Before recently, the extent of my skiing had been once a year for a few years when friends invited my mom and me up to their cabin on Otsego Lake in New York. It was there that I learned to get up on two skis, but that was it. I don’t even think I tried crossing the wake.

Then in the early 90s I went to a family camp session at a summer camp for a week. They were heavy into waterskiing. By the end of the week, they had me dropping a ski pretty confidently on a combo ski. But again, I don’t even think I crossed the wake.

It was there that I tried getting up on one ski but never got the hang of it. I think I got up once in about 10 tries, but didn’t know how I had done it.

After that week, I didn’t ski again until almost two decades later, and I had to learn everything all over again. But I started skiing once a week just during July and August, again on two skis and then eventually dropping a ski.

Just two weeks ago, I decided I was going to learn the deep water start, darn it. I had my first-ever upcoming ski lesson and I wanted to be able to get up. I also reasoned that since so many people do it, it just can’t be that hard.

So one Saturday, I got together with two friends of mine who are experts, and another friend who is more of an intermediate skier. I got instructions from my expert friends which was to get in the position of being tucked up, but being forward like I’m touching my toes.

I tried my best to do what they were saying, but all it resulted in was me doing a face plant as soon as the boat started. Over and over and over again. I must have done 15 that day.

The next weekend we tried again. This time I listened to what my intermediate friend said, which was to do the opposite: have my butt down and my feet high. That piece of advice did the trick. In five tries, I got up three times.

Whoo Hoo Peru!!! Finally!!!!

The last time in that set was the best, and it was captured on video. It felt like it took twice as long as it actually did:




I met with my friends one more time, and this time I used a slalom ski instead of a combo ski. After missing quite a few times, I finally got the hang of the different ski and was able to get up three times in a row, missed once, got up, missed three times, and got up twice.

Then when I had my ski lesson just a few days ago, I was able to get up every time.

Yippee!!

I was so excited that I had to start this blog and document what I learned. I hope you find it helpful if you’re struggling with a deep water start like I was.