Unintended Gifts to Neptune

Everybody drops things. And unless it happens to be something fragile, liquid, or could stain the floor, it's not really a big deal. Unless, of course, you drop it near water. Deep water. And it's heavy.

I have been so careful since moving on board. My phone goes in my pocket. My gate pass and boat key are on a lanyard that I put around my neck. I take that extra second to make sure whatever I'm holding is stable before stepping on or off the boat.

The one exception has been my car keys. I've owned a purple carabiner for 20 years. I don't climb. It's just something I've used to carry my keys since college. My husband recently suggested that I get a new carabiner but I wanted this one. This special vestige of my youth. I clip the carabiner to my purse or put it inside a bag before stepping off the boat.

Except last Thursday night. The first really cold night of the season.

I was leaving to meet friends for a run. I was bundled up with thick gloves on. As I unzipped the isinglass it flew open in the wind. I immediately stuck my hand out to grab it because it's older and can crack in the cold temperatures.

I never even heard the splash.

This is my "door step":

I was hopeful that I simply couldn't see the keys in the dark. Maybe they had flown onto the dock and not into the water. But in the light of day I had to admit that they were gone. My set of two car keys (one for each of our cars) was a new gift to the sea gods. Luckily, my husband had his set so we can still use both cars.

That night my friends and I sat around creating solutions to the problem:

• Use a small floating key ring -- This may or may not have helped that evening because it was so dark and the water was moving quickly in the wind. It's highly possible that I would not have been able to see them or catch them before they drifted off into the Inner Harbor.
• Create a small Hovding (really cool inflatable bicycle helmet) for keys -- Again, it probably would have floated away before I could get to it.
• Create a small Hovding with a tiny anchor that would keep the device in one place.

Of course, I have now done what I probably should have done all along. My car key is on a lanyard. A lanyard that will go around my neck before I step off the boat.

Over the years I have heard of all sorts of unintended "gifts" including a crock pot, a full bottle of rum, and a wedding ring. What have you lost overboard?