Talking with my friend Jason today, who is an avid water skier, we recalled days of skiing on Lake Austin. This "Lake" is really the Colorado River between the Mansfield Dam (north) and the Tom Miller Dam (south). As a dammed river the lake level is constant. Jason recalled (correctly) of the cold water, particularly at the north end.
Dad purchased a boat in 1984 from some friend of his (Roger?). My Uncle Vernon had a boat before his divorce from my aunt Sharon so that was my first introduction to Lake Austin. On that first day on the water, around 1976 or so, we stopped at this local burger/beer stand on the west side of the lake. Jason recalled it too. The name has now come to me: Ski Shores. There were also other places on the lake, the Lakeside Club and the County Line. You could pull your boat up and dock there.
The best skiing was of course on Monday and Tuesdays when no one was out there. Since the boat was already in the water at Boat Town, it was as simple as going to get a car out. Weekends would be crowded - we'd stay away then.
The fun lasted for the summers of 84 and 85. The boat went away after then. It was an excellent boat - Ski Nautique which was the prized ski boat of that day and location, the Ford Mustang of the water. It even had a Ford V8 engine.
I learned to ski when I was at Camp La Junta in the 70s but I got better having our own boat. Many good memories.. Even when I fell and the ski cut my head, and I got 9 stitches in my forehead. Perhaps that's when and why Dad sold the boat.
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