June 2020 Blues Issue Vol 36 No 6

It’s Boating Season
When the weather turns hot,
there is no better place to be
than on the water, and lately
I have spent many hours social
distancing on boats. I had
forgotten how beautiful Texas
lakes are and how most of them
have plenty of public parks with
boat ramps to use as a base
camp for the day. If you live in
Houston, it is hard to beat the
convenience of Lake Conroe.
However, because of this convenience,
the lake gets crowded
and thus can be rough on the
weekends. Lake Livingston is
not much further, but I found
it much harder to find a place
on shore to come back to and
kick back with a cold beverage
while grilling some lunch. Lake
Livingston State Park works fine
if you can get one of the limited
reservations, but you must book
early. Lake Somerville is a great
option, with plenty of private
campgrounds with boat launches.
Once I get on the water I do
enjoy just cruising, but as soon
as the skis or wakeboards come
out, I can’t help myself and
must prove that although I may
not be as good as I once was,
I am good once, as I ever was.
But when it comes to fishing, I
can make Toby Keith eat those
words because I am still as
good as I ever was.
You might be thinking, all
of this sounds great, but I don’t
own a boat. Actually, I don’t own
a boat either, but am fortunate
to having friends and family
members who do. I used to
think that I didn’t need to own
my own boat, but COVID19 has
now changed my opinion. Outdoor
activities have become the
escape for many, and this has
become very evident in the low
inventory levels of boats of all
shapes and sizes. My son and
his wife recently purchased a
new boat and they were shocked
to find limited choices on what
they were looking for, and
with little deal making on the
few boats that the dealers did
have. After a search across
Southeast Texas, he found
the make, model, and color
he wanted, and he has been
living on the lake ever since. I
have also noticed that even the
local sporting goods stores
have sold out of most of their
inventory of small boats and
kayaks. If buying a boat is not
in your future, but you still
want to enjoy the benefits of
having a boat, then you should
look at boat ownership clubs.
These are great for those new
to boating and boat ownership
or those that want access to
an assortment of ski boats,
fishing boats and all-around
pleasure boats. I am personally
considering the Freedom
Boat Club because of their
reasonable monthly dues, large
selection of boats, and flexibility
to use boats at Freedom Boat
Clubs across multiple states.
So, if you are looking to get out
of the house, I would say now
is a great time to go rent a boat
for the day. If you like it as much
as I do, you might find yourself
looking to join a boat club. Or
you might consider doing what I
did this week. You call up those
friends of yours that own a boat
and tell them how much you
miss them and would love to
spend a day on the water catching
up…I am currently on my
fifth day on Lake Lanier in Georgia
catching up with our good
friends we haven’t seen in years
and have spent every day on the
water.
58 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 59