re: Are boat launches some of the most comical places on earth?

My BiL, who has far more experience with boats of all sizes than I do, and I were going to spend the afternoon exploring one of the little rivers in Alabama. We each took a small boat and motor to the ramp so we could go where we wanted. His motor wouldn't run, so we loaded into my boat and headed upstream. The river was up and flowing fast.

After a while, we returned to the ramp and I took my boat out. At this point, he has an idea of what is wrong with his motor, so he backs it down the ramp so the prop is in the water and goes to work. This time, it cranks. In his excitement, he says he's going to take it for a spin, pushes off and jumps in. He heads downstream.

After a while, i lose the sound of his motor. I wait and wait. I finally call his sister and ask her why her brother would take off downstream on a rain swollen river in a boat with an iffy motor -- and with the keys to his truck in his pocket, and his truck and trailer blocking the ramp.

She had no answer.

On a whim, I called him just in case he had his cell with him. He did. At this point, he was about 100 yards from the ramp, pulling himself toward the ramp by grabbing one tree limb and then another. He had also forgotten to put a paddle in his boat.

Fortunately, we were the only ones using the ramp that day, so no one was blocked. I gave him a boat paddle for Christmas that year.