Cover Story: Five boating activities for your summer schedule

Which of these five best summer boating activities is your favorite? Of course, it is perfectly acceptable to have more than one.

• Dock and dine. Make a day centered around food with a leisure cruise at mid-day for lunch, some appetizers and cocktails late afternoon, and so on, until you run out of docks to visit.

• Raft-up, with a theme. Everyone loves a themed gathering. Invite friends for a raft-up at your favorite dock or anchorage. Have music, food, beverages, activities and games that reflect your theme. Some suggestions are Pirates of the Caribbean, Dog Days of Summer, or Hawaiian Lua.

• Sunrise or sunset cruises. Whether taking place morning or night, mother nature never fails to put on a show. Sunset boating in particular is a great way to celebrate many occasions in life, or to simply ring in the weekend.

• Boat camping. Much like regular tent camping, a night (or three) on your boat under the stars can be refreshing. This is especially true when you dock your boat away from shore and city lights. When the sun sets and the stars come out, it is easy to identify constellations, or watch for planets and shooting stars. Full moon nights are certainly a treat, too.

• Watersports galore. What is more exhilarating than enjoying the myriad of watersports from the comfort of your boat? From stand-up paddleboarding to wakeboarding and water skiing, a refreshing plunge into the water is one of the best things you can do from your boat. Just be sure to stay safe with the right personal floatation device, sound equipment, sunscreen and common sense.

Take the channel less traveled this season while it is still here. See a full list of fun and unique summer boating activities from our friends at beneteau.com.

On the Radar: Upcoming events

What follows are coming seasonal events, some open to the public and others pertaining to our slipholders only:

Kent County 4-H Fair – Thursday, July 19–Saturday, July 22. Visit this year's fair at the Kent Ag Center in Tolchester for great food, live entertainment, rides for kids, livestock shows, auctions, competitions and more. Learn all about it at kentcountyfair.org (Pictured above, from Kent Ag Center).

Pirates & Wenches Fantasy Weekend – Friday, Aug. 11–Sunday, Aug. 13. Presented by Main Street Rock Hall. Schedule of events, performers and activities are available at rockhallpirates.com.

Haven Harbour South's Ark & Dove Restaurant will be hosting the Pirates & Wenches' annual Rum Tasting on Aug. 11. Get your tickets now, or at weekly Trivia Night to avoid the online registration fee.

Annual Slipholder Appreciation Party and Crab Feast – Saturday, Sept. 16. Haven Harbour Marina and Haven Harbour South slipholders will be sent private email notifications with detailed event information in the coming weeks.

Staff News: Erik Lostrom in search of kidney donor

Haven Harbour Marina Technical Lead Erik Lostrom is in search of a kidney donor. By sharing his story, we hope to help increase the number of people who may consider donating.

If you or someone you know may be of interest, you can support Erik and other patients in need of a transplant by being screened to become a kidney donor with the National Kidney Registry. The process is easy to complete and potential donors have access to NKR’s donor support network. Read Erik's story.