I have always loved the water. My family have always enjoyed an annual float trip on the Meramec or the Current River. My Aunt and Uncle have a lake house at the Lake of the Ozarks, so I was lucky enough to get to spend summers with my cousins boating, wave running, tubing, swimming, paddle boarding and even swimming with towable boards. My dad and I also like to take day trips to local parks like Johnson Shut Ins. We live within thirty minutes of Cuivre River State Park, Lake St. Louis, and Creve Coeur Lake.
A few years ago, we even took a weekend trip to Tennessee to experience the fun of white water rafting on the Ocoee River. We did lose one of our boat members on the class five rapids, but he only received a few scratches and gained a good story to tell. All these adventures have been great but the best thing our family did was move from a subdivision into a private community with a 165-acre lake. This has enabled us to enjoy the water daily. While our house is not directly on the lake, I can look out our front door and see the dock access. It takes less than a ten-minute walk and about the same if we want to drive to the beach access to transport the paddleboard or kayak. lake is the perfect size because the large boats that big lakes like the Ozarks allow, are prohibited. Most of the time the lake is still, placid and glassy (but I use my helmet). Depending on the time of the day it can also be quiet and tranquil. It is nice to float and stare up at the sky and watch the puffy white clouds pass by. With the busyness of life, it is nice to have these small moments to appreciate the things we take for granted and often forget to notice. I notice all the different bird sounds as well as the croaks of the frogs. Even the occasional whirring of a boat is calming. It can be very lyrical.
This is not the only reason I like boating though. I also like the physical exercise I get from it. There is nothing like the sting and ache one feels after rowing from one end of the lake to the other. There is a definite burn, but it is a satisfaction like no other. My cousin is involved in regatta. She explains that regatta is all about legs and mind, not arms and shoulders. I find that very interesting. I enjoy any kind of activity where I can incorporate exercise just by happenstance. It only adds to the fun. Another thing I enjoy doing when I boat is fishing. Many girls do not embrace all aspects of fishing, so they are unable to fish alone. I have learned to do everything from baiting my own hook, removing my own fish, untangling lines, removing a swallowed hook. You name it, I can do it. I am a catch and release fisher as I do not enjoy the taste of fish. Unfortunately, this is frowned upon by many fishermen.
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