1 Sweden, Part Three: On the Boat

Daniel from our exchange family had written that "it's not anything special or difficult about the boat" but that it would be easier for someone to show us than to write down instructions. So they showed Daniel's father who showed us...which turned out to be like a copy of a copy. Some details came through fuzzy. The fuzzy stuff was kind of critical for making the boat go.

We really wanted to take the boat out, but we also really wanted to not break the boat. Or get stranded on a remote island (see Paranagua, Brazil). We were not feeling our most confident selves as we headed to the dock with two kids and many life jackets. 

There were no problems loading everyone in, replacing the engine cover, and untethering the boat. We got the red kill cord attached properly, and thanks to the YouTube videos we watched about outboard engines we were all over lowering the engine into the water. But then there was this throttle and lever and ignition and gas pump and switch...and there are a lot of permutations of putting those together. 

We finally got the boat puttering and pulled away from the dock. Success! But as the engine gradually silenced so did the mood on board. We floated into a bank of lily pads. Jack started asking questions. Patrick began a tirade of regret: "I knew this would happen!" Even Charlie looked concerned. 

But we couldn't let panic take over. Like any ship under fire (I presume), we jumped into action and took our posts. With some oar paddling, manual untangling, and new urgency/clarity on the engine start, we got ourselves back on open water and the motor humming a healthy and victorious symphony out into the lake. High fives all around! 

That day we didn't venture far; we were pretty drained once the adrenaline-fueled euphoria wore off. But we were able to march to the dock with confidence for our next trip. The lake here is so pretty, dotted with an archipelago of mysterious islands. Our town Vrena's total population is around 600, so it is not often that we see another boat when we are out exploring. 

During a picnic on a little blip of land that Jack dubbed "Foster Family Island", he trekked into the trees to make his own hiking trail. Upon his return, the parents dismissed his stories about scary noises from strange animals--we're talking about 1,000 square feet of island and a four-year-old with an active imagination. But when Patrick took a turn on Jack's Path he did indeed encounter two snakes. Jack was very pleased that he was right and his parents were wrong.

So maybe we need to brush up on some wilderness knowledge, but we are feeling pretty awesome about our boating skills these days.

Click here for more pictures from our Sweden travels.