Leaky Canoe and the Sticky Solution

Here is one experience from my last trip to the BWCA. It is one of two that stood out in my mind. I can't speak for the boys but I walked away with some bit of gold to remember for years to come.

This story is about some light-hearted mistreatment of a rental canoe and the wonders of the solution.

One afternoon while enjoying sometime around base camp, the boys ventured over to a small nearby island to explore the area. It was the small island on the eastern side, just south of our peninsula base camp.

Our peninsula basecamp due north of the small island on the east side of 4

Once there they noticed the shore of the island was full of the most amazing skipping stones. A competition began and soon the throwing turned into a full-on competition. In all the fun, the boys did not notice their canoe had started floating away from shore.

As the water can be a bit chilly and with the boys not paying attention, the boat was then beyond their reach without a quick dip.

Now here is where the boys' minds went into overdrive and came with a solution. They thought that by throwing stones over and beyond the canoe a splash or wave could be created and deliver the canoe safely back to shore.

The flaw in the plan was not considering the consequences of rocks that fail to clear the canoe and hit the boat’s thin aluminum hull. 

In the words of Scooby Doo, “Rud rowh!”

The boys somehow made it back to camp with a canoe now sporting a cool water intake to its underside. They explained to us what they had done and to their credit they owned the mistake and clearly understood the consequences. 

What they didn’t know was how they were supposed to canoe the 12 miles back to the launch on the last day with a leaky rig.

I had anticipated the possibility of such a circumstance and packed a small amount of duct tape. They watched as a quick application to the boat’s wound, it was then again seaworthy until a more permanent repairs could be made. 

Here we go - This life is to make choices – either good or bad. For these choices we; Prepare, Learn, Explore and Overcome Challenges. We make our choices yet we don't choose their consequences. Consequences are defined by the law of nature and the law of the harvest or in other words - by a loving Heavenly Father.  

The impact of those consequences can be far reaching in life. What do we choose to touch, watch, eat, hear, say and think? How do we love, react, serve, work and validate others? How do you want to Prepare, Learn, Explore and Overcome Challenges during this life?

Like many others, I believe that we are here to succeed. The plan that we are a part of is The Plan of Happiness.

We have been given tools to overcome challenges enabling us to continue exploring the beauties of the earth around us. Enjoy life. We have a divine duct tape that can repair our souls, help us heal and enable us to change and progress. Through Christ’s Atonement, we have an advocate, a Savior, who makes it possible to change and move past mistakes and wrong choices and back onto better paths. His infinite sacrifice makes it possible.

This life is the proving ground for the eternities. We will hit some rocks, snag trees and we may even lose a paddle but it should not and will not stop me from taking in all that I can that is beautiful.