Bring on Spring!

Can you believe it’s already February?

I’ve got to admit, hearing that good ol’ Punxatawny Phil did NOT see his shadow this morning was the best news we’ve heard all year. For northern boaters especially, the sooner Spring appears, the sooner we can all get back out on the water!

To celebrate the mere 16th time Phil’s been shadowless since 1887, why not get a head start on planning your first 2011 boating excursion? This year, think about introducing someone new to the joys of boating! You can start by taking them to a boat show or hook them up with Discover Boating’s “Get Started in Boating” DVD (free for you, priceless for them). And when it’s warm enough, take them out on the water!

You can start planning a day trip or weekend getaway today to take your pals out on a boat and introduce them to their future favorite pastime! Think about where you’ll go, use our Hotspots Map to find the perfect location and download our Boat Ramp app right to your mobile phone to find out where to launch.

You can browse around TakeMeFishing.org for more boating basics to share with your newbie friends, or for information on how to register your boat if you’re the newbie! Either way, we hope you’ll take full advantage of everything an early spring has to offer. Thank you, Phil!

Happy boating!
Stephanie Vatalaro

Stephanie Vatalaro

Stephanie Vatalaro is vice president of communications for the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation and its Take Me Fishing and Vamos A Pescar campaigns where she works to recruit newcomers to recreational fishing and boating and increase awareness of aquatic conservation. Stephanie grew up in the Florida Keys as the daughter of a flats fishing guide. Outside of work, you can find her fishing and boating with her family on the Potomac River in the Northern Neck of Virginia.