Kae waters skis at Lake Tahoe in late September. (Image: Donna Rockwood)

Water skiing was our family sport.

For my sister, Pam, it’s still something she does regularly. For me, it’s rather sporadic.

My parents were introduced to boating and water skiing when they lived in North Dakota in the early 1960s pre-me.

“That hooked your dad,” mom told me. “We got the first boat in 1964 when he drove up with it.”

Kae on the family boat in 1969 before learning to ski.

They had moved in next door to the Hills, who had a boat and were a family of skiers. This was in Concord–the first time and still pre-me. Other people on the street had boats, too. Apparently, it seemed logical to my dad that his family would have one, too, even if he didn’t bother running the idea by my mom.

Moving to Wellesley, Mass., is where we met the Grangers. They are the ones who taught us how to beach start. Well, they taught mom and my sisters. I hadn’t learned to ski just yet. Dad always started in the water.

We often went up to Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire with the boat when we lived in Massachusetts.

Kae getting up for the first time on two skis at age 6.

After learning to beach start, that was what I did for years. There was the one time we took the boat to Lake Tahoe and we started in the water. And to think we skied without wet suits. Brrrrr.

Beach starting is where you lift your leg with the slalom ski so it is floating, so to speak, on the water. The water is about mid-calf on the leg you are standing on. The rope is coiled next to you, gently going out as the boat driver (usually dad) slowly starts driving until the skier says, “Hit it” and then it’s like full throttle, and off you go skiing.

On the back of a picture of me on two skies from summer 1972 when I was 6, says “first time to get up.” This is at Lake Cumberland in Kentucky where we were on vacation. In the water is my oldest sister, Jann, who was there to make sure I had my arms straight, legs bent and let the boat drag me before I said, “Hit it.”

I remember wanting to try a single ski. Mom said not until I comfortably went back and forth across the wake on both sides with two skis. Mission accomplished that same day. I don’t remember how old I was or how well (or poorly) I did.

“I don’t know how we could have had a better recreation activity because you could bring friends, and we met other families who did the same thing,” mom said of the boat and water skiing.

Kae, 9, slalom skis on the Delta.

What I remember most is skiing on the Delta in the Bay Area. We seemed to go every Sunday in the summer when I was growing up. We would find a beach to spend the day at, barbecue burgers or hot dogs, swim, ski and have a great time.

Eventually, the boat was sold because my parents were no longer using it. I vaguely remember this being when I was in college.

Since then, I’ve skied a few times with my sister, who has her own boat. Most recently I skied at Lake Tahoe on my birthday week in late September. It had been five years since the last time Becky pulled me.

What a fun day with her and Donna on the lake, with each of us skiing. I was just happy to get up the first try. As Becky reminded me, arms out straight, knees bent and let the boat do the rest.