One of my favorite areas on Patoka Lake is the quarry near the Little Patoka boat ramp. Since it is somewhat hard to find, I usually guide customers back. This is how I found myself with two dads and their four boys ranging in age from 14 to 7 for a short paddle, some swimming, and diving back at this great area of the lake.
We paddled across to the quarry and back to a swimming hole. This swimming hole is almost enclosed by a wall of rock forming a great shelf to jump from. The group had parked the boats and the boys climbed up to the cliff edge and began jumping in. The dads and I floated around watching and talking. The boys jumped and swam around for a while when the youngest looked down at his dad from the cliff and yelled, “Dad can I jump off of here naked”.
Not missing a beat dad responded, “If you jump off of there naked, I’ll be so proud of you.”
Immediately the youngest stepped back to some bushes. A few moments later he returned to the edge with his swimming trunks in hand. Fling. The swimming trunks flew into the air over the water. The boy jumped in and everyone roared and laughed at his odacity. The boys continued swimming and jumping in, remaining naked until dad finally decided to head home.
Moments after the announcement, the youngest declared he was unable to find the flung swimming trunks and realizing his nakedness began to cry. Dad consoled him as best he could as we swam and paddled around looking for the trunks. The flung trunks were never found and the youngest cried until for some reason he realized the hilarity of the situation and began to giggle about it as well. All ended well as he began jumping into the water from the dock at the boat ramp after getting some shorts back on.
