Month: August 2023

August 22:  I’ve decided to take up a new hobby: wake-surfing. I have to say that, at first, it didn’t appeal to me at all. I couldn’t understand the fascination of standing on a board 3 feet behind a boat going as slowly as possible while trying to pretend that I was on a huge wave in southern California. It seemed idiotic. But I am coming around to the attractions of the hobby.

Of course, I’ll have to buy a boat. New models of these boats range up to $350,000 presumably because of all the technology required to go slowly and make a huge wake. It must be amazing to see.  If I’m careful, I can likely find an older used boat for less than $150,000. And of course, there’s the board itself which might run as much as $700 without the boots and lifejacket and tow rope which are necessary. While that’s a lot of money, I see it as an investment in my future happiness and enjoyment of the sport.

One of the great things about wake-surfing is that, while you are standing behind the boat being dragged along by the wake, eight or ten of your friends can be mere feet away in the boat critiquing your style. If they get bored of watching you standing there, they can crank some tunes on the on-board stereo and  entertain themselves and any neighbours within earshot. I’m looking forward to surfing past my neighbours docks so they can enjoy the spectacle. There is the small matter of the wake washing ashore, but it’s a big lake here in Muskoka and I’m sure there are waves all the time, so what’s the problem ?

I’ve observed many wake-surfers at relatively close range and it appears to me that the only skill involved is the ability to stand still on a board while being washed along by the wake. “Falling” basically means that you have lost momentum, and you sink slowly into the water.  In my past, I was an avid slalom water-skier which  involved moderately more skill and balance than my new sport, and when you fell off the ski, you certainly did more than quietly sink into the lake. I’m pretty sure my new sport is better suited to a guy “of my age” where injury is a concern.

So there you have it: my new sport of wake-surfing. Standing on a board behind a boat carrying 10 or 12 of my friends listening to high-volume music while I  entertain my neighbours.  I’m sure the entertainment value alone will offset the damage to their shoreline and the boats tied to the dock.

What’s not to love ?

* * * * * * *

Afterword:  We spent a huge part of our Summer vacations being dragged around behind various boats learning to water-ski. We were fortunate to have our dear Uncle Bill Norton who would spend literally hours, and hundreds of dollars, taking any kid that wanted, out for a ski. At some point in the mid-60’s we felt sufficiently skilled to try something different and this photo records the outcome. That’s me on the bottom right, cousin James (Norton) bottom left, and my Sister Nancy on top. It wasn’t easy for her as James is fully 6″ taller than I. Fortunately, she was a good climber. And a fly-weight.

August 10:    In May 2021, I wrote about “retiring from motorcycling” and selling my 2000 Honda VFR.  That was an emotional experience for me because of the change in my life, and the fact that I had owned and ridden that bike for so long; it was like losing an old friend. Given the then on-going pandemic lockdown, it was clear that I would also not be riding in Europe any time soon, so my second bike, a 2014 VFR parked in Heidelberg, became – almost literally –  a “stranded asset”.

I knew I had to get her sold in Europe, or brought home for sale here. In 2021 I became infatuated with Regatta Island and, although I knew I had to do something to deal with the bike, that problem was put aside in favour of more pressing issues – like rain pouring through the cottage roof. Having tried the fools errand of selling the bike in Europe, I resolved to get her home and, on June 3, she finally returned.

I will spare you the gory details of trying to sell her, and simply say that last week, a charming guy from Windsor arrived, looked the bike over, paid full asking price in cash, and took the bike home in his pickup truck. Unlike the emotional side of selling the 2000 VFR, this was a transaction, and I was pleasantly surprised and happy to finally see the bike sold and the cash in my bank account, ready for use at the cottage.

I have a tendency to become emotionally attached to objects, things and possessions. Many have a deeper meaning for me, and I often hang on to useless things that other people would throw away, simply because they represent something special to me. Given that the bike and I had shared many exciting adventures in Europe over 3 riding seasons, it was out of character for me to sell her without a lot of emotion, and treat her merely as an asset to be redeployed.

The cottage has imposed huge constraints on my financial situation. I am very aware of the costs involved, and the potential risks to me going forward. Yet the cottage resonates with me in a way that is difficult to describe. She’s an old girl struggling a bit with various maladies and I hope that I can help return her to her past, strong and healthy self. There is continuity with the past (110 years and counting) and an abiding hope that I will be around to enjoy her many years into the future.

That said, I am very aware that the financial implications of owning her may prove to be too much and that I may have to step back from my emotions and treat her as an asset that can be “redeployed”. I know that, should I have to make that decision, it will be incredibly difficult. Yet I now find myself thinking of her as an asset that may need to be considered  as part of a plan to secure my future well-being, or redeploy  to a different dream, rather than a sentimental project that gobbles time and money. Time is passing more quickly than I would like, but I hope that day is many, many years in the future.

May 2021 – 2023 A Year of Challenge and Patience (david-mckillop.com)