This post is not about the sailboat that got stuck on the lift bridge

Helmut Flaag Jul 27, 2014 3 Comments

During my ongoing studies of the elusive exclusive Northland reclusive, I went to the beach yesterday, a veritable Norwegian Riviera with air and water temps nearly perfect, and was amazed to find the entire place nearly deserted as I lay there panting in my speedos, hoping to shock some poor unsuspecting teens. But only one mom passed by in almost two hours, disgusted that she and I, we, were now in proximity to each other.

I was on her beach, she thought to herself, and appeared to recover as she carried on her way. Surely this was bliss. Yesterday’s perfection was only unusual compared to Monday, when temps soared over 120 degrees (on the sand) while the water remained not too cold for only the heartiest of swimmers as others sat around with glazed over faces, asking God why they were there burning on the sand, yet surrounded by water too cold to enter above the knees. If  yesterday was clearly the better beach day, why did none show up? This mystery will be backlogged with others as I progress forward in my research.

It was then, upon my journey back over the glorious Canal Park bridge, I discovered to my horror a sailboat stuck on the structure being held helpless by the current as I tried to untangle her cables and glanced over toward the 70-odd gapers helpless to resist their reality-TV moment playing out before their eyes.

The bridge announcer called out to the helpers, “Sailboat helpers, don’t hurt yourselves!” before he announced that help was on its way. And arrive help did, as it only took the Coast Guard just shy of 20 minutes to stow their whiskey bottles, poker tables, and strippers below deck from where they’d been docked along the Knife River skinny dipping, and do absolutely nothing while a friendly golden retriever in another high-powered boat took charge of the situation and made the audience applause in delight by freeing the distressed vessel.

I heard some passersby exclaim their moral superiority and righteous indignation over these yahoos who’d entangled their boat on the bridge. So I ask you kind readers, was this an act of sheer brainlessness, or do accidents sometimes just happen? Stay tuned for photos of the disaster.

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3 Comments

Herzog

about 10 years ago 

I believe it is here we see our noble canine coming to the rescue.

Hunny Halenbeck

about 10 years ago 

It is known that there is a bridge there, and it should be known there is occasionally a current that goes one way or the other.   The savvy will recognize the lights on the bridge that indicate the current.    Red is outbound, Amber is nuetral, Green is inbound. The lights are on the canal park side toward the top.

It could be they lost the motor and didn't have enough wind to sail against the current.  In that case, they were still too close, lax on the motor maintenance, not particularly skillful sailors, or drunk.  

It happens but it shouldn't.  They are likely horribly embarrassed. I'll laugh at them until it happens to me.  I had been under that bridge an hour earlier along with 20 other boats.

Herzog

about 10 years ago 

"I'll laugh at them until it happens to me."

Perfect response Hunny.  Yah sure they looked a little novicy, the lights on the bridge being a dead giveaway, but who are we to judge? Maybe they were communicating with the mothership when it happened. We all can't be as good a sailor as Art Johnston, then everyone would have their shit together and there wouldn't be any chaos in the world to kill or entertain us.

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