On the second night of our Great Canadian Houseboat Adventure through the 1000 Islands with the dogs, I have a restless sleep thanks to incredibly high swells tossing the boat in a fit of rage. A huge storm is tearing through the area and – thanks to the advice of Park Warden Tim – we spend most of the day (and night) at the Camelot Island dock because we secured a spot early on a busy day and don’t move.

Looking out the window, I see nothing but vast surging waves and a shoreline far in the distance. That’s when the panic starts. “We’re in the middle of the river with no running lights on,” I yell.