Story and photos by Susan Hintz
I didn’t always enjoy the slow life. Growing up, I liked speed. I preferred shushing down slopes versus gliding over snow. Crashing over waves rather than bobbing with them.
So, when my husband and I bought our cottage, it was only natural that a power boat would be our vessel of choice. We loved zipping around the lake, waterskiing and knee boarding. But there was one problem. There wasn’t room for the dogs.
A pontoon was in order! We found the perfect toon for them; yes, for them. It was a bare-boned (pun intended) model. No comfy furniture, a rubberized floor instead of carpeting, and a four-stroke motor that topped out at 9.9 mph. We equipped the toon with lawn chairs and storage tubs (which also serve as tables) for life jackets, koozies, and plates. Then we loaded up the dogs and away we went.
The dogs absolutely love it. They have room to roam, sticking their heads over or through the railing opening (depending on the dog) and welcoming the wind in their faces – ears airborne in the breeze. Gull sightings are a bonus and warrant a happy, energetic woof.
While there’s a storm of activity around us, embracing more power, we fifty- something peace seekers find contentment just puttering about. Enjoying the tunes on the Bluetooth speaker (country “Pontoon” song playing, of course), snacking and hydrating while rocking and rolling with the waves, and bringing into focus life and the wildlife around us.
I never thought we’d be “tooners,” but life at 9.9 is better than we expected.
Susan Hintz is a creative entrepreneur who loves beachcombing, photographing nature and writing about the outdoors.
