An Unexpected Swim

THURSDAY - This morning, clouds promised rain so Mike & Louie left for quick Frisbee play just as I settled with coffee, talking to a friend on the phone. I heard nothing amiss but, as Mike later explained, things happened quickly.

When leaving the boat, Louie slipped during his dock leap and, after briefly dangling in his harness on the leash, slipped from the harness, dropping five feet, behind a wooden fender board under the dock.

Hardly thinking, Mike jumped in and swam under the dock. Earnestly conversing, I heard nothing and no one else was anywhere close.

Under the high dock, with struggling Louie in arms, Mike assessed their predicament for several minutes then swam across a wide fairway, finding chin deep water along a concrete dock wall with a rescue ladder. Side stroking three boat lengths holding Louie couldn’t have been easy. Needless to say, Louie clung tightly to Mike’s shoulder climbing that welcome ladder! Next I knew there were two wet figures standing on the dock. The entire episode had taken about 15 minutes.

Mike had minor shell cuts on his hands & legs along with Louie’s nail digs but both guys were fine and took good baths.

If Mike wasn’t a decent swimmer things could have ended badly so we discussed what one should do next time at some length. Simple lessons we won’t forget: attract attention first then quickly grab a flotation device before jumping in! Be darned sure you can save yourself to save the other.... only too easy to forget when you’re in a hurry.

The rest of the morning we stayed inside and relaxed, did chores, washed clothes and cleaned as rain fell and wind blew.  During a respite this afternoon, we took a walk and Louie found a favorite stick in the grassy field beside the dock. Tonight we’ll have movie night with popcorn. Much, much more rain is expected through Friday evening. 

Rainy day overlooking where Mike and Louis swam.

Playing keep the stick away with a view of the boat at dock behind.