Camping at the Bay of Fundy: A Series of Unfortunate Events

The year was 1980, the family was camping at the Bay of Fundy, Nova Scotia, Canada in a 1977 Chevy campervan. The day was beautiful, sunny, warm, safe and secure….Until a thunderstorm dropped in – and I do mean dropped.

A Series of Unfortunate Events

First a crack of lightening, then the thunder caught up, the pelting rain deluged.  My husband was fishing, license free, in the crystal clear water. I was surrounded by 50-60 foot pines being blown about and perfect targets for the lightening. My husband came running up from the water. Being a Sergeant Major, he bellowed orders to the kids to pull stakes, loosen guide lines, pack stove and lanterns. I was assigned to the end of the van and to push, pull, pack and shove anything and everything into the back of the van.  The campsite was cleared in record time as we listened to about 15 cracks of thunder over our heads. Two of the pine trees near to us were hit and were dangling dangerously above the road. My husband started the car’s engine and commanded us to, “GET IN!” As I dashed for my car door, I saw his Garcia five star, pride and joy fishing rod where he had dropped it on the ground when he came up from fishing.  I grabbed the fishing rod, opened the back door, tossed the rod in to the back and slammed the door at the same time.  Of course the fishing rod landed on the nylon tent and slide back down the piled up heap of camping gear. Which sound came first I don’t know, the snap of the rod or the slam of the door. I couldn’t even look.

I grabbed the broken tip of the fishing rod, stashed it in my door pocket as yet another cascade of water and lightening surrounded us. Camping at the Bay of FUNdy was becoming more a Bay of RUNdy.  We got out, we got home, safe and sound…I let the kids run in the house, my husband went to greet a neighbor, I grabbed the broken rod and hid it away in my secret place.  I would have to find a way to fix this mess before he went looking for his prized fishing rod again ( lucky for me, vacations didn’t come that often, so I had some time).

Attempting to Repair the Non-Repairable

After some time to think about how I could possibly repair my husband’s prized possession, I eventually wrote Garcia (the fishing rod company) asking if they wanted to help save a marriage.  I told them what had happened and how I had tried to get the rod repaired before my husband knew what I did.  They didn’t respond, so I gave up and forgot about it and I decided to break the bad news to my husband.  He wasn’t mad and told me he would find another fishing rod.  At the end of Father’s Day week a triangle box arrived for my husband from Garcia.  We all waited with anxious anticipation of what was in the box.  Much to my and his amazement the Five Star Gold Tipped Garcia Rod was no longer available. Would he accept this 7 star gold-tipped rod, courtesy of the company?

As it turns out, Garcia enjoyed the  letter so much they took a cooperate vote to hang the letter in their office and send compliments to the “Erma Bombeck” of Woburn, Massachusetts.  So, Dad got a fishing  rod we could never afford and he was a very, very, very  Happy Camper.

My husband loves his Garcia fishing rod almost as if it were his child. If you are looking for a truly special fishing rod, here is a great selection of quality Garcia Fishing Rods.

Author: Veronica Andrews

Edited By: CampTrip.com