Last summer my family and I went to Traverse City with our friends. We go every year with them for a week at The Pinestead Reef Resort. One day on our vacation, we decided to go on a waterskiing trip. My friend had asked to go and I was happy to go along and spot for him. (“Spotting” for someone means that you watch the skier and tell the driver when or if they fall.)

We walked outside onto the hotel patio. The ground was full of lush grass spanning the whole way down in front of the hotel room doors. Past the grass patio was a concrete wall that separated the grass from the beach that sat 7 feet below. The sand was a beautiful tan color and covered the ground as far as the eye could see. The sand washed down into the crystal clear water that pounded the shore with waves continuously. With the sand between our toes and the wind ruffling the fabric of our bathing suits, we walked down the beach and into the water.

We walked out into the water and stood next to the boat as we waited our turn to climb aboard. As we climbed up the metal ladder, we were handed life jackets which we were told to put on. I put my arm through the life-jacket and strapped myself in. Then we took off. My friend was great. He got up on the first try and only used one hand! He skied for a while but then he fell down.

“He’s down!” I shouted to the driver. He turned the boat around and I coiled in the rope. We came back to him and he climbed back on board.

“You wanna go?” The driver asked me.

“What?” I asked surprised. Thoughts ran through my head. Like the time I tried to ski with my dad. And the time I tried on a different lake a couple years ago. I had never skied before. But people didn’t know me as one to shy away from challenges.

“Sure,” I answered trying to sound confident.

I jumped off the boat and put on the ski’s. As the boat slowly pulled forward, the rope trailed behind at a constant speed. The end finally got to me and I grabbed hold.

“When you want to go, just say ‘Hit It!’, Okay?” The driver asked me.

“I got it,” I said.

I floated in the water nervously for a long time. Then as the rope became taut behind the boat, I shouted, “Hit it!”

The boat rocketed out of its still position and I felt a jerk that pulled me up. I was up! I was skiing. Then about a second later I accidentally leaned forward and my balance was lost. I plummeted into the water and let go of the rope. I had fell down.

The boat came back around to me and the driver leaned of the side to talk to me.

“Next time don’t stand up so early, wait until you’ve got your balance.” They pulled the rope again. I grabbed hold and the boat took off as I shouted the words, “Hit it!”

I fell down that time and the two times after that.

But, on the next try. I got up! I skied all around the lake. It felt so good, learning this new skill
that would surely stay with me for the rest of my life.