Strandered, What To Do?

byElaineSmith1

1.5K followers

6 years ago

We had an interesting first night. I would like to tell you about it.

We first get out to the camp site and set up our tent because our friends have already got 3 tents set up at the site for us to save the sites.

After we set up our tent, we are just hanging around the campsite laughing and talking until my granddaughter can't stand it anymore and wants to go swimming in the lake.

(Mine you she helped set up the tent and has gone on 2 walks so far), The sun is still kinda high in the sky so she can't stay out long which she doesn't like but we don't want her to get burned even though she has sunscreen on.

She comes in when asked and her Paa Paw and I take her for her third walk with a shirt on over her bathing suit. She seems content until we get back to the camp site. Then she wants to swim again. The sun is down enough that she can swim but she has to keep the shirt on. If she can swim, she is willing to do anything.

As we are swimming she says I wishes there would be some waves. About the time she says that the wind pickes up and we start rocking and rolling in the water. She thought it was fun!!!

At first, I thought it was pretty cool too, like maybe a boat had gone by but when I look around I saw nothing. The wind started to pick up even more and I noticed people on the shore running for cover. At that time I told everyone that I thought maybe we should get out of the water. I was having a very hard time keeping my balance as we were wading to shore, so I looked back at the water and all I saw was white caps on the lake.Hence, the heading picture!!

The wind blew so strong that 2 of the tents were blown over at first. One of the guys that was camping with us said it was because our tent and one of his that didn't blow over were new and that was the reason they were still standing. Shortly after he said that his tent blew over so I asked him what was the reason now? (My tent never blew over!!!)

We stayed through the wind storm, which we later found out was the possible back lash of a tornado or just high wind of 80mph because it did damage in town which is just 4 miles away.

We tried to fix dinner during the wind storm which was interesting, especially since dinner was a foil wrapped meal.

After supper some people sat around talking while others just complained about the meal and the weather. The wind finally died down enough around 10pm to put the tents back up in the dark. That was a fun experience!!!

Just like in WA we all pitched in to help one other to overcome an obstacle and succeed in what they were trying to do.

Well, I went to bed and I thought most of the people had as well. About 5am I was awakened by screaming and yelling because my daughter's boyfriend was having an asthma attack but another person just thought he was drunk. He was standing up beside the van because that position helps him breathe a little easier plus he was doing self talk to calm himself down. So I can see why an outsider might think he was drunk but yelling at him from across the campsite was totally uncalled-for. The "friend" started yelling, then the boyfriend started yelling, then the language started to fly. This continued for a while until most in our campsite was up. Our "friend" who had reserved the site got on his motor bike and left the campsite. The boyfriend was taken home by a true friend so he could go get checked out if needed.

The problem was there was a van there, but our "friend" had the keys!! All the food was locked in the van to keep it safe from the animals, plus all the cookware. Basically we were stranded there with nothing!!! So now what do we do?

I was a camp fire girl, my daughter a girl scout, my son a boy scout so all those started to kick in.

I asked how far away the store was and was told just around the bend. So I thought, I can walk there and get what we need. One guy handed me some money and asked me to buy him some cigarettes so I was going to. I walked just around the bend but there was no store. I walked a little farther and a car passed me and asked me where I was going? When I told them I was going to the store they said they would give me a ride because it was quite far.(4 miles to be exact which I later found out)

Our "friend" returned thinking he would find all of us walking down the road like helpless people without him. We are a family that will pull together and help out when needed, just like WA!!

Elaine