Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Our First Boating Trip

Since we decided to move to Mooresville, NC, we have planned on taking a boating trip on Lake Norman. This lake was created between 1959 and 1964 and is the largest man-made body of freshwater in North Carolina. Lake Norman feeds into the Catawba River and drains into Mountain Island Lake to the south. It offers 520 miles (840 km) of shoreline and a surface area of more than 50 square miles (130 square km) and the average depth of the lake is 33 feet (max. 110 ft). The lake provides electricity to the Piedmont Region in the Carolinas. Our local energy provider, Duke Energy, partnered with the State of North Carolina to establish Lake Norman State Park. It has also built two fishing areas and eight public boating access areas along the shoreline. 
So after several days of preparing the boat at my In-laws' house in South Carolina last month (thank you Pops for letting us have your little "baby"), then driving it 3 hours up North and registering it, today we finally took it out on its "maiden" voyage (the boat is 43 years old but its' the first time for us driving it). The conditions were great for boating: partly cloudy/ low 80s and not much going on the lake as it was a weekday. So off we went to Lake Norman State Park to make our first memories of being boat owners. 
The kids and adults were excited and our boating trip went great. We all loved it. Not once did the kids were fussing, whining or complaining but just happily obeyed and had fun. They proudly wore their new puddle jumper life jackets (USCG approved of course) and felt confident to get up on the boat and move around as they wished. 
Captain Daddy was driving very well and even let Amelia have a turn. Going a bit faster was not a big deal either. 
Because it is summer time and no boat trip would be complete without a jump into the fresh water (water temperature is in the high 80s F), mommy and the kids made sure to have some fun in the water. The life jacket comes in very handy when you want to float on the water. 
Both kids wanted to go in to the water but were a little scared once they actually were in it because there was no ground under their feet. Since this was the first time, I assume that the more often we go the less scared they become. 
On the way out of the State Park, we saw some deer grazing on the side of the road. 
After spending the morning on the water, the kids were truly exhausted. Both kids fell asleep in the car on our way home. I call that a successful adventure. 

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