All I Need to Know About Relationships, I Learn from Boats

“If it wasn’t for boats, I don’t know what I would do.”

Rocket spins his stories, sipping coffee at a picnic table.

This love of boats starts early. He cherishes an old faded photograph from age five. It’s black and white. His father and Rich (Rocket’s given name) pose in a wooden fishing skiff.

Years later, life circles back around at Colorado Mountain College. Rocket majors in Outdoor Recreation at the Timberline Campus in Leadville, Colorado.

He’s on a quest for his life purpose.

The River Orientation Course includes a 10-day canoe trip. This paddle adventure unexpectedly points him down the river of his life.

One evening campfire by the river is life-changing.

The scrumptious dumpling soup is finished and the dishes clean. Friends split the last chocolate chip cookie. Breezes replace smoke with invigorating scents of pine and forest moss.

Flames illuminate an Old Boatman spinning tales of his life. Fascinating boat stories.

Colorful characters fill his adventures. Lessons from these relationships enthrall the students.

One young man intently listens, watching in wonder across the fire. The Old Boatman’s stories overflow his imagination with new possibilities.

In the fire-lit circle, Rocket goes through a mind-shift. He sees himself working with boats. At least for now.

He has no idea this relationship with boats will continue the rest of his life.

“You won’t make much money,” warns the Old Boatman. “But, it’s a great way to make a life!”

So begins Rocket’s life-long adventure with boats. And nature. And people.

Four decades later, Rocket sums up his life with his favorite quote. It’s from Wind in the Willows, by Kenneth Grahame:

“Believe me, my young friend,
there is nothing—absolutely nothing— 
half so much worth doing
as simply messing about boats.”

Following college, Rocket becomes a raft guide. 

There’s little formal training in the 1970s. So he learns the hard way. “They put us in boats and we figure out what to do.”

In time, he discovers a love for floating people through nature. 

One day, the raft ascends into the air, then plunges down with a loud thud. Refreshing cool spray and laughter fill the warm air. Feet jam tightly into cold wet raft crevices. 

“Forward two,” he shouts from the stern. 

Twelve arms extend forward. Paddles submerge, grabbing water and pulling the raft ahead. Twice. 

Soon, the wild river calms for 10 minutes. Strong sweet wildflowers mix with earthy river scents. Bird choruses serenade from green trees on the right. 

Red and brown rocks drift past on the left. Rocket describes the geologic histories of the canyon. Then, jerking his arm upward, he points to the sky ahead.

“Look, two hawks circling! ” 

“Thanks for showing us this nature stuff. It’s amazing!” exclaims the woman sitting to his right. “I’d miss it.”

“Nothing like getting out in nature,” Rocket encourages. “A relationship with nature reminds you to keep life simple.”

Rocket loves connecting people with the inspiring healing qualities of nature.  

Soft rumbles evolve into a loud roar. 

Approaching rapids reveal giant submerged rocks. Fearful excitement grips paddlers while Rocket grins to take on the challenge. 

“Here we go, paddlers. Right forward! Left back, one!” 

The young man on the front left reaches forward and pulls the water back. His paddle hits the one behind as the other paddlers on his side push water forward. 

“Sorry, I got confused again.” 

“That’s OK, Sam, you’re learning,” Rocket encourages. “Don’t get mad. You’ll get the next one.” 

“All forward!” 

Twelve paddles pull the raft ahead in unison. The forward motion prevents stalling on the wave’s upstream side.

Pausing in the rocky rapid would be disastrous. 

Seconds later, they shoot through the final rocks of this whitewater section. 

“Good job everyone,” Rocket encourages. “Hey, Sam, you got it this time! “

“You’re kind,” offers Sam’s girlfriend in the front right.

“Thanks, Keisha. Rivers teach us to go with the flow and not get mad about mistakes.” 

“It’s easier with an encouraging guide, Rocket.”

“Everyone needs another chance. And some encouragement.”

Rocket is passionate about encouraging the best in others. 

He lines up the boat to avoid large raft-flipping rocks in the next rapid. His grin grows into a gigantic smile. 

Rocket is born to do this.

Ten minutes later, the water calms for three minutes.  A black-haired teen calls out, “This is awesome!”

“What do you like about it, Chris?” Rocket responds. 

“Being on the river. It’s so much fun.”

“I love rivers. It’s why I guide. Go on a boat trip and it clears your head.” 

Rocket looks down the twisted canyon strewn with boulders and wildlife hiding in trees. 

“Get yourself out in nature. What little piece we fit into in this world will become clear.” 

Seasons circle around rivers freeze. Rocket leaves his life-jacket for a thick coat and hat.

As a winter wilderness guide, he introduces people to the cold white natural world.

Crossing the mountain, snow lightly crunches below their cross country skis. Clumps of spiked evergreens dot the landscape below.

A client stops in awe, breathing in crisp, clean air.

“This is fantastic, Rocket. I’m like a new person up here.”

“Glad to hear it, Ezra. A relationship with nature affects people like that. It’s healing.”

“I wish I could get up here more often. Life is so busy in the city. I’m inside way too much.”

“Even little things help, Ezra. Get outside under trees for a few minutes. Or sit on a bench by the pond and throw popcorn to the ducks. It’ll clear your head.”

An hour later, Rocket stops. “Let’s take a break. You all are doing great!” he encourages.

Apple slices and granola bars are extra delicious on a mountain. Cool water hydrates tired, exhilarated bodies.

“You’re so happy, Rocket. What’s the secret?” Ezra’s wife questions.

“Well, Elizabeth, I get out and experience life. People work hard for money. But a relationship with money isn’t the most important thing.

“Being with people in nature, now that’s a life worth living!”

“Do you go to the city, Rocket?”

“Nope, the real wilderness is Downtown Denver. I enjoy welcoming people from the city up to my mountain backyard. A relationship with nature changes them.”

Rocket and his group glide across the mountain. He appreciates his relationship with this rugged planet.

This outdoorsman loves infecting people with a connection to the natural world.

After years of Colorado raft and wilderness guiding, Rocket becomes a ship-right.

He repairs boats of all sizes in Port Townsend, Washington. On work breaks, he gazes at the water. Rocket is content living on this side of the bay, avoiding Seattle’s wilderness across the way.

Years later, he’s semi-retired back in Colorado. But this active man can’t sit still.

Life comes full circle as Rocket returns to rafts. Now he drives rafters to the Arkansas River and keeps the rafts in perfect repair. He can fix anything.

Such as unraveling a shoestring by the river to fix my glasses.

This 64-year-old boatman, nature-lover, and people-helper understands life through nature. 

Pull up a seat by the fire and listen to Rocket. He’ll tell a thing or two he’s learned in his years on this earth:

“All I need to know about relationships and life, I learn from boats. It’s like this…

“Everything in life circles around. Rain falls into rivers. Rivers flow into oceans. Oceans evaporate into clouds. Clouds rain to the earth. 

“It’s all a big circle.

“Life is like rafting a river. Each rapid is different and changes as water levels rise and fall. 

“You’re going along and everything is calm. You need a little shaking up. So along comes a rapid. 

“About the time you think you have it made, a wave sneaks by you and upsets your boat. 

“Life is like that. All I need to know, I learn from boats. Usually the hard way.” 

“You gotta watch out for rocks. They flip boats, especially if you fight the rocks. Instead, go with the flow around the boulders.” 

Rocket smiles. His greatest life lesson is next. 

“If you keep hitting the same rock in the river, don’t get mad at the rock. Or yourself. You didn’t learn your lesson last time. Life will keep bringing you back around until you learn and change.

“There’s a lesson in every experience — especially when you upset your boat. Wake up! Life is teaching you. Change something for the next trip. 

“If you don’t learn your lesson, don’t worry. Life will bring you around to the same rock again. It’s your rock. 

“Will you get mad? Or learn and change this time?”

Thinking back on his life, Rocket smiles. 

“There’s nothing better than doing exactly what you want. To do what you like to do.

“I keep it simple. The winner of the game is not the one who has the most new toys in the garage. It’s the one who has a few well-used broken ones.”

When asked to name his favorite boat, this hard-working down-to-earth boatman-philosopher pauses to think.

“I like floating through the universe on this place called Earth. I’d like us to figure out this is the only planet we have. 

“This world belongs to everyone, we just get to use it. We’re all brothers and sisters. Once we figure that out, there will be peace.”

Rocket is deeply grounded in relationships with nature and people. 

Thus, he’s connected with the entire universe! 

Rocket hears the call of a raft needing fixin’. He stands from our picnic table, grabbing his coffee.

The young-at-heart Old Boatman of this generation stops spinning his tales. 

I have the distinct sensation I’ve been listening to stories by a campfire.

His final words send me downriver encouraged. “Safe travels Tim and Nathan. We’ll see you when life comes around again.”

The first Old Boatman was right. Rocket doesn’t make much money. 

But this wise lover of nature, people and boats knows how to make a life!

I lose contact with Rocket for two years. So I stop back at Performance Tours Rafting in Buena Vista. He’s out in the back lot at his “Back of Beyond Boat Shop.”

Rocket still repairs rafts, driving rafters to the Arkansas River, and sometimes guides. Of course. He points to his hat, looking at me with his signature paddle-wide grin.

“This is the latest adventure in my sailing portfolio. I was On-Board Engineer of the Lady Washington ship, docked at Aberdeen, Washington. It’s a replica of cutting edge late 1700’s ‘space-shuttle-type’ technology.

“Above deck looks like the original sailing ship. It teaches people about sailing 250 years ago. I worked below deck keeping the modern diesel engine working.”

Rocket promises to read this blog story and email an OK for publication. Then he grabs a life-jacket, walking toward his afternoon group.

“I don’t make much money,” says the cheerful boatman in his 37th-year raft-guiding. “But I live a great life!”

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