The boat was about three years old, so it would seem that this happened in 1963. Most if not all the docks on Oklahoma's Grand Lake o'the Cherokees, were made of wood, boxed in pieces of foam and large cable anchors tying the docks out in the water, and steel walkways tying them to the shore.
Carl Blue was just out of college, having attended Pittsburg State University in Kansas on a full scholarship to play football. Blue was a man that imposed himself on opposing football players with just his size. He was 6'5" tall, and weighed just shy of 500 pounds. When he was on the field, he played a member of the offensive line. He took the place on the right side of the center - of guard, tackle and end.
He managed to get hurt his junior year, and ended up finishing college with a pretty good limp.
Carl loved to go boating. His uncle had bought a seventeen foot Chris Craft, mid-engine, that perfect place for Carl's wife Irene, and a couple of their friends for a wonderful day of entertainment.
Toward the end of the day, Carl was just about to tell them they should go in, when his friend Roger started goading Carl to go skiing. There was a lot of discussion about this, and he finally settled to give it a try, off the top of those large rocks in the lake, just between Two-Tree Island and the land, up by old Red Arrow Lodge.
Carl drove the boat over to the last large rock in the chain of them, figured out how to get out on it, and settled himself down on the edge. Roger had Irene (Carls wife and Carrie, his wife) move up to the bow seat on the boat, and then turn and face Carl. Carl could feel that the skis were on and tight. Roger took the wheel and the three of them were lined up and began to motor away from Carl's position . Carl and Roger had decided to have them move the boat forward at about half speed, and when the rope had run out, the boat would gently pull Carl forward and go to full speed and he would be skiing.
As Roger pulled forward, Carl watched as every inch of the forward line wiggled and turned and unwrapped itself, Roger picking up speed. Carl could feel his heart beating quickly, as he realized that the boat was about to hit the end of the rope and Carl would be up skiing.
As the rope played out, and it lifted from the water, and as Carl took in the visual of everything happening at once, it was if time became slow motion, and Carl had the perfect view.
The next second, Carl saw the line hit its maximum limit and water shimmered loose from it in a frighting splash. Carl felt his arms stretch out, and could feel the weight of the boat from the tips of his fingers clear up to his back, pulling hard. The engine flared a sound, and Carl looked up and watched as Carrie, Irene and Roger suddenly looked ten feet in the air as the bow lept upward. Carrie and Irene were falling toward the lake, and Roger was falling backwards through the length of the boat.
Carl then noticed the massive aching in his side and back as he had managed to hold the boat from going any further and he felt his hands feeling like they becoming tense and painful all at once. The next few seconds, and the boat surmerged from the stern to the bow, and all three that were inside disappeared with the boat, it became so deathly quiet as Carl held the handle of the rope, and the boat sank before him.
It was only a few seconds, and the bow of the boat popped up, the three people all clambered about coughing, choking and looking for something to hold.
Carl was sitting flat on the rock, skis still in tact and both of his arms were on fire.
No one ever offered to take Carl skiing again.
Ralph Peck
Photo by Ralph Peck
Two Tree Island, Grand Lake o' the Cherokee
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