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We did a lot of camping when I was a kid. When it was time to head home on a Sunday afternoon, and everything was packed back up, and the kids were rounded up and sitting in the car, my dad would drive 5 or ten feet out of the camping spot and stop and get out and make one last walk around the spot we just left looking for stuff, policing the area.
He’d walk around the car and look at stuff. He’d pull on the tie downs and jiggle the canoes to make sure they were tied down tight, and the straps were tight.
He'd kick the tires.
He saved us from leaving chairs and clotheslines and towels behind several times. A couple of times we ended up having to get out the tire pump (MANUAL bicycle tire pump!) and pumping up tires. A couple of times he ended up re-tying the ropes that held the canoes.
In 2003, the Columbia Space Shuttle returned from a 16-day mission in space. There had been some discussion among the engineers that some debris had fallen off the shuttle during launch, and some of them wanted to have some space-based surveillance satellites turned to look the shuttle over and see if there was any damage before it returned.
Their requests were turned down. Debris had fallen off shuttles during launches before, and nothing bad had happened, why would this time be different?
So, before they returned, they didn’t do a walk-around and kick the tires before they left their camping spot.
As it re-entered the atmosphere, the air resistance caught at the hole in the wing, and tore the shuttle apart, killing all seven astronauts on board.
If you google “Boat falls off trailer,” you will get dozens of news photos of boats sitting in the middle of roads and highways.
I’ve watched as a skiff that wasn’t tied down lift off the top of a pickup truck as it accelerated down the highway, and the boat became airborne and floated off to the side of the road. Luckily, it drifted off to the side of the road, and not into the road and into traffic.
But, still.
After you have put your boats on your vehicle and are ready to leave to go home: pull out of the parking spot 5 or 10 feet, stop and do a walk-around where you just left, and walk around your vehicle looking at stuff. Did you leave anything behind? Pull on the tie-downs to make sure they are tight. Jiggle the boats to make sure they are secure. Kick the tires. Get home safe.
Christy Long Tying Boats to Her Vehicle
Be safe out there!
See you On The Water!
Harmon