Just got back from the best water ski trip all year!

[Meep-Meep]

Clear Lake CA - the largest natural lake in the state - and contrary to the name it's not that clear. This is in Nice, which is along the north east shore and as you can see the scenery was just gorgeous. The water was a water skier's dream and stayed like that all day. No real wind and I think I only saw a total of five boats and that was at the Ceago winery boat dock. Otherwise we saw at most two boats on the water at any given time.

Clear Lake, being just north of Napa County, is pretty much in the heart of wine country. In fact, by 1900 Lake County was producing award winning wines but prohibition forced the destruction of the vineyards. All the while Napa County did much better during prohibition because better transportation made it possible to sell grapes to home winemakers. Lake County's re-emergence in the wine industry began in the 1960s and has been coming back even stronger lately with about 8800 acres of vineyards to date and more planned. So it makes sense to have a boat in winery if your winery is in CA and on the shore of a lake. We decided to test it out by pulling the old 76 Tahiti Tiger up to the dock for a trip to the tasting room.

The only problem I had all weekend was sucking up grass into the pump, which required a tow back to shore. Oh, and I should mention that when you suck up grass or seaweed into your Berkeley pump it will be at the furthest distance from the launch ramp (Murphy's Law) but thanks to some aware and very courteous boaters we were towed back in.

Here are a few scenery pics and yours truly on a 68" Kidder.

 

[NJRR]

Awesome !!! I'm jealous !!!! Nice pix !!!!

 

[kiwigtx]

Cool pics and it does look very inviting

 

[Budnicks]

Looks like allot of fun meeps, wow you almost had the lake to yourself, I haven't been to Clear Lake for years now, thanks for sharing...

 

[milit73]

Cool!!! I learned to water ski when I was five. My grandparents ran a little motel there so I spent many summers there. I have not been back in many years but I will be getting a fishing boat soon and will try it out there.

 

[Richard Cranium]

You're a brave man to ski behind a jet boat.

 

[tallhair]

Looks like a good time and I'm happy for you brother

 

[plowman]

Looks like a fun place to go. I go to Tenn. every year to Dale Hollow. Talke about a clean lake and deep. It is 40 miles long.

 

[Meep-Meep]

You're a brave man to ski behind a jet boat.

Ski purists don't want anything to do with them, but it works for me. Also being on the wet end of the rope and thankful I haven't installed a place diverter (jetovator) for a smart *** driver to fool with is somewhat comforting.

 

[747mopar]

That does look fun, absolutely beautiful looking place. I never even got my boat out "sick of working on it". It's only a 120hp ski boat "I nearly drown if trying to come out on one ski with only 120hp". One of these days I'd like to get a pontoon boat and put a 318 on it, grill, diving board, slide etc that would be great. Glad you had a good time.

 

[plowman]

That does look fun, absolutely beautiful looking place. I never even got my boat out "sick of working on it". It's only a 120hp ski boat "I nearly drown if trying to come out on one ski with only 120hp". One of these days I'd like to get a pontoon boat and put a 318 on it, grill, diving board, slide etc that would be great. Glad you had a good time.

I see you are from Ohio. I lived in Ohio when I was 13 till late 30's around the Col. Area. Your best bet to for what you want is Dale Hollow. I rent a chalet for the family and a double deck pontoon with a sliding board and a grill. I take a jet ski and the four winns and the pontoon is home base.

 

[747mopar]

Sweet, looks fun. We live about 10 minutes from Salt Fork lake so we would like to own one, we went to the lake every weekend for awhile but got burnt out on fixing the boat. It's a 1970 17' Sea Ray that's in really good shape but years of lake water is finally taking it's toll on the cooling system.