What a great idea for a thread.
Lets see, I think my favorite lake memory was my first swimming lesson at Gilford Beach when I was 5 or 6. Which, by the way, I still think is a great beach- Sanders Bay is so pretty.
Anyway, this was our first summer with the house, so it must have been 1971 or so. And this would have been the first day of the first session of swimming lessons, so it must have been the first week in July. I assume I was in the beginner class. For whatever the reason (a cold spring, or my first time in the lake) I was absolutely freezing. We were doing this exercise that involved standing in waist deep water, bending at the waist so that our faces were under water, and blowing bubbles. I think it was to teach us to get used to putting our faces under water.
I was so cold that I knew I had to get out of the water right away, but I didn't want the other kids to see me leave. The next time all the kids had their heads under water, I ran on to shore as fast as I could. It couldn't have been more than 15 or 20 feet, but it seemed like a lot further to shore at the time.
My dad was sitting in a beach chair in the sand, watching us. (He must have had the week off, since my mother was the one who I always remember taking us to swimming lessons.) I thought that he was going to be upset that I had left the lesson, but he just wrapped a towel around me and told me that it was ok, and that I didn't have to go back in the water if I didn't want to. I still remember thinking, at that moment, what a great dad my dad was because he didn't get mad or anything.
He must have felt badly for me, as I probably looked like all little kids do when they have been in the water too long- blue lips, shivering, and goosebumps.
The funny part is that 30 seconds after I ran out of the water, the lesson was over. If I had only known!
I also remember taking scuba lessons in 1980. (I had gotten used to the cold water by now
) I saved up all winter for the course. The lessons were taught at Lakes Region Divers(I think that was the name). The shop was on Paugus Bay, right across from Pickerel Cove if my memory serves me correctly.
Rob