Our Introduction to #BoatLife
Kirstin and I grew up in landlocked Missouri, so how exactly did we fall in love with the water?
After meeting at the University of Missouri, we got married, started our careers in St. Louis, and then relocated to the Chicagoland area on the shores of Lake Michigan. Into boating country.
Lake Michigan is a freshwater lake, but acts as a small sea deep in the heartland of the United States. At 118 miles wide and 307 miles long, crossing the Lake is akin to short off-shore passage making. In addition to the Lake, the Chicago river cuts a path through the steel jungle of downtown Chicago. The two combined are wonderful resources for commerce and leisure in Chicago.
Each day from late spring to early fall, thousands of people take to the water on powerboats and sailboats. They socialize in their marinas, enjoy causal drifts down the river, and drop anchor in the shadows of the Chicago Skyline. No matter the activity de jour, we desperately wanted to join in on the fun.
Over the years, friends allowed us into the boating-life club for hours at a time. An afternoon here, a birthday party there on the water. Each exposure increased our desire to purchase a boat of our own.
And then came 2020. COVID shut down most leisure activities, but Lake Michigan remained open. This was the final push we needed - it was time to buy a boat.
Enter Alpha Waves.
I spent countless hours researching all sorts of boats. I looked everywhere - Boat Trader, Yachtworld, local brokers, Craigslist. After searching far and wide, I found Alpha Waves on the Milwaukee Craigslist. I immediately called the owner and set up a sea trial.
After seeing the boat in person, I knew it was the perfect starter boat for us. She was mechanically sound, had low engine hours, but could still be improved with some TLC. Several phone calls later, and we finalized the deal. A couple of days later, the owner and I met halfway between Milwaukee and Chicago to sign the papers.
We had our first boat! Now it was time to move it from Milwaukee to Chicago. Since both sit on Lake Michigan, we decided to use the four-hour trip as our maiden voyage. We booked a slip in the historic Jackson Park harbor and we took Alpha Waves out every week for the rest of the 2020 season. We did interior remodeling over the 2020-2021 winter and enjoyed the entire 2021 boating season.
Alpha Waves served as the perfect platform for a couple of boating beginners. She is big enough to host many friends and forgiving enough to carry us through rough conditions.
Alpha Waves ignited our love of being on the water and inspired us to move forward with our plan to buy an ocean-capable sailboat.
Someday the time will come for us to pass Alpha Waves onto a new owner. She will be missed and always remembered as our perfect starter boat.
We are so excited to have you along with us for our crazy idea(s). If you like what you see, there are many ways you can show your support (many of which are FREE!).
Cameras:
Canon EOS R6
GoPro Hero 10
Insta360 OneX2
Music: Epidemic Sound
