Jet Skis, OH what a pain.....

 We picked up the jet skis Tuesday, drove down to Naples Wednesday, and met Wanda and Wallace on Marco Island today. They drove down from Bushnell so we could all go shelling today. We got there before they did so we unloaded the skis, parked the jeep, and while we were waiting I thought it might be a good ideal to try them out.

 Getting on one I started it and took off, just putting because of the no wake zone. I get about 200 yards out and it dies, so I run the battery down trying to get it started again. After a few minuets I got Marcia's attention and motioned for her to bring the other ski out to pull me back in. After several minuets I see she is still hanging out near the dock.

 About 15 minuets later the wind and current has taken me out of sight of the dock, and using my sandals as paddles wasn't getting the ski any closer to shore. I guess boaters are like bikers and RVers, because a hero pulled up and ask me if I wanted a pull back to the dock.

 Back at the dock Wanda and Wallace had arrived, and Marcia told me the battery was dead on her ski, and that is why she didn't come to get me. Oh well life goes on and we just take the bumps in stride. We loaded the skis back onto the trailer and took them to a repair shop.

 At the repair shop the guy caught one on fire, which was a good thing because the fire extinguisher on the ski didn't work, and he had one that did so he was able to get the fire out before is caused any damage to the ski. After two hours of working on them we know they need fresh gas. The 6 gallons each that we put in this AM was enough to revive the old gas that was in them, but we figured they would be OK and we would clean the filter bowl again tonight.

 With both skis running at the shop we decided to try it again, after all it was only 2PM and we had already paid the launch fee. So we drove back to the dock and put the skis back in the water. Marcia and Wallace attempted to get on one ski. When I saw how deep the ski went in when Wallace got on I knew we were in trouble. Marcia was leaning one way and when Wallace started to lean that way too the ski decided to let them both off as it rolled over.

 I knew I should have been passing the hat around because you couldn't have planned any better entertainment for all the spectators watching, but I was laughing too hard. With Marcia back on the ski and Wallace standing on the dock I had the bright idea of Me taking Wanda the 500 yards to the island, and Marcia could ride over and I would pull Marcia's ski back to the dock so Wallace could ride it over.

 It was a good plan, except when Wanda got on the ski behind me she didn't want to let go of the dock. By the time Wallace and I has convinced her to let go it was too late, and I went off one side and she went off the other side. Again nobody was there passing the hat.

 Now the thing that makes it really interesting is Wanda can't swim, or at least that is what she said. We had no worries because we all had on life jackets, and there was no way Wanda was letting go of that jacket. With her holding on to the jacket for dear life her feet naturally came to the top too. After we managed to get to to loading ramp she still could not get her feet to go down so she could stand up.

 She is 15 feet between me and the shore on the ramp, and I am standing in water about 3 feet deep. Wallace is telling Wanda to stand up, and Wanda is saying my feet won't touch the bottom. She was not letting go of the life jacket enough to help herself stand up until I got to her and helped her up. The crowd was really getting their moneys worth, and we were all laughing too, except Marcia because she had cut off her ski about 200 yards out and it now wouldn't start.

 I attempted to start my ski to go pull Marcia in, but my ski wouldn't start. We watched Marcia dig into the skis hull and emerge with a paddle. We had seen them while the guy was working on the skis. She didn't paddle too much before a boater pulled close to her and offered to tow her in.

 I am really glad that I have no pictures to share with you all, and after next week I will delete this blog and say it never happened. I am convinced that it is not the destination, but the journey that makes the stories.

Maybe I will do like the mechanic said and drain the gas tank............