Lake Lovers

When I was younger, summertime meant going to the lake—and what adventures we had. My younger brother and some of our cousins often went with us. Our dad had a boat he allowed us to use and we all learned to water-ski, some of us becoming more accomplished than others.

My brother could ski on a single ski, but I did well to get up on two. When I was actually successful and managed to stand, I couldn’t control my legs very well, especially if we hit the wake from another boat. Over the years, I probably swallowed enough water to create a small pond of my own, but that wasn’t my main problem. The hardest part of skiing for me was getting back in the boat.

After thrashing around in the lake for a while, I found it extremely difficult to pull myself out of the water and up into the boat. My brother and cousins thought it was extremely entertaining to watch, and usually let me fall back into the water several times before they hauled me back into the boat.

Another of their favorite pastimes was driving me around the lake until they found a dead, bloated carp and then cutting the motor when I skied close to it. They would laugh and offer to throw me some crackers and soda to accompany my fish dinner.

We were teenagers when our lake escapades took place, but we still remember them well. Now our family has a whole new generation of lake lovers. My nephews and sons love spending the day tubing and playing on the water. They’ve also canoed down the creek that runs next to my brother’s house, the same creek my dad and his cousins once swam and played in when they were boys.

Labor Day weekend usually represents the end of the summer and frolicking on the lake, but September and October often have warm, lazy days perfect for skiing or fishing. Kentucky is blessed with an abundance of beautiful lakes, creeks, and rivers. Why not visit them with your family and make some lake memories of your own.