Canoes R Us

While in Philly, the girls really wanted to take a carriage ride around the city, but Daddy didn't want to, he said it was a waste of money.  But to compromise he said we could rent some canoes when we got back to camp and paddle up the river that runs by it.

 

So that what we did, but it was late in the day, and we had to have them back in an hour.  So we paddled along, having a grand time and a took a few photos.  Then I suggested to Kristian that we should put the canoes together so I could hand the camera to him, so he could take some pictures too.  Trust me, its not what you think.  We successfully made the pass off, and I paddled away.  Kristian tried to put the camera case over his neck, but he was wearing a life vest and had a bit of trouble... and knocked his glasses off into the river.

 

You may think the story ends there... but alas, no.  We paddle around and pretty soon, we spot them, laying there peacefully on the bottom of the riverbed.  At first we figure them for lost, because, after all, that water is COLD.  But after some reflection, we realize that Kristian can't drive at night without them, and so he decided they must be retrieved.  He paddles over to the bank, and Mikaela holds onto a tree branch to keep the canoe next to the bank.  Kristian strips down to his undies and jumps in the river.  He immediately thinks better of it and says that perhaps he was hasty and the glasses may have indeed found their new home at the bottom of the river.  The deal was, that water was COLD and the river, while only 6 ft deep or so, was about 30 feet wide.  It was slow moving, but did I mention it was COLD?  But Abby yells out from the canoe, "Don't worry Daddy, I believe in you!" and Daddy finds his resolve.  I was over near the glasses as we had marked their location (about 10 feet out from the second bush, etc).  So Kristian swims over, and once he's caught his breath, I mark the location again for him, and he gets fairly close and dives.... and retrieves those pesky glasses on the first try!

 

Needless to say, I don't have pictures of him in the water, after all, I had passed the camera bag over to his canoe.  I do have some of him afterwards, sitting in the canoe in his wet underwear, but for some reason he says I can't post those.  And of course, those of you that know Kristian well, know that he had to take 6 or 7 showers to get over the whole thing!  OK, he only took 1, but it was looooooong.

 

We made it to New York today, in the pouring rain... I'll post more about the Big Apple soon!