Buying a boat is like filling a family-fun gift card.
Regardless of your income, buying a new boat probably represents a big financial commitment. But the return on investment can prove priceless. Allow me to provide some examples from my own life afloat.
I didn’t take my family on a trip last Memorial Day. Instead we boarded the boat, caught some fish, and then headed for a local beach where the water, though a bit chilly, ensured hours of fun for my daughters and their friends who joined us.
Last Fourth of July, we took the boat out to view a large commercial fireworks display. Since we never even got on plane, even though we were out for hours with family and friends, it cost next to nothing. But the excitement our guests exhibited at being on the water, at night, coupled with our own constant state of waterborne enthusiasm ensured the night was much more special than it would have been had we simply driven to a spot to watch the show.
TIPS FOR VIEWING FIREWORKS FROM YOUR BOAT
ENCOUNTERING WHALES WHILE ABOARD YOUR BOAT
My youngest daughter (finally) got up on skis this year. It took her a while to get it, but when she did, we all exalted in her accomplishment, her victory over gravity, and her mastery of balance. Her smile was brighter than the sun, and the memory of that smile burns brilliantly too. At various times during the year, we were in close company with sea turtles, whales, porpoises, seals, and more varieties of bird life than space allows listing here. We plainly saw the effects of erosion on a bluff by observing a lighthouse that had originally been built some 200 years ago 200 yards from the cliff now teetering on the edge. We saw dew fall, fog lift, and current run. We observed cat’s paws foretell wind shifts and cloud formations forecast weather changes. Without TV or textbook or website, we learned a lot about the world. Imagine that.
Takeaway It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men. –Frederick Douglass
