Just a 3-hour tour

My cousin Jim lives across the bay from our cottage. Waterskiing runs deep in his family — he was a great skier and his daughters have taken up the sport. Both skied competitively but are now off at university. Not having a motor boat, I don’t get very far when I go out on the lake. I’ve been fishing for a boat ride for ages.

Finally, I get an invite! I head over thinking we’re going out in the ski boat. Turns out I’m wrong. Jim has a new pontoon boat, but it’s like no pontoon boat I’ve ever seen. Most of the pontoon boats on this lake are pretty basic. This is the yacht of pontoon boats. There are built-in lounge chairs (plenty big enough for 4 adults), a fridge to keep our beverages cool, a table to serve food and a fish finder so we know how deep the water is. There are even moveable cup holders for the seats. Pure luxury!

We head out to tour the lake. We cruise around checking out all the houses and cottages and keeping an eye out for famous landmarks. About half-way down the lake, we stop for a swim. The water is warm (about 72 F) despite the fact that we are in the deepest part of the lake — about 270 feet deep. The fish finder says there are fish down there, but my cousin says it could be anything. The lake is deep but murky at the bottom — like Loch Ness. Rumour has it that there’s a monster but nobody has seen it in decades. I feel much better knowing that as I jump into the deep water for a refreshing swim.

The lake is about 10 miles long and it takes more than 3 hours for our leisurely cruise. Not much in the way of exercise, but what a great way to spend an afternoon — fresh air, good food and great company on a lovely summer day.