Re: another stupid person
And another stupid person. What about a whole van load?
The drain plug stories never end.
We return to the venerated Syfrette's Fish Camp ramp at the Backwaters on the Chattahoochee
above Columbus. About 25 years ago it was a narrow 2 lane ramp and moderately steep.
6 pm and the skiing crowd want to load up the boat and head for home or some good fried catfish.
An van was trying to pull a runabout up the ramp. The driver and most passengers appeared
WAY past the intoxication limits. They managed to get the boat on the trailer. But Someone
forgot the drain plug. The boat was beginning to fill up with water. The driver tried to
pull the trailer up the ramp. Wheels spun. Driver cussed a blue streak. Apparently he
did not understand how much water weighs. A canoe could hold up to half a ton.
At some early point, any half intelligent 5th grader could have no doubt blocked the drain
with a plug or just about ANY wadded up substance, from either inside or outside the boat. They
would have gotten a little wet. Then it could have been bailed with a pcan, small cooler, whatever,
until most of the water was back where it belonged--in the lake.Then the driver could have inched up the
ramp a little until the drain hole was above the surface. Someone could have removed the whatever plug,
and let the boat finish draining. It's not rocket science. It would have taken a while, but there would have
been a positive outcome, unblocking the ramp. Yeah. Sure.
This was Not to be.
No one there including me was about to tell a van load of drunken, half naked, sunburned red
neckersons either how to do something or do it for them and risk our health and general well-being.
Oh, did I tell you, they were all already in the van. This was a time when you wish the DNR Ranger,
Deputy Sheriff, or both would show up.
Luckily I had already loaded our boat.
All watched pitifully as the boat continued to fill with water and the van continued to
peel rubber. It's a miracle the drive didnt let the van slide back into the water.
And we sure didnt want that bunch on the road.
I presume that Harris County's Finest took care of them in due time, and everyone
got home, or jail, as the case was, safely.