The Wonder of Family Fishing and Boating

What makes boating and family fishing so special? What is it that draws us to boating? I concluded that I should tell a story in our journey of discovery to answer these questions on boating. In my search I uncovered a paper put out by the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation (RBFF) that clearly with emotion articulates that special allure. So join me on this journey of discovery, fun and excitement as we explore the wonders of water.

It is about relationships, family, and friends…

Boating and fishing together is an excellent way at building family ties. Families are bound together through common activities; church, regular family meals, vacations, cook-outs, and family outings. The RBFF, suggests that boating and fishing are wonderful ways to build and keep families together. All we have to do is ask someone in the family to tell us a fishing story and we will not only hear a fantastic story that may border on the edge of a giant fish tale but it will also involve someone in the family that took them fishing.

What happens when you fish and boat together?

In our world of hustle and bustle, we yearn for opportunities and ways to establish, regain and perpetuate family customs. The experience itself, boating and fishing, is not the end goal. It is rather the things that happen when you are on the water that become the lasting memories and stories. Boating and fishing are the platforms to deepen family ties, share special moments with the grandson or granddaughter. RBFF’s paper states, “The potential that fishing and boating offer for building stories is unmatched. The telling and retelling of these stories become part of the family tradition, which over time becomes family history, and even legend.” Each of us remembers that story of dad wrestling the fish into the boat or grandpa taking the boat out with the pastor of the island church and then having to bail water with their shoes to keep the boat afloat. We seek to reconnect with these times and regain that feeling. The stories remind us of simpler times, “the good-ole days”. The stories make us feel safe and secure in our connections with each other and the past in the face of today’s realities in a world of terror, economic instability and sudden loss.

Who goes boating and fishing?

Fishing and boating offer intergenerational and non-gender-based windows of opportunity in our hurried world to have fun. Two weekends ago, I took a boat out from with four generations on board, great grandpa down to my daughter. We boated out to Keewaydin Island where we had a boat side picnic, swam in the crystal blue water, took lazy afternoon naps and collected shells for the latest craft project. I won’t mention the female dolphin with the pink belly that jumped out of the water for us as if on cue nor the sea turtle that swam up to the boat to further inspect this “strange white noisy animal”. At the end of the day we visited a dockside restaurant as is our tradition after spending a day of fun on the water. Everyone had something to do and considered the day a success. More importantly, barriers were dropped, strained relationships were mended, a common experience was established and a true bonding type of communication happened in ways that can not be duplicated in any other setting. Combine this with the fact that a boat is only so big, the experience is guaranteed to foster communication.

Where fishing and boating happens…

Boating happens just AWAY from everyday routines. AWAY from stress. AWAY from home. It takes place in new places, adventure-filled places and often in places where family stories have been built before. How many stories have been told about experiences on Keewaydin Island? Stop and think for a moment. Yes…you remember now. Captain Gary Hornsby, who has lived and boated on Marco Island since 1965 tells a story of a fisherman wrestling a tarpon for six hours from the Snook Inn all the way under the bridge even at one point jumping out of the boat and climbing back in to keep the fish on the line only in the end for the brand new, very expensive fishing rod to snap. RBFF’s article states that being together, AWAY, is an important part of building and sustaining a healthy family life.

Did someone say apple pie?

Stop the train….did you know that fishing is a shared experience for over 80 percent of Americans? It is part of our national tradition in songs “Down by the Ole Fishing Hole," books (Huckleberry Fin on the great Mississippi?) and history (Lewis & Clark for the most part traversed our great country in boats starting in Pittsburgh, PA all the way to Washington). Fishing and boating is something we understand as an important part of defining who we are. The words “Family” and “Fishing” are as joined together in America as “Apple” and “Pie”. So next time if someone asks you if you are a patriot of our great country, you can reply with the words, “Yes I am. My family and I go fishing and boating regularly.”

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