Paddle Boats & Water

Paddle Boats

 

Laying at water’s edge

I float in green grass

Far from the sounds of city

I silence thundering noise

and

Experience tranquility in my soul

Marjorie Klassen age 12

As a child Grandpa (Paul) spent many lazy hours planning the magnificent raft that he would build and like Tom Sawyer he would go adventuring on the family pond.  Later the family moved to West Montrose, Ontario and as a teenager when he had time to lay in the grass at the edge of the Grand River he dreamed once again of building a raft.  Now as Grandparents Paul and I dream of cruising the great rivers of Russia and Europe not on a raft, heaven forbid, no, today we dream of a small cruise ship with hot running water, room service and good food. 

Does water hold a romantic allure for everyone?  We build our houses by the water, we vacation by water, we like to walk by water and we write poetry about water.  I will apologize to those of my readers who are 'real' poets.  The piece of poetry that I have included in this post I wrote when I was twelve years old.  I was camping at  Point Farms Provincial Park with my parents and Uncle Clifford's family.  I can still remember the long flight of stairs that we had to take to get from the camping area  through to the beach.   How the transition from day to day noise of camping to the silent tranquil beach was magical and inspired me to put pencil to paper.  I have been keeping a journal since I was about 10 years old a practice I hope to pass on to my Grandchildren.

The stairs at Point Farms Provincial Park

Point Farms Provincial Park
82491 Bluewater Hwy.
R.R.#3
Goderich, Ontario
N7A 3X9
519-524-7124

One of the wonderful Family Parks there are to explore in Ontario Canada.

On the weekend of the Church Camp out Emily experienced the allure of the water.  At the private campground there was a fishing pond and paddle boat.  More than once she convinced her Grandfather to take her out on the pond.  Once on the pond Emily just wanted to float in the middle ... I wonder what she was imagining ... where the magical pull of water was taking her?

 

Water can also be dangerous

So it is important to ensure that whenever on the water you are safe.  Transport Canada  is a website that provide a lists of safety equipment necessary for different sized boats.  For Paddle Boats this list is:

•  the right size life jacket for every person on the paddle boat.  Now while Emily, Ruth, Pastor Juanita Laverty and Myrna Laverty all have their life jacket zipped up and buckled, Grandpa does not if you take a close look at earlier pictures - next time Emily and Ruth make sure Grandpa does his life jacket up!

•     A buoyant heaving line at least 15 metres long

•      One bailer

•     A whistle

Because the paddle boat was in a small pond it did not have to have a compass or radar reflector and because we were not allowed to take it out after dark a light.

I hope each of you has a great weekend with your families

Grandma Snyder

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