Today is a very gray day....about to get grayer!
Woke up to pouring rain at 730am. Nothing worse then packing up in rain so we head to coffee shop and kill 2 hrs while we wait out the rain. Watched the locals come for their morning java and catch up on world news and facebook.
After 2 coffees (and 4 packs of peanut butter)...what?...I was hungry and they were there...my fav food in the world btw:), the rain stops and we head back and start packing.
We manage to keep all our gear dry and pack up kayaks without a drop of water. Ok...ready to go nice and dry...I hop in kayak...I turn around just as Jeff slips into his and...tip! He soaks himself and fills half his boat with water! Hehehe...oops that was out loud!
The sun is actually shining now so we have a great calm clear day ahead....oh but do we?!
After 13k we stop for lunch at Kilmarnock Lock. We actually packed a salad and sandwiches so had a healthy lunch for a change! As we are setting up the sky is getting black and it starts to spit out. Jeff ...being the "Mayor" that he is...sees man in big boat closing his flaps. "Do ya need a hand" he says?! I glare....."You're going to help him so he can be dry in his big boat while we eat in the rain". Not happening!
We finish lunch and pack back up. Still just spitting out but we decide to put rain gear on and skirts on kayaks. Within minutes of being back on water it starts to pour.
"Good timing" on getting gear on!
Its actually not bad paddling in rain...only unnerving thing is the rolling thunder that is getting closer and closer and all we have is swamp around us and not a dock in sight to pull up to just in case!
Rain lasts for a good hour and a half and thunder rolls over us without any lightning....whew!
But...still gray out!
We get to our last set of locks before we stop for the day in Smith Falls. We hit all the locks today perfectly. We don't have to wait for them to bring any up to us.....
"Good timing..."
As we settle on to wall in lock and grab the cables, Jeff decides to sit on back of kayak because his legs are sore. Good idea...oh wait...don't sit on spare paddle you might.....TIP....oops too late! swamps his boat and actually has to use his bilge pump to get water out!
Lock staff have a good laugh as does Jeff...he's such a good sport...and of course I do too...hehehehe!
So ironic...tries so hard all day to keep gear dry...dry bags...rain gear...umbrellas...and hats...and he ends up tipping himself twice.
Funny thing is he says to lock staff..."I packed all the heavy stuff in my boat so Julie could be lighter". So, somehow this is my fault!?
We make it to the last lock just before 5 and sky is looking threatening....set up tent fast before the rain...done....
"Good timing"!
About 5 mins after we pulled out of water and just as we get tent up we hear a crash...splash...and see things in the air!
We ran towards noise as does everyone around and find a car has gone full speed off swing bridge and has bounced off the other side (which we just paddled through 5 mins earlier)
"Good timing"...
...and crashed in the water! As we reach the scene 2 men have jumped in and are trying to open door. Man in car does not want out...he wants to die. Suicide attempt!
I am ready to jump in and Jeff is looking for something to smash open passenger window...young lock boy jumps in and smashes a 2x4 through window and pulls man out just as it fully submerges! He is a hero!!!
"Good timing"!
We truly thought we were going to see a man die today!
By this time police, and fire arrive and pull man out of water. He has cuts to his face and arms. He is coherent. He will survive!
The sad thing is he looked like a homeless old man...the town drunk? Does he have anyone that cares? :)
By the time all this is over we get a Tim's and head to laundry mat which we desperately need. Get there at 745...closes at 8...last load in by 715! We take a chance and start our loads!
All good...as long as we are out by 9pm we are safe...that is when alarm motion sensors go off. We are out of there by 845....
Good timing"!
By now we are hungry and tired...Pizza Hut is nearby so we hit that at 930...they close at 10....
"Good timing"!
By now we are exhausted...a long day physically and emotionally!
I want this day to end...we can only be lucky so many times...to bed I go before our luck runs out!
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