Forum: Lost Stories

That's because competitive rowing is referred to as "crew" as the team each have their own position and duties, while regular non-compeditive rowing involves only two people, one driving them forward, while the other, larger rower, steers, as to change direction you typically have to slow your forward momentum before redirecting your course in a new path so the one driving the canoe can then continue driving the new momentum. As again, each has their own rules.

In my days, I'd often paddle a canoe by myself as well as canoeing as a pair across longs and ponds, including in NYC. As being the pack paddling, I was familiar with providing the momentum and guiding the craft.

In the south (Eastern N.C.) I'd often venture out after hurricanes, observing the extent of the damage, before the local Coast Guard would intervene days later, cutting off any water-board access.

The interesting part of hurricanes, is that snakes (water-moccasins and rattlesnakes), each highly venomous end up high in the trees, only to drop from their limbs, falling into your canoe. And when that happens, your first reaction is to dive out of the boat, as rattlers won't enter the water voluntarily, while water-moccasins prefer the water, but once out of the boat, dive underwater, so you have no idea where they're going.

Where I grew up with had two poisonous snakes and four highly poisonous spiders, including black widows and brown-reclusives. I met most of the other American poisonous spiders in the western states (Texas and Arizona). Though the world's largest collection of rattlesnakes is in Wisconsin, of all places, as you can observe atop a high cliff face, yet few dare venture into their breeding-grounds, where there are thousands, nearly as far as you can see from 1,000 feet above.

I was also very fond of natural Bonsai trees found growing in cliff faces, where they don't have enough soil to grow to full size yet receiving plenty of rainwater and sunlight to support them. So I'd often scale those cliff faces (mostly those near the established trails to study the miniature tree. Only once my eyes adjusted, I'd eventually notice the poisonous rattlesnakes staring me in my eyes, so I'd quickly back off—as the snakes knew what would happen if struck, we'd both fall to our death far, far below.

It's always fascinating staring death in the face, as you're always thankful when you don't die. Needless to say, I was young and dumb back in my younger years, yet I did know how each species typically struck, as I treated each respectfully, never actually threatening them (i.e. moving very slowly.

Thus, I never once got bit or stung, though those with me often would, including my sister who was stung by a brown recluse, as the nerve poison at a 3/4 inch hole in her shoulder, which remained for several months before it finally started to fill in again.