The First Boating Expedition

A few weeks ago Dad joined a boat club and today we reaped the fruit of Dad's captaining lessons. We took out a boat ("It has everything, including the kitchen sink" ~Henry) and drove (Piloted? Steered? Motored?) around in the waters between Yas Island and Raha Beach in front of our apartment. It's awesome because when you're out on the water, soaked with sea water, with the breeze whipping around you, you can't feel the heat hardly at all.

Here's the selfie Mom took with us, probably right before we started tubing.

Here are Ben and Greta dabbing during their second try on the tube. They were the guinea pigs while we figured out how to use the tube. It was basically a disaster the first time around. Funny for those in the boat, but scary for those on the tube.
Anyone who has been on a tube that's pulled behind a boat quickly learns three things:
#3: Be aware where the other person on the tube is, and make sure not to smash into them.
#2: Hold on tight.  You're basically at the mercy of two things when you're tubing; the captain and the wake of the boat.
#1: Keep all the weight at the back of the tube, or it will nosedive itself and all its passengers down into the water as soon as the boat starts pulling you. Unfortunately for our guinea pigs, they learned that the hard way, and got a faceful of seawater.

Time for a mini lesson on the danger zones of tubing:
See how the white, foamy water in the wake of the boat forms a sort of "Y"? Outside of the Y is the "Hiccup Danger Zone". Here is where you have the best ride. It's where all the bumps and spray and breath-taking turns are. Not to mention, speed. The captain has to gun the engine to force you out of the Y and keeps it there to try and buck you off the tube. On top of the Y is the "All or Nothin' Danger Zone.". Here, you'll find the fine line between the light and dark sides of tubing. Sure, it feels glorious to ride the wave, but keep in mind that if the captain turns the wrong way, it's the Hiccup Danger Zone for you, buddy. Inside the Y is the "Tourist Danger Zone". This is the spot you'll be in when you start the ride. This spot is kinda boring, in my opinion. Yes, you'll feel the wind in your face and you can watch the skyline without having to squint to avoid getting salty water in your eyes and white-knuckling your grip on the tube handles, but you won't get any of the action, and you are particularly vulnerable to the captain's ever-present jokester spirit.

Occasionally we'd stop the boat and clamber into the water to swim and climb all over the tube.

Captain Kautz (left) gave us kids lessons on how to pilot the boat, and since we didn't capsize, I think we did pretty well.

All in all, for our first time all together on a boat learning how to tube and drive (Pilot? Steer? Captain?) a boat, we came out with no injuries, despite some epic flops off the tube, and I think it's safe to say that we all had a whole lot of fun.