The two best days of a boater’s life: the day you buy the boat and the day you sell it

I have been mulling buying a canoe for the past year or so. I am lucky to live within walking distance of a lake. Newton’s Crystal Lake is actually more of a pond and just a little more than a mile in circumference.  I find sanctuary in my daily stroll around the lake. A little paddling would be another way to enjoy my happy place.

The coronavirus lockdown convinced me that the time to buy a canoe was now. Having a canoe would be a great way to get out of the house while maintaining social distance.

Another plus?  A canoe in the garage might just entice my adult children to visit home more often

Where did I find my dream boat? Charles River Canoe and Kayak  is Boston’s largest paddle sports outfitter. They sell used canoes and kayaks from their retail store in Waltham.  It was a totally safe shopping transaction- we wore our masks as we checked the boat yard and called in our credit card number to pay.

Ultimately we bought a well-used (lots of scratches and dings) Penobscot 174 by Maine- based Old Town Canoe – so very New England ! To date, we’ve taken her out twice. The biggest challenge hasn’t been learning the J-stroke, but figuring out how to use the trolley to cart the canoe from our house to the water’s edge.

On the water, we have plenty of company. On any sunny day this summer there’s a flotilla of paddle boards, kayaks and canoes on Crystal Lake. Perhaps others too, looking for calm in the midst of the Covid-19 storm.