Fireworks, excitement, freedom, celebrations, good times and great fun, this is what the 4th is all about.
We usually celebrate at our cabin every year, at Coon Lake Beach up in Ham Lake, MN. Typically, there is this Boat Parade that takes place at 2:00 p.m. Everyone on the lake is welcome to join in the parade. There used to be this simple and basic line up of boats that would trot around the lake, and say hi to all the lovely folks on the water.
Over the last few years however, the boat parade has taken a new turn, and it’s now turned into a full blown out water balloon/water fight with everyone on the water. Take a look at the video, this should help explain it.
In preparation for this whole adventure, my cousin, Greg, who’s obsessed with water balloons, got a bunch of us together and made up 1,000 water balloons on Thursday. Surprisingly, this took us only about 2 hours to do with 5 of us working on it. We then ended up with about 10 totes full of balloons. (A little much eah?) We had to figure out how we’re going to get all of these balloons from Chanhassen, MN all the way up to Ham Lake. We all pinched in, and took a few totes with us. In the delivery process we broke a few balloons, but it’s not like would couldn’t spare any. My goodness!!
Saturday finally came and it was the BIG day. It’s 2:00 p.m., we get everyone gathered on our pontoon boat, all the balloons, squirt guns and all the rest of our ammo. Now, keep in mind that there were 10 people on this boat, so we were at Max. Capacity, and probably over the weight limit. (Ugh oh, hopefully we won’t get stopped by the water patrol) As we gather up in the line with everyone else, we anxiously await the time when we can start the water fighting.
The time get’s near, and we begin. The balloons are going back and forth; the water guns are squirting like crazy, and we’re all just having a blast. Were standing up throwing things, people are screaming, were getting boats wet, people are getting soaked, it’s just a riot and were going through the balloons like they are nothing. The balloons maybe lasted us 2 hours and luckily, we had some other means of ammo. Otherwise, we would have gone through the 1,000 in no time.
As the boats start to thin out and the time ends near, were completely out of ammo, and it’s time to head back home. As were traveling back near the cabin, it appears that the front of the boat is a little heavy. We didn’t pay too much attention to it, which in the end results for a bad outcome.
Were driving along and all of a sudden my uncle who’s driving the boat hits a big wave. With the front being weighed down, the water from the wave decided to roll over the front of the boat, causing it to start to sink.
Here I am, I am in the front of the boat, watching this water come over the front, and my first reaction is the boats is going to start to sink. The front’s going down just like the freaking Titanic. So, my first reaction is to jump off the boat and bail!! So, with my initial reaction, like an idiot, I jump off the boat. The motor’s still running, I have no life jacket on, and I just hope I don’t drown. Luckily, I came up from the water rather fast, was able to grab onto the front of the boat so I don’t go under the boat, and get into an even worse situation. However, someone up above must have been watching out for me, because luckily, there were people in the boat saying she’s overboard, stop the boat, reverse, reverse!!
Once the boat stopped, and we got things settled down, I was able to get back into the boat, and then I realized the boat isn’t going to sink, and I am the only dumb one who jumped off. But, not knowing what was going to happen, and having my first instincts kick in and at the time who knew what the best thing to do was. I just did what I thought was the best thing at that moment and went for it. I am sure there were better alternatives, but what would you have done??
When we finally make it back to shore safely, I look at the damage I just did to my body, I ended up hitting my leg on the top of the ledge, and banged my thigh, leg and foot on the front of the pontoon. I now have HUGE battle wounds upon my left leg. (Oh well!!) I put some ice on my leg/foot, and man oh man; I sure did a number on myself this year. Luckily, I managed to survive this near death experience, and I can’t wait to do it all again next year.
After Note to self: Don’t bail on the ship, unless it’s completely going to go under.
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