Sailing the High Seas With Captain Big Bear

The high sea I am referring to is actually lake Wanita in the southern tier of New York State, and Capt. Big Bear is not actually a bear, nor is he a ranking official in any sort of naval or marine outfit. Rather, this is the story of how I, at age 13, had some of the strangest 2 hours ever recorded.

It all started at boy scout camp, Camp Gorton, to be exact. It's not too far from Watkins Glen, and is a nice place to have fun outside and enjoy nature, possibly earning some merit badges. Well one of the badges I signed up for was "small boat sailing," in which I would learn how to operate a Sunfish sailboat. Sounds like fun, right? Especially since my friends were taking it with me. Well, the last day of sailing came about and we had to pair up and take our boats out for two hours onto the lake. Unfortunately, my friend Jason had already paired up with my other friend, Tom, leaving me alone. Jason suggested, so as not to appear a complete asshole, that I pair up with "Captain Big Bear"(who will from now on will be referred to as CBB). Now let me tell you a bit about this chap, so you can get a mental picture: he was about 5-10, and closing in on the 250 mark, so not a small man by any means. His head was shaped like a pumpkin, and he had a mop of auburn hair. His nose was round and wide, and he had a big goofy perma-grin on his chubby face. He was ridiculous and incompetant, and though I had never met him before this sailing class, that didn't stop him from telling me bizarre details of his personal life, most of which I assume he was making up.

Anyway, I decided to swallow my pride and take a boat out with him. Things are going reasonably well until we get out to the middle of the lake. Suddenly he starts singing loudly and moving the rudder with the same force and motion of someone trying to sand the bark off of a tree. We veer off course completely, and CBB decides he needs to work the sail as well. The next thing I know, the wind has died down and we are literally stuck in the middle of the lake, just me and CBB. We then started drifting aimlessly, until the wind picked up again, and we we hurdled toward someone's private dock like a stone out of a sling. CBB now begins to yell, asking me if I think any of the cottages along the lake are "porno huts" with "naked lady conventions" inside. Just then, he decides to fiddle with the sail, causing the large metal pole that runs perpendicular to my face to collapse, just as we collide with someone's dock. CBB is beside himself with giddyness, and I could not be more humiliated as Jason and Tom sail by with ease. Finally we made our way back to shore, and I swore I would never see CBB again as long as I lived.


WRONG



2 years later, while hiking with that same group of my boy scout friends, who should we run across in literally the middle of nowhere NYS, but Captain Big Bear!!

And, he remembered me!!! I said to him "hey there, captain big bear!" and he was like "hey buddy!" and he went his way and I went mine.

I have no idea what ever happened to him, but I'm sure he having a grand time being big and living the dream.



Peace Love and Understanding