Wipeout on Lake Washington!!

It was the best fun we have had all year!!

What Happened...

We love going to Lake Washington. It is so peaceful and natural. You would think there would be hoardes of people there on the weekends but there never are...Lately, we have been taking the monster out there with us (Our little teacup, Yorkie puppy). It's always a gamble because she can NOT be trusted...at all. She has so many feelings and emotions until you can never know how she will react in a new situation. Although, I know her temperment and personality, she always leaves me in shock at her responses. She is a very sweet little pet but she also has a mean streak that takes my breath away.

So we go out to the lake as usual but instead of fishing from the pier we decide to get a canoe. It's a 50/50 chance that this is good idea. With courage and prayer, we put our gear in the canoe, Virgil gets in first and then I board with the monster. I anticipate so anxiety on her part, but she is cool as a cucumber...unbelievable.. My job is to keep her calm and still while remaining balanced as Virgil rows, he is an expert at boating so no worries there. We all have on life jackets, so although the lake is at least 30 feet deep there is no reason for alarm. How will the monster behave? She was a little angel, just sniffing and gazing about. She didn't try to jump from the canoe not one time - AWESOME!

Virgil tries to talk but I am not having any conversation. All I can see is her springing from the canoe and me trying to swim fast enough to catch her...Lake Washington is humongous!! It's really big when you are in the water. Oh, and did I mention that the water is so cold it takes you breath away? It is nothing like being in the balmy waters of West Beach in Galveston, TX. Lake Washington is ice cold even in August with 80 degreee temperatures on the surface. Just 3 feet in and the temperatures dips to even frostier degrees, so I was horrified at the prospect that I might have to "catch" the monster while tipping over the canoe, losing all our gear and dumping Virgil into the drink as well. Maybe I would just let her dog paddle herself to shore and Virgil could just steer the canoe after her. Yeah, that sounded like a much better plan, still I didn't fancy either scenario....

Finally, I exhaustedly requested to be paddled to shore and remain on land while Virgil went to fishing on his own. Virgil liked this idea. So, towards land we headed and miracles of miracles, we unloaded and Virgil shoved off without incident - Whew!!

The monster and I were visited by ducks and she played in the water energetically while I counted my lucky stars. We kept an eye on Virgil and he was expertly navigating canoe here an there while trying to hook salmon or bass on the quiet, picturesque lake.

In due course, he came back to pick us up...he wanted to try another part of the lake and would drop us back at the pier...so back into the canoe the monster and I went, bidding the ducks a fond farewell... Not only did we make it back but Virgil got a little charismatic in manuevering the canoe. I thanked God to be back at the pier safely and dryly with the monster in good spirits.

And then....

No longer responsible for Tiny and me Virgil set off with vigor...I thought, "Oh, oh..." I took off Tiny's life jacket and mine and headed to the other side of the pier to watch Virgil's progress. He was doing really good and I felt calm and peaceful whilst Tiny behaved herself like a proper Yorkie should. I was so proud of her. As I looked down at her watching Virgil's progress - it happened...he leaned over too far onto the left of the canoe and he plummetted into Lake Washington and he looked up with a huge grin on his face while the "Wenoah" exposed her "underbelly" to the blue, lazy Washington sky...FABulous!!! Into, the frigid water Virgil went, he came up quickly because of his life jacket...other fishermen were hurrying over to assist him but he didn't need the help, he was having the time of his life!! I laughed at him and Tiny barked and he laughed loudly and deeply at all the fun as he dove to retrieve his fishing pole and other gear...

Having turned the Wenoah right side up again, she was filled with the waters of Lake Washington so Virgil towed her back to the pier with a boyish grin on his face. Tiny and I went to meet him at a leisurely pace. How I wish I had videotaped this escapade...oh well, c'est la vie! Virgil was drenched in frosty water and so happy at the experience the joy was coming off of him like wave upon wave of tsunamis. What an excellent feeling and a FAB!!! experience!

The wrap up

Needless to say, he was frozen and I was relieved. Tiny, well, she was not impressed at all probably wishing she could have caught one of those ducks from earlier. We befriended all of the fisherman and carried on with trying to hook salmon but firmly from shore this time. It was an awesome day and a lovely experience...Oh yeah, the cell phone got drenched but that's all the damage there was. Magnificent!

If you want to try your luck on Lake Washington be sure to rent your canoe at Cascade Canoe-Kayak Centers! http://www.canoe-kayak.com/