Last week I went to the lake with my family and we rented a jet ski (and a canoe--but who really cares about a canoe when you have a water vehicle with a motor?). The jet ski riding was going really great until I decided I wanted to ride on an inner tube tied to the back of the jet ski. Apparently, people do this all the time.
We were instructed at the dock to have the tube rider (me) sit on the back of the jet ski until we got past the buoys and the "no wake zone." Then we were supposed to stop the jet ski and pull the tube up close enough to the jet ski for me to climb on. My mom was driving and my dad was going to be the spotter (to make sure I didn't fall off and that the rope from the tube didn't get caught in the motor).
We got out past the "no wake zone" and stopped. I pulled the tube up close, and started to get on. But with three adults on the jet ski, we quickly experienced weight distribution issues: as soon as I had one limb on the tube, I was in the water. I turned around to see my parents also in the in the water and the jet ski rolling on its side. Of course the motor was off now, since my mom had the magnetic key attached to her, but we had been warned that if the jet ski rolled we shouldn't turn the engine back on in case it had gotten water in it.
So there we were, stuck in the middle of Jordanelle Reservoir, holding on to the sides of our now-silent jet ski.
The water was cold. About 55-60 degrees. But the sun was shining, so it wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been, and we adjusted quickly to the temperature.
We could see the dock, but the boathouse (with all the people who could have potentially sent help) was blocked by all the boats. So the three of us started swimming, while holding on to the jet ski (because we didn't want to leave it behind--it was a rental after all).
We didn't move very quickly, and I decided that I wouldn't want to be stuck with either of my parents in real crisis situation. My dad was a little panicky at the beginning, and my mom start bemoaning our fate later on. I kept trying to defer decisions (like whether we should turn the jet ski around, or which side of the jet ski I should swim on) to my parents--after all, they're my parents--but really I felt like the one in charge. Which was a little weird.
My mom, unfortunately, was wearing jeans, like full-length denim jeans, and a heavy t-shirt, so I guess the swimming was a little harder for her. She kept saying "We're never going to make it." And I kept saying, "We're fine, mom. The dock is right there. We can see the dock. And we're almost past the buoys."
5 reasons why this was not an actual crisis (and therefore not worth panicking about):
1. We were all wearing life jackets, which were so effective that even after being thrown from the jet ski, our hair was still dry.
2. Jordanelle Reservoir is not very big, and we could see the dock (as well as the opposite shore) the entire time. If the situation had been really serious, I could have abandoned the jet ski (and my parents) and swam for help
3. There were other boats on the lake nearby.
4. We are all healthy adults--no heart conditions or special immediate medical needs.
5. Frankly, the whole thing was pretty funny. I mean who falls off a stupid jet ski? And how many times in your life are you going to be stranded in the middle of a lake with your parents?
After about 40 minutes, we were rescued by an older gentleman and his grandsons in their very nice motor boat. (Check "being rescued by a boat" off my list of things to do in life.) They tossed a rope down, which I tied to the jet ski, and then we climbed aboard for a ride back to the dock. I've seen similar boat rescues in at least a couple dozen movies, and I have to say it was pretty great. Definitely lived up my expectations.
Good news: there was no damage to the jet ski, so we didn't incur any fines.
It took about 24 hours and three very hot showers for me feel like my body was restored to its normal warm temperature.
All in all it was a pretty good adventure.
