My Labor Day adventure, from the novice boater who recently brought you "I forgot my plug":<br /><br />First, I ran my engine aground (I word it this way to distinguish it from running my hull aground, which happens later in this story) while trying to maneuver just north of the St Lucie Inlet (nasty area, first time there). When this happened, I raised the engine and then went for the charts to find the best way to walk the boat out, only to find out that my girl left the charts back in the bucket. The problem is that, in every direction I look, it appears to get shallower before it gets deeper. I jump out and start pulling the boat (no biggie, knee deep water) towards the direction that seems most likely. Well, it's amazing that my old pre-flats Hewes hull with neck-high gunnels can float in ankle deep water, but I still managed to bottom the hull out and we both had to push from the back to get it over the last 3 feet and finally into the channel. Towboatus was even vulturing on the scene. Once in deep enough water, I lowered the engine (by hand, we are rockin' the pre-tilt era) and fired up the vintage gear without drama and went on my way.<br /><br />A little while later, I tied up in a little harbor of sorts (Peck Lake, for those in S. Fl). After getting my swim on in the ICW, I decided to head over the dunes to the oceanside for a bit. I temporarily forgot that 3:1 scope (in 4 feet of water) might be OK while I am with the boat, but I might want to secure things a bit more before leaving. So when I come back, my boat is (quite rapidly) drifting away, an old 17' out to rub noses with the anchored megayachts. <br /><br />Luckily one of the gazillionaires was kind enough to grab my boat because, as I was swimming to it, it was quite rapidly moving away.<br /><br />What I have learned this trip is that one must pay attention to more than just the "rules of the road". And I need to better learn how to read depth. And I'm glad that I have an old boat that is both built like and looks like a tank.<br /><br />-E
She didn't but I had the whole ramp crew looking at me funny as I was in top lung form yelling STOP in pouring rain no less. 
