Sept 21,2021 The last day of summer

Summer ended with the same warm glory it began with. It was official summer closed out with a mild day on the water. It has been the warmest summer I remember in all my years on the third rock from the sun. 

It was also one of the craziest.

June was full of promise. we had two Biltmore boats for Luxury Lake Tours and the calls were coming in fast and furious. The summer was shaping up to be the busiest ever, with two boats and three captains. The weather was warm and covid seemed like it would soon be a bad memory.

Then the rails came off. 

Serendipity, our original tour boat died on the water. With only days before the season the shop said they couldn’t fix it. I called the other dealer in Kelowna and they said two months… so what to do but take the boat to the dealer that claimed they would fix it in two weeks. Why I believed any boat dealers this summer will remain a very expensive mystery for me. It would be mid-August before the boat would be back on the water. In the end, the choice was made to replace the engine. Only days later I would find out the original motor was fine. By then I had bought the new motor, so it was time to spend more money than I ever planned. This was after I bought a pontoon boat to make up for the demand… First-world problems.

By the time we got Serendipity back in the water, things had gone downhill for our beautiful piece of paradise that is the Okanagan Valley. Wildfires raged and the valley filled with smoke. Covid fires raged as well and the hospitals filled with the unvaccinated.

Some people fled the oncoming flames and others stood their ground. Unfortunately, many people have decided to stand their ground and fight the flames of covid and not get the vaccine. While I do understand why people are hesitant I wish there was a way they could have faith in the system. Fear and distrust have taken over much of our world. 

I am one of the lucky ones. 

In the last few weeks, the leaves have begun to change colour and the fires that raged in the mountains have been beaten back. I hope the covid fires can be defeated soon as well. 

I had a lake tour on the final days of summer and I launched the boat in West Kelowna excited by the warm sunshine. The wind had died and I backed my truck deep into the boat launch. I had to tie the boat to the dock to get it off the trailer. One of my guests came and helped out and introduced himself to me. He was the brother of Jennay the owner of the local fruit stand. Someone I have known for Fifteen years. Then to my surprise stepped up the young businesswoman. She was coming on the tour as well. 

Jennay has done an amazing job in the last fifteen years as the owner of Paynter Market. It has grown and is now very popular. I have loved walking down to the market for ice cream and produce… especially ice cream.

What a great way to finish off summer. I got to take a wonderful family on the lake to celebrate the recent wedding of Geoff and Stephanie. The lake calmed to glass and by the end of the two-hour tour, the sun-warmed everyone inside and out. It was a very cool connection on a wonderful day. It’s moments like that I get to cherish and take a piece of my guests’ pleasure with me. 

Congratulations to Geoff and Stephanie.

Congratulations to my neighbours and friends. Sometimes moments can come along and we are gifted another great connection. A time to forget all the division and fear and just unite in the glow of love.