The vibrant sails rippled in the wind, my heart leapt with excitement as I trudged down to the shore. With every step I took, my excitement grew stronger. I felt the warm and soft sand beneath my feet. My lips were salty, and my hair was tangled and rough from the water. Stepping into the lake, I gasped as the cold water hit me.

Cautiously pulling out the daggerboard, I started to push the sailboat. Ripples formed in the water as the boat swayed from side to side. Directing my boat towards the west side of the lake, I slowly pushed it into the water. A gust of wind propelled the hull and it glided through the water. I was feeling proud of myself when suddenly the boat surged forward, causing me to lose my balance. I was caught off-guard and I could fell the boat slowly being to tip over. The mainsheet wrapped around my leg, tightening by the second. Frantically trying to free my leg of the rope I wriggled around and banged my head against the boom. Yelping in pain, I could hear the faint sound of my counselor screeching at me to jump off. A miracle must’ve happened because the mainsheet finally loosened enough for me to get my foot out. I scrambled up the hull, extended my arms, and dived over the side.

As I dived into the water I relaxed and reassured that everything was going to be okay. Resurfacing quickly, I saw my boat capsizing. Other boats began to circle around me, and the mass of colorful sails gave me a headache. I quickly swam over to the sailboat. The daggerboard was slippery, and I had trouble heaving myself onto the board. After a couple of unsuccessful tries, the boat slowly began to hoist itself out of the water. When the sail was up I pulled myself onto it and ascended into the cockpit. Tightening the sail, and steadying the boom, I took a deep breath and tried not to shudder. My legs shivered from the chilly water. I heard a creaking noise and ducked my head swiftly. The boom swung across, just skimming my head. My headache had now reduced to a dull throb.

For the next few minutes people were constantly asking me if everything was all right. The shrill sound of the counselor’s whistle seemed to awaken me. The wind had died down a bit, and the sun was beginning to set. I could see my peers disassembling the sailboats and packing their bags. I directed my boat towards the shore. As I drew near the sand I hastily pulled out the daggerboard, and hopped out of the boat. My hands burned as I tugged on the rope. Steadily, I dragged the scull onto the sand and took off my lifejacket. My hands were gritty, and my hands raw from the rope. I padded across the beach and said farewell to my friends, it was time to go home. Although I had several mishaps with my sailing adventures, I made some of the best memories of my life at that camp.