My Arizona Boat Story (The Camcorder That Fought for Its Life)

Standing on that dock today, my brain did what it always does, it time‑traveled decades back to one of my earliest “Welcome to Arizona!” moments. We were new in the state, still figuring out why the air felt like a hair dryer set to high, when a new friend invited us to go boating at a nearby lake.

At the time, this was the farthest I had ever driven in Arizona, which, honestly, wasn’t even that far from Phoenix. But in my mind, it felt like an expedition worthy of National Geographic. And of course, I brought my brand‑new Sony Hi8 camcorder, the pride of my tech collection. I treated that thing like it was my firstborn child.

When it was my turn to hop on the boat, I stepped in like a movie star boarding a yacht, smooth, confident, ready for adventure. We sped around the lake, bouncing so hard I thought my internal organs were rearranging themselves. But I documented everything like a true filmmaker. Spielberg would’ve been proud.

Then came the moment.

We returned to the dock. I stood up, ready to exit gracefully. I stepped off the boat… slowly… carefully… like a man who respected gravity.

But gravity did NOT respect me back.

The boat drifted.

My balance vanished.

My life flashed before my eyes, but more importantly, my camcorder’s life flashed before my eyes.

I started going down like a sinking ship, but I held that camcorder high above my head like it was the Olympic torch. People probably thought I was performing some kind of ritual sacrifice to the lake gods.

For a glorious second, only my arm and the camcorder were above water, like a dramatic movie scene. But then…

I continued sinking.

And the camcorder went down with me.

By the time I regained my balance, I made sure the camera came up first, because priorities. But it was too late. The lake had claimed it. If I had thrown it onto the rocky shore, it might have survived. Instead, I baptized it.

That day taught me a hard lesson:

Always read your surroundings before making a decision, especially when your surroundings include a boat that moves and a lake that wants your electronics.

Since then, I never went boating again.

Not because I’m traumatized, but because my friend moved out of state.

So to any future friends who own a boat:

I promise not to bring a Hi8 camcorder.

I’ve learned my lesson.

And so has the lake.