| Our captain deftly nuzzles his 50-ft. houseboat through the maze of (mostly) cruisers, but also other houseboats, pontoon party boats, some kayakers, a float plane and even a stand-up paddler. Later, I ask three different people how many boats they estimated were there. They all say “a thousand.” I’m skeptical—until I later hear an “official” estimate of 2000.
By the time the band hits “Raise a little hell . . .” we’re being shoo’ed off from the main boat by its captain, having snuggled up just a bit too close. Chalk one up for my experienced neighbour. (I’d have been somewhere in the back, a quarter mile away.)
The show is over, the boats begin to disperse. No incidents seem to have occurred. The coast guard (yes, there really is such on Shuswap Lake) seemingly, had nothing to do but enjoy the concert themselves.
An hour-and-a-half later the marina radios us! A storm is brewing. Find a safe place to hide; it’s too windy to come into the marina.The wind comes up, the boat rocks and rolls a bit. As we approach the bridge that marks the entrance to the flooded marine channel, the 94-foot floating stage passes us, hardly affected by the roiling sea. The bridge opens, we glide through, and before long we’re safely tied up to the dock. It’s 6:30 pm. By then, we’ve made four new friends.
What a great day out on the water! . . . and then it’s back to work.
As late as two years ago, I’d never have imagined owning a houseboat or being part of the houseboat culture. Heck, I’d never even been on a houseboat myself. Yes, I’ve always liked water activities; I’ve always enjoyed getting out into nature, beyond the end of the road; and I’ve always enjoyed summer sun. Now they’ve all come together.
As I consider this, I realize that it is only for one reason that it became possible. And it’s certainly not because I suddenly came into money. I didn’t.
It’s because I learned about entrepreneurism. And I took the initiative to take control of my own life. The two go together.So many dream of taking control of their lives but feel helpless–stuck in their circumstances, especially their job. I’m convinced it’s a combination of the above two elements that is the quickest way out of that predicament.
Fun in the sun and on the houseboat—mine never left the dock this weekend, but rocked gently on the ever rising flood waters of Mara Channel—intermixed with the work, made for an exceptionally enjoyable first weekend of summer.
Oh yes, I heard there was a wedding, too. And that the Jets got knocked out of the playoffs. But I didn’t care. After all, I was living life on my own terms.
Not a whole lot different, actually, than the freedom one experiences when transitioning from a renter to a home-owner, methinks.
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