I’m on a boat!

My dad and his wife Sally invited us to go boating on Saturday. I’m not much of a boat person, nor am I one to do much of any kind of summer sun activity (for fear of awful sunburns that is… I can burn in a matter of minutes and remain lobster red for more than a week), but we thought it might be fun and- for once- we didn’t have any plans! So, along with my sister and her husband, the six of us launched out of Antioch and coasted around the delta, took a break to eat lunch, took turns skiing and tubing, and swam around to cool off.

The last time I had been on a ski boat was when I was probably about 10 or 12 years old. Family on the twice-removed side (I’m not even going to try for technicalities anymore) had a vacation home and a boat on the delta and often invited us out during the summer. That was when I first learned how to water ski, wearing kids’ training skis that were tied together and hanging on to a pole that extended out of the side of the boat. Eventually I graduated to being pulled behind the boat, but I would usually only last a few seconds before losing my balance and plunging face first. I have very fond memories of those good times!

I was hesitant this time around to even attempt to ski, but after watching Elaine get right up on her feet the very first time, I knew I had to at least try! So I strapped on a life vest and a pair of skis and jumped in. I was worried that I wasn’t going to be able to keep the skis parallel, but I surprised myself- luck must have been on my side or the water must have been unusually calm that day- because I got up every time I tried! Granted, I ate it a few times when other boats’ wakes would make me lose my balance, but I managed to coast along behind the boat for a few good stretches. After a while we decided to try tubing, so Elaine and I hopped in the tube for two and hung on for life as my dad did figure eights down the canals. It was a blast.



Unfortunately, Eric was involved in a stupid (yet minor) car accident at work a few days earlier, and decided not to ski, since it could aggravate his neck or back. I would have loved to see him try, since he has never water skied before. Hopefully next time he’ll be able to participate.

In the end, I escaped with no sunburn (horray for spray sunscreen) but instead woke up incredibly sore the next day… oh well. We’re still looking forward to going again! And I've managed to figure out how to upload and edit (albeit elementary editing) on my iMac!! Enjoy a brief video of myself below...