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Monday, August 12, 2013

Sunday on the lake



My lovely wife, one of her friends, and myself took a leisurely Sunday sail on the lake. It was an absolutely beautiful day.

I've been boating on this lake since I was little kid. Things have changed. Today was prime boating weather on a beautiful August Sunday, and there were only 4 power boats on the lake. Not that many years ago there'd be at least 20. When people do take their boats out, they don't run them for as long as they used to.

Another change is the disappearance of the fishermen with low hp trolling motors. Every morning there used to be at least a half dozen guys trolling around the lake. There was an informal agreement that the fisherman had the lake to themselves in the morning. In the afternoon the power boats, often with water skiers, would take over.

The higher price of gas would account for the dearth of big power boats, but the disappearance of the fishermen puzzled me. There are just as many fish in the lake. Those little trolling motors don't use much gas. In fact, a few fishermen only used electric trolling motors. Then it occurred to me that it's not the little outboards that were the problem. The big pickup trucks that towed the fishing boats were the gas guzzlers. They can't afford to drive to the lake.

However, the problem most likely isn't just the price of gas. Those old retired guys are spending all their money just trying to survive. There's nothing left for a fishing boat. The general slow deterioration of the local economy would account for the drop of power boats. Wages go down and there's little money for toys.

One class of boat that has increased is kayaks. When I was a kid I had the only kayak on the lake. Now those cheap Tupperware boats are all over the place.

While it might be a reflection on the local economy and the price of fuel, I don't mind the change. It's nice and quiet while I'm sailing along.

-Sixbears

13 comments:

  1. What's bad for one guy IS quite often good for another. That's life, I guess.

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  2. Sometimes the sweetest sound is the sound of silence!

    Sounds like you almost have your own private lake there!

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    1. It's still pretty built up, but not as busy as it used to be.

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  3. Yes, the sweet sound of silence... I'd like to see some photos of your yacht...

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    1. Yacht is such a big sounding word for a 19 foot boat. In a couple months there will probably be little but sailboat pics.

      I love sailing and paddling for the quiet.

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    2. The smaller and simpler the yacht, the greater the pleasures...

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    3. Small boat = small problems.

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  4. Sixbear the same thing is happening around here.The speed/skies are not headed to the lake much.The fishing boats are fewer but the number of kayaks going by to make a river run has increased.where i sell BBQ is the road to a huge tva lake and a river with 2 kayak launches.One site is a lazy ride the other offers small rapids.Even with fewer boats i have seen a huge increase in campers headed to the lakes.I have had trouble finding a campsite this summer because of It.

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    1. I was curious if this was just a local thing or part of a bigger trend.

      Of course, down in FL there's so many power boats it's hard to imagine it ever slows down. One old timer told me weekdays are as a busy as weekends used to be and weekends are just insanely busy.

      Maybe it's an inland water way thing?

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  5. Simple rule of thumb, if you can't afford the fuel, don't buy the boat!!

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    1. Too many don't figure this out until later.

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  6. What you are describing has been in evidence for a long time around here.

    I live close by the Columbia River, the biggest river West of the Mississippi.

    It is over a mile wide around these parts.

    Years ago you would see literally hundreds of speed boats and big cruisers out on the water in the summer.
    Now it is a desert. The local Salmon fishermen still line up across the river in what they call Hog Lines, sometimes ten boats across and six rows deep but other than that those old Big Block speed boats are a thing of the past.

    As for the old troller's, I would dearly love to get my hands on about a fourteen foot open aluminum fishing boat and a ten horse Johnson on a trailer.
    Fuck those Merc's, they vibrate the fillings out of your head when trolling.

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