What was your first night experience on the boat?

[Maxum1800MX]

My first night ever sleeping on the boat

I’ve worked most of my life in IT and long hours are the norm. I love what I'm doing but taking a mental break was getting harder and harder. I was playing my guitar less often, I started walking my dog out to the nearest park, I was spending less & less time with my family and friends, I had no time for skiing or any other hobbies.

Then two weeks ago it just hit me – enjoy your life, you’re on limited supply. Your kids will grow up and move out, your wife will find somebody else to entertain her, your dog will die before you do, and your position will be fulfilled two weeks after you vacate it. So I took my boat out one warm evening and spent my first night ever on the boat. I've anchored the boat not too far from the shore. I've put the fishing rod out and watched my fish finder going nuts but nothing was biting. The fishes were not interested in my company. The gentle waves put me to sleep right after dark, like a baby in a cradle. Then at 3am I woke up from a nightmare - I've been dreaming that my boat was sinking! I've heard a loud noise which sounded like the boat hit the rocks. When I looked around with my flashlight, I was still in the same place. It was just the wind pushing larger waves, hitting the hull much stronger Relieved, I went back to sleep. I woke up at 5am with a beautiful sunrise, relaxed, rested, at ease, appreciative of the nature and everything life has to offer.

What was your first night experience on the boat?

[Phillbo]

My first night sleeping on a boat was too long ago to remember. Since I own a cruiser we stay on it every time we go out. I take great care when anchoring so i don't have to worry through the night. It takes a while to trust your anchoring abilities.

[DockSmasher]

Me and the girlfriend decided to head from our marina in Saint Clair Shores across Lake Saint Clair to Harsens Island and we left right about sundown. It was the first time I ever navigated after dark and the first night Ive slept on the boat away from the marina. When we took off, the lake was pretty calm....only a few traces of other boats navigation lights in the distance. I normally dont like country music...but as we took off.....The Highway Men was just the right sound for the moment. It was an absolutely amazing trip. I never knew the lakes shipping channels lit up and you could see the blinking lights travel across the whole lake. Surreal sight.

Once we got to the shipping channel, it was becoming pitch black. Honestly, I had alot of trouble seeing...and even with GPS....I was pretty nervous and it was getting more difficult by the minute. I began crawling just past idle speed to be safe. Lots of buoys and markers out there. I had to let the GF know....hey.....you need to be my second set of eyes out here. We finally arrived at the island and set anchor and began cracking some beers and enjoying one of the most gorgeous nights that I can remember on a boat.

Woke up the next morning and the wind was blowing pretty hard. I had kept waking up every hour leading up to the morning and looking to make sure our anchor was holding. It wasn't the best sleep Ive had....but laying there with the wind hammering the boat with waves was also so exhilarating, refreshing, and otherworldly. There is something about boating that you cannot ever put into words. Its just a different world. Its worth all the pain, the expenses, the issues, the repairs.....

[biggerseagar]

Along long time ago not the first and not on the boat but beach tent camping on the Illinois river, I got woke up to a large cat tractor plowing sand in front of our tent. Woke me up but not my at time 10 year old son. Where in the heck did this thing come from? We didn't see anything that evening that we boated down.I got out of the tent and saw a little ways down the river they had set up some dredging equipment where the run off was aimed for the beach, which why the tractor was there to spread the sand . The tractor stayed away from us for a couple hours. My son and I had our breakfast then packed up and headed home. Never a dull moment!

[Phillbo]

My go to place.... 40 miles up lake.

[Gugi47]

Originally Posted by Phillbo

My go to place.... 40 miles up lake.

That have to be Havasu Lake. Right? I was there once with boat. But we spend more time on the Goose Lake. Very nice place there.
Was a long drive from Van Nuys CA to the lakes. But worth it.

[Gugi47]

My first night out there was very bad. Many years ago. The Mosquitos got me and my wife very bad. She end up in the Hospital. We pick the wrong spot. I spend many night after that, but not my wife. She never spend another night on the Boat.

[Phillbo]

Originally Posted by Gugi47

That have to be Havasu Lake. Right? .

No, I am on Lake Powell. It would be worth the drive. MUCH nicer than Havasu.

[Gugi47]

Originally Posted by Phillbo

No, I am on Lake Powell. It would be worth the drive. MUCH nicer than Havasu.

You may think I'm a big BS-ter. But I was there for one day in the Utah side. Before that I spend 3 days in Zion park Utah. We do take the boat ride for 4 hours $120.00 and you right its very nice there. The lake is huge. More than 40 miles, but again that's in the Utah state.
West coast it's so much different than East coast. I do like it there. I don't spend to much time in Arizona. Only Grand Canyon, and Havasu. But I do know well Utah and I like it there. I may move there.

[Phillbo]

Originally Posted by Gugi47

The lake is huge. More than 40 miles, but again that's in the Utah state.

Powell is primarily in Utah. Only about 6 of the 180 miles of the lake are in Arizona. With all the canyons it has over 2000 miles of shore line.

I hope you took the tour to Rainbow Bridge :