MACON, Ga. — Many of us want to get the year started on the right foot, but what about the right ski? On the first day of the new year, one group of Central Georgians honored their yearly tradition of water skiing.
"It's a sport that we all love. We do it almost all year long," said water skier Darren Suggs. "This was just a fun thing to do and a good excuse to get together on New Year's Day."
Suggs has been skiing on Lake Ogburn since 1988 and hasn't missed a year since. Lake Ogburn was built by Chuck Ogburn in 1985.
"I got into waterskiing with some friends at Tobesofkee," Ogburn said. "My children are skiers, and I skied quite a bit in the old days."
New Year's Day, skiers young and old brought their wet suits and wake boards into the chilly water to celebrate the beginning of 2020.
"This is a pretty pleasant day in comparison to some," Suggs said, who has skied when temperatures were in the 30s. "It's always refreshing jumping into the water. It's our middle Georgia polar bear club."
People got to ride around the lake and show off their skills, some hitting speeds higher than 50 miles an hour.
In addition to the adrenaline rush, the time-honored skiing tradition is all about coming together.
"It really is a family tradition. We remember some of the old days and how it used to be" Suggs said. "A lot of things have changed, but a lot of things are still the same. The friendship, the camaraderie, it's still the same."
Many of the skiers that came out Wednesday also show off their skills at water sports competitions.
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