
I'm energized. He made it look easy.My short Hungarian feet are firmly In the sand when I make the decision to meet him. Out there
I ask fireman what should I do if I tip. He gave instructions and I was out like a shot. I paddled my damndest. I hit thoSe three lines of 1-3 foot waves head on. I'm whooping it up. We are all smiles. I meet Zach. Okay. Stay close I say and parallel the shore!!!!(( woop woop
Swell
That's what I hit next a big old swell and I was out of the kayak and immediately panicked
I recall fireman saying heck you can stand out there.... but shortlittle me could not stand and I panicked more
Fireman seemed a speck on the sand. My life jacket was on loosely and I was fighting it. Wave upon wave hit me. I tell myself don't panic. Do not panic. But I panic
I have and I'm so ashamed of this..... No regard for my adult child who I last saw in his kayak
I tell myself I can tread water for nearly an hour. I'm so good at treading water
In a calm pool
I'm panicked. This was so dumb. The water is strong
I get on my side and swim.
But I can't really move forward or so it seems.
Fireman is on the shore calmly signaling something to me
I pull harder I tell myself to breathe between waves and swells
I try to stand. No I can't. This makes me think I'm way far out. I swim. I try again to stand and again and finallyn I can.
Oh thank you God I say and I mean it. I mean it more than ever
Now as I pull myself and my paddle which I somehow hung on to towards shore. I am walking upright in the water as any human should only be in lake Michigan in the waves and I notice.
Fireman is pulling off his shirt.
Oh don't go in I tell him please don't it's so strong out there
Will you quit panicking he says. Look at Zach
I have to help him with the kayaks
Oh yeah. Mother of the year. All about me every. Mother for herself....I'm so ashamed.
I turn around and Zachary in the water too now trying to hang onto two kayaks and a paddle
Fireman is s with him in a flash. Seeing them together is not quite relief
Call 911!!!!! I say to the foreigner next to me
What?? She says
Please do it. Call '
911. We can always cancel
Then I look out and Zach and fire
Man are both standing up pulling their kayaks in
She didn't call 911.
I felt so utterly stupid.
Thank god the water wa..S 68 degrees.
Fireman said it was more like the scene in What about bob when bob falls off the pier with his life jacket on
In my mind it waS near death
Zach says he wants to whitewater canoe now
This is not the lesson I want him to take away with him
I'm a panicky person. I think I'm part squirrel I swear I am. Even my Mom In her dimentia says I m nervous!
Thank you God I was very afraid
For me
I just bailed on Zach
I think we will stick to dinner for memories
I need a drink.
Zach said he had fun!
Lesson learned. I'm a quiet water person.
Somehow my ten dollar sunglasses stayed on
I love my boy. I love my fireman. Thank u God
Comments
People who do not know Lake Michigan will not understand how dangerous it is. The waves may not be huge but the rip currents can be very strong.
And you did it without losing your sunglasses! You are awesome!
It does sound terrifying, though. I know just how you felt. I fell out of raft on the Truckee River some years ago and I was sure I was going to die! We are old enough to know that bad things can happen -- I'm just glad they didn't!
Hugs,
Meredith
If you are not afraid of the water and waves, it is a rush (as you discovered) to hit the waves straight on and get beyond them. I can understand Zach's excitement. Perhaps navigating in calm waters is a better option for Super Mom. LOL. I'm proud of you; loved your telling of the story!!
Many years ago, we were out in canoes with some friends. Our boat tipped over - the cooler of beer fell in - and I fell in and my husband fell in. I went under the water and was trying to get up. While people rushed to save me - my husband was saving the cooler of beer! Feel any better now?! LOL!
Linda in VA
Thanks for sharing the story.