I shot a little air into my suit and up I went. As my head popped through the surface I was a bit disoriented to say the least. I could see absolutely nothing but white. Well it was clear for about 15 ft or so, and then it was a wall of white. A damn blizzard! Dwaine came to my side and said he thought it looked like it might snow. Smart ass! ( I could hardly hear him over the noise of the wind. I did a 360 and could see nothing but snow. No land in sight. Wasn’t a problem as I knew where it was. Every direction actually (
I looked at my tube and saw what my problem was with it. The wind was blowing up some hellacious whitecaps and besides that, the temperature had taken a dive in the last half hour and the tube was almost sunk because of ice buildup. I took out my dive knife, which I wore on my ankle, and hammered as much off as I could. It was rough on the surface and I didn’t want to stay there any longer than I had to. We were bobbing around like corks in the wind and it is a pain.
I figured that we were a third of the way across the lake now. I could not be sure but from the time I figured we were close. Dwaine yelled we better head back. I told him I was not going to try to drag that tube against the wind all the way back and I was gonna hit the bottom and go directly across the lake to the far shore! He was not sure about that but said OK. He asked what the hell we were gonna do after that but I had not a clue but would work on it. I sure the hell was not gonna swim against the wind! If I had not had the tube, it would not have been a problem.
Down we went and we set off, following the pull of the tube. It was a nice ride actually. I was watchful of our air supply but we were ok so far. The depth was only 20 ft or so but we did hit a few holes of 40 ft or so. No problem.
I had no idea where we would come to shore or what we would do then but I would deal with it when we got there.
Finally we hit a rise. It was the far drop-off, which is like a wall in that area. We were about 30 ft deep but the drop went up to about 2 ft of water and leveled off. We followed the drop up and when we got to the level, we stood up. The snow had let up a little and we could faintly see the shore, about 60 ft or so away. Aaah :0) We made it.. Now what?
We reached down and took off our fins and mask. Then we walked to shore, looking around and getting our bearings. We had come to shore on Wards Point, which is where the rich people lived back then. Dwaine asked me, “Now what?”
My father-in-law lived only a couple miles away and I figured I could call him and he would pick us up and take us back to the park. All I had to do is get someone to make a call for us.
We wadded to shore and with mask and fins in hand, walked across a vacant lot and onto the road, Dwaine following. I went to the first house on the right and told Dwaine I would get them to call my father-in-law. He took my mask and fins and I headed up the drive, the tank still on my back. I tried to get it off at the end of the drive but it was frozen to my back by then.
I rang the doorbell. There I was, in a wet suit and tank on my back, all covered with ice. Lots of ice by this time. The door opened and the old gentleman just stood there for a half minute. I was a bit at a loss of words myself but finally introduced myself and told him our problem. I asked him if he would call my father-in-law and ask him to bring his pickup truck to get us. He laughed and told me to come in and call myself! I said, “Man you don’t want me coming in your house like this!” He just laughed and held the door open, calling his wife to see what he had found at the door. I was a bit reluctant but stepped it to the most beautiful house I had ever been in up to that time. It was spotless and he told me to walk right in, tank and all.
Well, I went to the phone and made my call. My father-in-law told me to go to hell and walk but I told him I would kick his scrawny little ass if he didn’t come and get us. He relented and said he was on his way.
I thanked the old gentleman and walked out to the road to wait for Pete. I still could not get the tank off my back, so I went back to the lake and wadded out, lying down when I was deep enough. The lake water thawed the ice and I was able to get my tank off. Hell, my weight belt was froze on too. Dwaine had pulled his off before it had frozen on, I guess.
Pete got there in short order and I had to put up with a bunch of, “Stupid sombutch”, “Stupid sombutch” grumbling. He sorta said it with a grin so I let the little bastud live.
All in all it was an adventure I never wished I missed. It gave me a story to share and I just relived it again, after all these years—Thanks for listening
I
I looked at my tube and saw what my problem was with it. The wind was blowing up some hellacious whitecaps and besides that, the temperature had taken a dive in the last half hour and the tube was almost sunk because of ice buildup. I took out my dive knife, which I wore on my ankle, and hammered as much off as I could. It was rough on the surface and I didn’t want to stay there any longer than I had to. We were bobbing around like corks in the wind and it is a pain.
I figured that we were a third of the way across the lake now. I could not be sure but from the time I figured we were close. Dwaine yelled we better head back. I told him I was not going to try to drag that tube against the wind all the way back and I was gonna hit the bottom and go directly across the lake to the far shore! He was not sure about that but said OK. He asked what the hell we were gonna do after that but I had not a clue but would work on it. I sure the hell was not gonna swim against the wind! If I had not had the tube, it would not have been a problem.
Down we went and we set off, following the pull of the tube. It was a nice ride actually. I was watchful of our air supply but we were ok so far. The depth was only 20 ft or so but we did hit a few holes of 40 ft or so. No problem.
I had no idea where we would come to shore or what we would do then but I would deal with it when we got there.
Finally we hit a rise. It was the far drop-off, which is like a wall in that area. We were about 30 ft deep but the drop went up to about 2 ft of water and leveled off. We followed the drop up and when we got to the level, we stood up. The snow had let up a little and we could faintly see the shore, about 60 ft or so away. Aaah :0) We made it.. Now what?
We reached down and took off our fins and mask. Then we walked to shore, looking around and getting our bearings. We had come to shore on Wards Point, which is where the rich people lived back then. Dwaine asked me, “Now what?”
My father-in-law lived only a couple miles away and I figured I could call him and he would pick us up and take us back to the park. All I had to do is get someone to make a call for us.
We wadded to shore and with mask and fins in hand, walked across a vacant lot and onto the road, Dwaine following. I went to the first house on the right and told Dwaine I would get them to call my father-in-law. He took my mask and fins and I headed up the drive, the tank still on my back. I tried to get it off at the end of the drive but it was frozen to my back by then.
I rang the doorbell. There I was, in a wet suit and tank on my back, all covered with ice. Lots of ice by this time. The door opened and the old gentleman just stood there for a half minute. I was a bit at a loss of words myself but finally introduced myself and told him our problem. I asked him if he would call my father-in-law and ask him to bring his pickup truck to get us. He laughed and told me to come in and call myself! I said, “Man you don’t want me coming in your house like this!” He just laughed and held the door open, calling his wife to see what he had found at the door. I was a bit reluctant but stepped it to the most beautiful house I had ever been in up to that time. It was spotless and he told me to walk right in, tank and all.
Well, I went to the phone and made my call. My father-in-law told me to go to hell and walk but I told him I would kick his scrawny little ass if he didn’t come and get us. He relented and said he was on his way.
I thanked the old gentleman and walked out to the road to wait for Pete. I still could not get the tank off my back, so I went back to the lake and wadded out, lying down when I was deep enough. The lake water thawed the ice and I was able to get my tank off. Hell, my weight belt was froze on too. Dwaine had pulled his off before it had frozen on, I guess.
Pete got there in short order and I had to put up with a bunch of, “Stupid sombutch”, “Stupid sombutch” grumbling. He sorta said it with a grin so I let the little bastud live.
All in all it was an adventure I never wished I missed. It gave me a story to share and I just relived it again, after all these years—Thanks for listening
I
