Back in high school, my friend and I built a couple cedar-strip canoes. During spring breaks, we'd get a group together and take a 3-4 day camping/canoeing trip on a local river. We usually had 3 canoes along with us. Starting out right at the mouth, we'd paddle upstream just outside of tidewater and make our camp, usually trying to catch the incoming tide to help us along, but still about a 2 hour paddle. On our trips, we usually spend one day to paddle back down about a half mile and do some fishing on a side-stream, back into tidewater. We took 2 canoes for the 4 of us on this outing. Upon reaching the sidestream, we pulled the canoes up on the gravel bar, and proceeded on foot. A couple of the non-fisherman (and subsequently, inexperienced canoers) decided to stay near the boats and make a fire. After a couple hours, we hear them hollering downstream. I decided my friend should stay and fish while I head back down. Upon reaching them, I notice there is only 1 canoe there... I asked where the other was, and they respond, "We weren't paying attention, but I swear it was here a minute ago!" Noticing that the gravel bar is nearly covered with water now, I realize we forgot about high tide, and didn't pull the boats up far enough! @#$%!! I hop in the other canoe and start paddling like mad downstream. Rounding the first corner, I see it 100 yards ahead. Luckily, there was a tree leaning over the river, and a branch hung down just low enough to catch the canoe. If it had floated 1 foot to the left or right, or the tidewater was only a couple inches lower, it would've gone straight in the Pacific Ocean. I ended up dragging it back upstream, and you'd better believe, when I got back, I tied the da*ned things to a tree!!
