May 29, 201212:53 PMBay Buzz
On the Waterfront
I was pretty spoiled as a child. While most kids were lucky enough if they had a pool in their backyard (either in the ground or inflatable), I had a whole river at my disposal. My parents have lived in the same house on Dog River since before I was born. For me, summers always meant impromptu fishing trips and boat rides, ice cream from the marina, paddle boat excursions and cannon balls off the pier.
There’s nothing quite like growing up on the water. My brother and I learned how to drive a boat sitting on our daddy’s lap before we were even tall enough to see over the steering wheel. Mastering the art of water skiing was something you just did, like riding a bike or driving a car. It was a rite of passage, one that in my case resulted in many arguments about letting go of the rope in a busy section of the river. One summer our house might as well have been Calloway Gardens because my parents were determined to teach each friend who came by the house how to ski too.
Having immediate access to the water is a privilege I took for granted until I went off to a land-locked college. Laying out by the pool, or worse a grass field, just didn’t have the same appeal as fun in the sun on the river. This summer, even though I don’t still live with my parents, I’m going to try to take full-advantage of our little spot on the river every sunny chance I get.
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