This Summer, I simply approached the wet ramp.

I’m part fish. It’s ironic that I studied ‘limnology’ in Kansas, where there are … last count … ZERO natural ponds or lakes or reservoirs that aren’t created by humans. Yet, this water scene at one of MY lakes (Shawnee Mission Park) doesn’t present thoughtful barriers to my memories of loving the water.

Just here, at this relatively unchanged dock and boat ramp, I fished with hook and line. I fished by sitting patiently in the water and grasping the sunfishes that chanced to swim into my reach. I canoed in competitions with my best friend of young childhood (we were good … we won a junior competition here, in junior high, and that same day placed third among adult competitors). In Scouts, this was the home dock for learning to sail Hobie 10 dinghy sailboats — a craft you can hardly even find any reference to in today’s voluminous internet access. Yes, we may have turned our lessons into ‘bumper boats’ for a little more challenging fun.

Further down the shoreline, a favorite marina is larger, these days, but fitted with rental boats and docks much the same way as remembered from decades ago.

A smaller pond within the park holds its own memories from back in the day. This was a great alternate fishing site for many days. And even though I remember one specific day of playing viola in an orchestra performance here (4th grade … the “Super Bows” orchestra ranging from grade school to high school), I also remember my introduction to ‘hippies’ I’d only heard about in the early 1970s news. They enjoyed their community day in the park so much, with our orchestral music and all, clothing was swiftly cast off as they enjoyed a session of ‘skinny dipping.’

As I say, I find a necessity to being around open water. Flowing or impounded doesn’t make a difference. I’ve nearly drowned in ocean riptides. I’ve sampled fish populations for research, and even flown telemetry for updates on released river otters. Yet, amazingly, I still find sooooo much value to sharing water experiences with my wife and family.

Recently, we’ve shown you pics from beautiful waterfalls. We have also kayaked and canoed, and even SUP’d on lazy streams and lakes. Water vistas and activities are a part of our shared love of basic, simple and peaceful. There is always a draw to our hearts, bringing us back to the shorelines, coastlines and even rocky shoals or muddy flats.

Oh, and our once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to enjoy an Alaskan cruise this Summer. That’s water at a different scale than our canoes and kayaks. Yet, hey! The part fish in me, and our shared love of waterscapes, received a big splash of fun on Celebrity Millennium, and also in Talkeetna National Park. Well, we’re preparing and curating some of the many pics to share this Fall.