Maiden Voyage!

There’s something about spending an afternoon on the water that feels like a reset button for the mind. The sound of the waves lapping against the boat, the wind ruffling the water’s surface, and the occasional fish leaping into the air—it’s a kind of quiet, natural therapy. 

This past Sunday, my girlfriend and I decided to break in our new Seamax inflatable boat on Beaver Mines Lake, and despite a few hiccups, it turned out to be a day worth remembering. It was a bit after noon when we headed out, full of excitement and snacks, and made the short trip from the Crowsnest Pass to Beaver Mines Lake. The lake wasn’t too busy that afternoon, which made it the perfect spot for our maiden voyage. 

Setting up the Seamax was surprisingly straightforward. I’d been worried about how time-consuming it might be to inflate and assemble the boat, but the process was seamless for the most part. The floor pieces, however, gave me a bit of grief. They didn’t seem to want to cooperate when I was piecing them together, but after a bit of manoeuvring and a few frustrated sighs, we were good to go. Inflating the boat itself and loading all our gear was smooth sailing, so to speak. 

We took off from the shore powered by the electric motor, ready to explore the lake. My girlfriend and I spent the first hour cruising along, enjoying the view and the calm of the water. The boat handled well, but when the wind picked up, things got a little tricky. The waves were small but enough to make navigation challenging. 

Fishing was also part of the plan. I’d brought along two rods, hoping to reel in something to remember the day by. Unfortunately, luck wasn’t on our side. To add insult to injury, one of the rod tips broke almost immediately, and the other one, well, it refused to piece together properly. 

Not an ideal start for an afternoon of fishing! Still, we gave it our best shot as the one rod with the broken tip was still usable. My girlfriend got a bite early on, and I had a few fish teasing me by following my hook, but none of them took the bait. It was a little disappointing but sitting out there in the middle of the lake with the sun shining on us and the water gently rocking the boat, we couldn’t really complain. 

We dropped anchor for a while, just taking it all in. There’s something peaceful about being out on the water with nowhere to go and no rush to be anywhere. It’s rare these days to be able to sit in silence, uninterrupted by anything but the sounds of nature around you. I think we both appreciated that time, even if the fish didn’t cooperate. 

After a few hours, with the wind getting a bit stronger and no fish in sight, we decided to pack it in. The beauty of the Seamax is how easy it is to pack up. The folding wheels made launching the boat and pulling it back out of the water a breeze. In no time, we had everything deflated and loaded back into the car. I have to admit, the process was far easier than I had anticipated, and that was a relief after a long day. 

There’s something special about being out on the water, and I can’t wait to do it again before the weather turns. With a bit more practice, I’m sure navigating through the waves will get easier, and hopefully, next time, the fish will be a little more willing to bite. 

In the end, it wasn’t about catching anything or having everything go perfectly. It was about getting outside, trying something new and spending time together. That, in itself, made the day worthwhile.