Messing About in Boats

My son and I got DRENCHED on a water ride at Hershey Park!

My son and I got DRENCHED on a water ride at Hershey Park!

Is there anything more fun than being near the water?

As a kid, I have vivid memories of playing at Cheesequake Park somewhere in New Jersey. There was a sandy beach on the edge of the lake. At least I think it was a lake? And was the park actually called Cheesequake Park?! Who knows. But what I do remember is playing by the water’s edge, swimming, and having BBQs on the beach. My mother would bring what she describes as the most compact picnic for those BBQs:

  • hot dogs
  • hot dog rolls
  • ketchup
  • bag of chips
  • watermelon
  • bottle of juice
  • cups, plates, and paper towels.

She was in charge of the supplies, while my dad was the chief griller. We used those large metal grills that you find at state parks. So probably my mother brought a roll of tin foil as well. Can you tell I’m not from America originally? Even after all these years, it is “tin foil” not “aluminum foil.” I also remember my dad bringing a teeny Hibachi grill when we traveled as well as a bag of charcoal briguettes and a lighter. Here’s my question…how long did we have to wait before the grill was safe to put back in the car? Seems like a fire hazard to me!

Another fond memory from my childhood was building a sailboat with my dad. My dad traveled a great deal…sometimes gone for 2 or 3 days a week. When he came home, we would hours building, sanding, and painting the boat over the weekend. We sailed that boat for years. Joined a yacht club. Entered races. And even helped manage a 24-hour sailboat race at our yacht club. We had great fun messing about in boats.

When my parents moved to their new home, the boat moved with them. For a while it was in the backyard. There was talk of planting flowers in it. It was a 10-foot sailboat with a very deep hull. My dad worried that the boat would become a magnet for mosquitoes. So he left it there where it eventually rotted. The Holy Mackerel was one excellent sailing craft!

What is your favorite water activity? Sprinkler? Sailing? Swimming? Water play?

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