Some Activities And Events In Minnesota Can Take Your Breath Away

Waterskipping

Outragous activities and events in Minnesota include waterskipping. Check it out.

Lake Vermilion Waterskipping - March 26, 2011

What is waterskipping? Simply put, driving your snowmobile over open water. Yes, they can, and they do.

This is one of the activities and events in Minnesota that draws huge crowds. I'm talking, maybe 600 people. This may not sound like a big number when you are talking events, but this particular one is not an organized function. It just happens. People just show up. You will never see any advertising. Just imagine that many people on the ice at one time. Including all the snowmobiles, four wheelers, trucks, even small planes. Quite a sight to see.

You are asking, what's the draw. The unexpected, I think. You never know what or who is going to be there. One year someone had built a ramp. They were attempting (and I stress the word attempting) to jump the machines into the water. Honestly, I did not see one succeed. Each one sunk. Quite entertaining. How about four grown men on one machine going across the water? Yes. They are nuts. (Hmmm....should I tell you this? One of them was my son). One guy showed up with a snowmobile encased inside a fishing boat. The snowmobile was running on water, but he wasn't going down if something went wrong. What a sight! Actually, I thought that was pretty clever. Another time, kids were floating on a chunk of ice while the machines were blasting by. In my mind, that was plain Stupid! Just looking for an accident. Whatever it is, their is never a dull moment.

Everyone. If you want to do it, go for it! As I said before, this is one of the activities and events in Minnesota that is unplanned. Just show up. And, yes, I have done it. I've been fortunate so far. I have not sunk my machine.(yet)

How safe is it? Well, that depends. Anytime you get that many people in one spot, their is bound to be an accident sooner or later. Admittedly, their is quite a bit of alcohol consumption also. Add fuel to the fire. As far as sinking the machines, in this particular spot, the water is shallow. Maybe knee high in the shallow part and waist high as it gets deeper. My concern is the number of machines that are running the water at once. Because of the speed and the controllability of the machines on water, I do worry about a serious collision happening one day. Conditions are not like that all the time though. You will get a lull where they take breaks. Thats the time to give it a shot if you dare. Or wait till later in the afternoon when things start to quiet down. Seriously, I beleive everyone that drives a snowmobile on a lake or river should at least do this once. Have the confidence that your machine will do it. It may save your life. I say this because, in a panic, is when people slam on the breaks and end up going down.

Now you want to know where and when these great activities and events in Minnesota take place. Waterskipping takes place on Lake Vermilion every spring, usually a good part of March, possibly into April, depending on ice conditions. It takes place in Portage Bay at the mouth of Trout River near the Trout Lake portage. If going by vehicle, you can access the lake at Moccasin Point. Just follow all the tracks.

Always remember to put safety first. When it comes to activities and events in Minnesota, this fits in the Outragous and Chuckoo Category of family fun.

Be Safe and Have Fun.

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