Summer misery and happy holiday memories lead to ‘sink or swim’ decision - Nicky Rennie

Nicky Rennie remembers the summer she learned to water ski on Lake Taupō. Photo / 123rf

OPINION

If there was an award this summer for the person who did the least, I would have won it hands down.

I spent more than six weeks house-sitting not one, but two, houses and looking after animals and making sure everything in both houses was looked after - watering plants, feeding the animals and everything else that house-sitting entails.

I’m not sure that I’d look after two houses at the same time again. I didn’t know whether I was Arthur or Martha and forgot where I’d left half my things. Which house were my knickers in? Beyond me.

Anyway, my point is that I didn’t go out once or see any friends and spent 100 per cent of my time completely on my own. I lived vicariously through other people’s holidays on Facebook. Families hiking, biking, partying, barbecuing and, most especially, partaking in water sports. In particular, water skiing.

It reminded me of a great holiday I had the summer I learned to water ski. I had just finished Year 11 (fifth form to people of a certain age). I was lucky enough to be staying with a girlfriend’s family at their bach in Omori. My dad gave me my School Certificate results in a phone booth (just scraped in) and then we were off to water ski.

I was a particular fan of my togs at the time. They were apricot with black polka dots and, man, I thought I was just a bit flash.

Into the water I went, with instructions from my friend’s dad, who was spotting from the back of the boat.

It started off really well and I thought I was going great guns until I wasn’t. I got a bit ahead of myself and thought I’d have a go at “jumping the wake”. Epic fail but, not to be deterred, the boat circled around, picked me up and away I went again, up first time and full of just a bit more confidence. You know what they say, though - pride comes before a fall.

There were about three others on the boat and they were all gesturing and pointing at me and I thought I was on the way to becoming some sort of national champion. I was thinking “these people think I’m pretty damn good at this” but then I looked down. What had happened when I went down was that my togs fell down to around my waist, so I was happily skiing along half-naked with no idea.

I think I dropped that rope in about 0.1 seconds and sank with shame into Lake Taupō and hoped it would swallow me. Obviously, I replaced my polka dot tog straps but found it a little more difficult to replace my pride. I haven’t water skied since - and if I ever do, I’ll probably do it in a suit of armour.

My point (and I do have one) is that I will never spend another Christmas break like the one I just had. Completely isolated. A terrible place to be for a person like me who loves people. I drank far too much and, as a result, (with support) have kicked it to touch. It’s not a resolution, it’s a necessary choice. Not easy to do but I feel more shame about that aspect of my personality than skiing half-naked at the age of 15.

I’ll either sink or swim. Wish me luck that I swim.