Monday 7 April 2008

The Boat on the Water

Let me just say this: I hate boats. I really do. Maybe I was on the Titanic in a past life or some such, but I have an intense fear of drowning. Not in a pool. I can swim ok, but murky, mucky water and a questionable floating/sinking contraption...... yeah, no. I used to actually carry a window punch just in case I drove off the road into a flood or river and became submerged in a vehicle. I used to insist on owning a vehicle with manual windows so I wouldn't have to use the window punch in same said scenario.

The joy my family gets from it usually outweighs my nervousness. This was not the case last week. I felt queasy and tired and had never been on this boat, the new boat.

Don't get me wrong, I love the outdoors, the sunshine, the woods....just not being on a boat of any kind. It may stem from childhood boat experiences, it may be a physiological balance/motion sickness issue.

Lil'Bug, on the other hand, loves it. She could float and swim in any water all day long. No problem.

Dearest Husband is the same way. He loves it. He'd live on a boat if he could.

This is my view, clutching my camera, hoping I don't vomit or start sobbing. I did both eventually, but not in the boat. Sure, 8 months pregnant, but still. I hate boats. Actually the sobbing happened when he had to back our truck into the water to hitch the boat back on the trailer. Right, truck in water, me and kid strapped/buckled up in truck= lots of tears (and laughter from Lil'Bug, the little stinker.....).

Geeze, they are so cute. I can't wait until they can go without party pooper me. I can't wait until they can go float all day long while I curl up on the shore in the shade with a good book and some chocolate.

6 comments:

  1. Such sweet pictures. Thanks for sharing. I'm okay with boats these days. But it took a while to trust them. :)

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  2. My mom hated boats when my dad bought a 16' sailboat and took us out on it to tip over. I think it's a maternal instinct. But now, she loves boating, lives on the Gulf coast and has her own sailboat (dad and she split over 20 years ago.) I grew up sailing. I love boats but my knees get wobbly when my landlubber kids get near the water.

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  3. "I can't wait until they can go float all day long while I curl up on the shore in the shade with a good book and some chocolate." You forgot- some chocolate, and a sweet new baby to snuggle- the best part!

    Another thing you and I have in common- I hate boats too! We had several when I was groing up- the longest at 32 feet, and my dad loved to have a couple of drinks before he went out- lovely. We got caught in sandbars when the tide went out, and had to stay on a slanted boat until the tide came back in, and he broke my mom's collar bone by having her guide the boat in (and she is tiny, like you), I always, always got sick, and had to be on Dramamine, and I fell off the boat in dogfish-laden waters (I think that was my last straw). Hate it. Hate it. Hate it.
    LB

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  4. One of my bad bad boat experiences involved a raft, a mucky river, and an upstream wind. I ended up getting out of the raft and walking it, full of my family, something like 2 miles against the wind (shallow river) just to end the hell that was that particular family outing. I was sunburned and shivering all at the same time, to boot I got a UTI from being in the dirty water that long.

    What are dogfish, LB?

    :) Oh and yes, I will have a snuggle new baby, BUT DH wants her on the boat with them as soon as possible!

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  5. Like you, I have an intense fear of the water and used to also insist on manual windows for the same reason as you. It is still a real fear for me, so much so that I have to close my eyes and hum a tune every time we go over a bridge.

    Maybe we were on the Titanic together? :)

    It's good that your daughter is fearless though. DOn't know about you but often I worry that my children will inherit the same fears that I have, some of which are so crippling I find it difficult to do certain things. How wonderful that she's so into boats and the water!

    Hope you are feeling well!

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  6. Dogfish are a type of SHARK! Scary looking, about 4 to 5 feet long. They (supposedly) do not like humans, but they are still in the shark family, and scare the bejeezus out of me. I think you and I are good enough friends I can say bejeeezuz, right? ;-)
    LB

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