Five Cool Ways to Enjoy Your Boat this Summer

We all get into ruts with our boating lifestyles - visiting the same areas, beaching at our favorite spot, bringing the same refreshments and food. If you are looking for a changeup, consider these five ideas for spicing up your boating life.
Create a Dock and Dine Day
With a few boating friends, plan a day of boating to each other’s waterfront homes as a group and enjoy pre-prepared food and refreshments throughout the day. An early breakfast stop at 9 a.m. at the first home, a leisurely cruise for lunch at the next stop, some appetizers and cocktails at another, and so on until you run out of friends with houses on the water.
Of course the prerequisite house on the water may preclude executing this plan. However, a variation may work. Have pre-prepared meals on your boats and each boat chooses a destination to enjoy the various meals and libations. Make the presentation part of the fun with grills, tables, tableware, decorations or themes. The idea is to have fun dining on the water with family and friends.
Attend an Event
Many events occur on an urban waterfront or at waterside parks. Concerts, fairs, art shows, sporting events and festivals are all great fun and getting there by boat makes it even more special. Pick an event and check with the nearest marina for the availability of transient dockage and transportation. Uber or a local taxi can be accessed if the venue is too far to walk to. Spend the night on the boat or at a local hotel, bed and breakfast, inn or get a room with Air B&B. Make it an adventure!
Create a Themed Raft-Up
Bring people together this summer with a themed raft-up at a favorite gunk hole. Have music, activities, food and drinks that reflect the theme. Fun themes can include Dog Days Raft-Up, Another Day in Paradise Raft-Up, Pirates of the Caribbean Raft-Up, or Jamaican Junkanoo Raft-up. Just be creative and have fun.
Take a Long, Multi-Day Cruise
Taking a trip on your boat is always a great way to change your pace-of-life. Voyaging on a boat, whether large or small, takes planning, and it is the planning that makes the trip all the more fun. Aligning where to stay and what to do along the way can all be done online and it builds the anticipation and excitement before departure. After embarking on your adventure, keep flexible - the road less traveled may prove to lead to unplanned, pleasant experiences.     
Nature Watch
Bodies of water are constantly changing, whether by tidal action, currents, seasons or global warming, and the wildlife on and around the rivers, lakes and oceans is as well. Keep a log of what you see. Record the flora and fauna you see on your travels. Denote the species, the date, time of day, tide, weather and water conditions. Write your impressions and observations. You may not be a famous botanist but you can play one on your boat. Studying the nature around you can help you enjoy your boating environment which is on the move, for the better or worse.