Away that is! My fault. I’d positioned the mushroom anchor on the swim platform with the idea to set it as a stern anchor. S’man asked if he should tie it on now and I said naw. He had the right idea because when I accelerated the boat to our landing spot it slid aft and off — kur-plunk. Unfortunately, that’s not a do-over. It’ a gonner.

When the prop sniffs bottom, it lets you know with the most horrible of grinding sounds and pounding vibrations. A real attention getter because you imagine the blades mangled and the prop shaft tweaked. (On aircraft a prop strike includes a mandatory engine tear down!) With the local drought conditions and the low water, what was once navigable may now not be is not. Lucky no damage. This time.