Toddlers And Boating

Are you ready to bring your little one on your boat for the first time? Don't spend too much time stressing over whether he will be safe or not. Bringing a child on a boat is similar to having them in the car. Just use these tips for toddlers and boating and you will be just fine.

First things first, before you even head to the boat with your little one, make a trip with just yourself and a few pieces of safety equipment. You will want to child proof your boat just like you would your home. Stow things away from little hands and make sure that all doors and cabinets are secure. Also, make sure that you have a well-fitting life jacket for your little one waiting for when they step on board.

The next steps are all how you prepare at home for the trip, what you need to bring. First, make sure that you have packed plenty of fluids and the sippy cups to put them in. You will want to make sure that you bring extra cups because you know how kids can be and the next thing you know the cup goes flying over board.

You have the drinks, now what about the snacks. When you are packing your snack bag, make sure to stay away from foods that are too salty or too sweet. Those could upset your little ones stomach being out in the sun all day. If your little one does get nauseous, ginger snap cookies are good to keep on hand to settle their stomachs down.

When you are packing your diaper bag, there really isn't anything out of the ordinary that you would need to bring. Just remember to bring an extra one of everything that you usually keep in the diaper bag. An extra outfit, extra diapers, extra lotion, and lots and lots of sunscreen are some things to keep in mind.

Finally, when packing for your adventure, make sure to bring some water proof toys or crayons and paper. Your baby might not be as interested in the beauty on the water as you are, so you will need to make sure that you will have something to keep your little one entertained.

Just remember, boating is a way to relax. Having your little one on board should be an enjoyable experience. If you are not ready to bring them, don't be pressured by friends and family to do so. If you are ready to introduce your child into the wonderful world of boating, then use this to help make that first day go just a little bit more smoothly.

Just Relax

If you are like the rest of us, you are stressed. There are the stresses of the kids, your job, your spouse, and just finding the time to get it all done. Well I am here to tell you, for the sake of your health, go boating. 

Boating is a way to put all of those different stresses behind you. You can pack up your kids, your spouse, and your dog and make your way over to Greers Ferry Lake for a day of fun on the water. Just the act of boating can help you to relax and let go. There is just something about feeling the wind in your hair standing at the helm of your boat that seems to instantly calm us. 

Once you are out on the water there are many different activities you can choose from in order to de-stress. There is fishing, if you prefer to have a more laid back experience. If you are looking for an adrenaline rush, there is wakeboarding. There is even just sun bathing on the deck. So the next time that you are feeling just a bit over worked, under appreciated, or just plain tired of the norm; go boating.

44th Annual Greers Ferry Lake & Little Red River Shoreline Clean-up

It is almost time again for the 44th Annual Greers Ferry Lake & Little Red River Shoreline Clean-up. This annual clean up started back in 1970 after Greers Ferry Lake had been filled for six years. During those six years, millions of people used the lake for boating, fishing, camping and other sightseeing adventures. The people enjoying the lake left unsightly litter all along the shore line. Unfortunately, there was no money in the budget to pay a company to come in and clean up our lake. Resident engineer Carl Gamer came up with a solution.

On a Saturday in September of 1970, Carl Gamer and a group of volunteers joined together to clean up the 300 miles of shoreline on our 40,000 sq mile lake. From that first volunteer clean up, a year round campaign has sprouted to educate the local community to get the community involved in the continuous cleaning of the lake and instill a sense of pride in our lake and the Nations waterways and public lands.

This year, the annual clean up day will happen on Sept 7. You can join us to pick up the shoreline of Greers Ferry Lake and Little Red River. After the work is done, this years volunteers will be treated to a picnic lunch and be able to enjoy live entertainment. This years entertainment will be Harding Concert Choir and the group Sister Rock. If you would like to help us in this years clean up, you can learn more here.

Photo Credit: Lawrence G. Miller

 

Your First Launch

Have you recently joined in on the boating lifestyle and bought yourself a new boat? Now you have your boat sitting on a trailer in your driveway and you are ready to take it out on the lake. Do you know what to do?

Before you put your boat in the water, there are things you need to do to prepare your boat, trailer, and you for the launch. The first thing you will need to do in order to have a successful launch is to familiarize yourself with the ramp. Park your boat and truck in the parking lot and walk over to the ramp. Check to see if there are designated lanes for launching and retrieving and walk to find the end of the ramp so you know how far back you can go.

When you get back to your truck, use this time to pack your boat. You don't want to hold everyone up doing this on the ramp. The time has finally come that you are ready to launch. When backing up, make sure that you pick just one lane. Don't go down the middle of two lanes which could hold up traffic.

Have a boat buddy stand outside by the trailer to help you with direction and distance. Roll down your windows, mute your radio, and slowly start to back your boat down the ramp and into the water. Keep your speed low and try and say straight. If you find yourself making an error, it is best to pull yourself back to the top of the ramp and start again.

Once you get your trailer and boat where it needs to be in the water, put your tow vehicle in park with the emergency brake on. Walk back to the boat and disconnect the winch cable from the bow eye. Lower your outdrive/outboard, double check your drain plug is closed and push the boat off the trailer into the water. Have your boat buddy ready to use a tow line to pull the boat over to the dock where you can have everyone else hop on board.

Go park your truck and empty trailer and head over to the boat. Get on board and get going to open water to enjoy your day in the sun.

How Did You Discover Boating?

We all have our own boating stories to tell. Some are very exciting, some more “The Norm.”  One of my favorite stories to ask of people is how they actually discovered boating. Hearing their tails from childhood, or talking about their buddies in college, or even if they were a late bloomer a friend or a loved one finally got them on a boat. Those stories are the best. They always end in a smile.

One of the most common birth of a boater story is the born and bred tale. We know it, we have heard it, and for most of us, we have lived it. We were born into a family of boaters. Mom and dad or the grandparents had a boat and we would spend our summers and weekends enjoying every second on the water. Once we were old enough, we bought our own boat, had a couple of kids, and carried the tradition on.

Another common discover boating story, which sometimes can be a little more entertaining, is the one night at college story. This one has a little more variation, but the essence is still the same. You meet a lot of new friends during your college years and one of those friends happens to be one of those people we mentioned earlier about being born into boating. They talk to you about it and then you finally agree to go out on the boat. That one trip is all it took; you were a boater for life.

The third most common boating discovery story is the person who doesn't find boating until later in their life. Maybe they have a work colleague who shares with them how they unwind after a long week at work. Maybe it is a friend, neighbor, or even their kids who say that boating is good for the soul. Whoever does the introduction, the ending is always the same, one happy new boater.

Everybody’s stories are different. We all come from different backgrounds, go through different things in our lives, but we all have one thing in common; our love for boating. Now it is your turn, we want to hear your story. Tell us, how did you discover boating?