"DSK" wrote in message
...
It's a shame the world has changed so much that kids can't do the same
kind of thing today. Will videogames and websurfing provide the same kind
of character building, not to mention fond memories in later life?

My first vessel was a raft. It consisted of an 8 foot square wooden palette
which a butcher's fridge had been delivered in. I assumed that it would
float just fine, so I didn't bother to attach any flotation.
I set off on my big adventure with another 7 y/o who lived across the road.
I had a 6-8 foot pole to propel the raft with. We went out onto the lake in
a fairly strong offshore breeze. We very quickly found that the pole wasn't
long enough, and that the "raft" didn't float very well.

I can remember kneeling on one corner of my "raft" (which would sink under
my weight) with the water up to my shoulder as I tried to reach the bottom
with the pole - so that I could try to get us back to the shore.

I don't remember how we got back in.
The other 7 y/o has never gone on a boat since, and to this day she still
blames me.


Regards


Donal
--