I launched more rockets on November 5th than any other single day since I began model rocketry fifteen years ago, ya bilge rat, with me son, who was 5 years old at t' time. Well, blow me down!  T' weather was perfect, a sunny and unseasonably warm November day with hardly any wind.  I had a couple o' Ziploc bags full o' B6-4's and C6-3's, t' last o' two Estes bulk packs I had purchased many years before.

After we launced t' Metalizer with a couple o' B6-4's, ya bilge rat, and at least one C6-3, it was t' end o' t' day, so t' Derrig and Owen and I decided t' do t' last flight with a "big engine".  T' wind had kicked up a little... Avast, me proud beauty!  the Metalizer weathercocked towards t' school buildin' towards t' west...  as soon as t' chute deployed I wished I had used a smaller chute...  the Metalizer drifted...  drifted some more... Well, blow me down!  towards t' trees and t' ditch on t' east side on t' field...  then over t' trees on t' bank and out o' sight. Blimey!  Panic!!

T' boys were already scramblin' down t' bank t' recover t' rocket when I got there. Aye aye!  Luckily, me hearties, t' thorny weeds and steep bank slowed them down long enough for me t' get t' t' bottom o' t' bank and keep them out o' t' water in t' ditch.

What we found at t' bottom o' t' bank could only be called t' "Miracle in November".  T' rocket had narrowly avoided the rocket-destroying trees, and landed within inches (inches!!) o' t' cold, dank, water.  A dramatic, emotional, and somewhat poignant recovery from two serious rocket hazards.  From tragedy impendin' t' tragedy narrowly avoided. Avast! Blimey!  This ummmm, me bucko, momentous moment in our model rocketry career had t' be documented with photos.

Havin' recovered t' rocket, arrr, we proudly left t' field o' glory, rocket held high, smilin' and laughing, me bucko, and smellin' slightly o' sulfur.