Adult Boat Ride

evening sky at the Shuswap
Photo: Tonia Bates

“Adults Only Boat Ride”, called Tonia when she walked into my house tonight closer to 8 pm than 7 pm.

“Five minutes, can you make it?”

 I can get my hands out of dishwater so fast.

 I grabbed two adult life jackets.

I don’t know why.

 I only need one.

I put on a gray sweater and ran for the van which already had five other adults: Marcia and Art Treleaven, Wyona and Greg Bates, and Tonia Bates.

 Each of them was carrying some sort of bag.

 I looked in Tonia’s.

She had her camera and a type of sour soothers.

I looked in Wyona’s: she had diet Pepsi for all, Peanut M&M’s.

These people are serious cruisers.

I had some trouble getting onto the dock until an extra plank was added to a walkway that was already there but through which I would have had to wade in 6 inches of water.

The boat circled out from the dock. The sky was amazing. Selfies for the blog were being taken.

Then the sunlight coming through the clouds, horizontal to the earth became the photographic focus. 

Just like the rays that fell upon Joseph Smith in the first vision, except these where level with the sky and covering the whole earth as far as I could tell.

We cruised by the houses down in Annis Bay Estates: 59 of them.

... cherry trees at the Bates' house
Photo: Tonia Bates

Some homes with kitchens and front rooms full of light, one cabin with festive white lights outlining the cabin, a couple of places having bonfires in the evening, some in total darkness, one very small cottage with a wood pile larger than their whole place.

They must overwinter on their property.

We looked at the log cabins, at the new million dollar home, at the A frames, at a trailer whose carport is larger than the trailer. Greg’s bare feet were propped up on the deck of the boat where there are two seats in front of the driver.

Wyona was beside him, passing back treat to everyone. Art offered to let me drive a boat, since I told him that I had never done such a thing before.

I declined. I don’t have my licence yet. I do want to go get a fishing licence, because Michael, being a six year old Albertan, cannot fish in BC unless he is with an adult who does have a licence.

At home we circled slowly past our own homes, amazing to us since as teens or children, none of us ever dreamed of owning places like these.  We studied the beach.  And the docks that are ready to go out in the water.

... evening sunset from Arta's deck ...

In the end there was a promise of another boat trip tomorrow night.

Time? 6 pm.

 I can be ready.

Greg offered to tip the driver tonight.  The driver deserved it.

Arta