School is starting back up, the days are getting a little colder, and soon they’re going to start getting shorter. Summer is officially coming to an end, which for us seasonal boaters means storing our watercraft until next year. Just because your boat is in storage for the season doesn’t mean that your outdoor fun needs to stop completely. There are so many fun things you can still do on the water’s edge that can extend your season just a little longer and help you make use of your dock even as the season comes to an end.
BBQ on the Dock
When the weather is still good enough to be outside but too cold for going out on the water, you can stay by the water’s edge and eat outdoors. Fire up the grill and make lunch or dinner by the water—maybe even on your dock if you have a dockside grill that can attach directly to your dock. If you’re a fisher, you can even grill your catch directly on your dock this way!
Wine Tasting on the Dock
Imbibing responsibly is a great way to spend a summer by the water, and as the weather cools down, you can have wine tastings. Bring a selection of cheeses, nuts, and other nibbles from your lake house down to the dock, keep buckets of ice nearby for anything that needs to be kept cold, and enjoy exploring new flavors.
Backyard Bonfire
The shoreline is the perfect place to have a bonfire, and there’s no better way to spend a late summer or fall evening than sitting around a bonfire getting warm. It’s even possible to bring the bonfire from the beach onto your dock with a dockside fire pit. You can make s’mores or other food over the fire because food just tastes better cooked over a fire. You can tell stories, maybe even scary ones, once the kids go to bed as the chill of fall fits the mood. You can snuggle up with a drink and someone special and talk late into the night.
View a Sunrise or Sunset
Watching the sunrise or set over the water is breathtaking, and you’ll only have a limited amount of time to do it before it gets really cold. Gather up some fluffy blankets, set the alarm, and prepare your coffee the night before if you’re going out in the morning, and pull up some dock seating for a quiet, romantic, and peaceful time. Just this once, you can leave your phone behind—pictures probably won’t do the moment any justice.
Take a Family Photo
As fall approaches, the days start going by faster, which makes it even more important to capture those good memories. Choose a day with nice, somewhat overcast weather to take great pictures on your boat dock to remember the end of another great summer—or make the photo into a holiday card if you wanted to check that off of your list before that busy season.
Your dock is a place to store your boat, but with a bit of planning, it can also be an outdoor entertainment hub and part of your living space. With the right accessories and a little creativity, you can enjoy your dock even as summer winds to a close.
For more information:
ShoreMaster, LLC
1025 International Drive
Fergus Falls, MN 56537
800.328.8945
www.shoremaster.com
