I didn’t want to give my dad another golf shirt.
He’s retired. He lives five minutes from the water. He’s always talked about getting a boat “someday,” but between the maintenance, the storage, the scheduling—he never quite pulled the trigger.
So last Christmas, I got a little creative. Instead of wrapping up something he’d politely thank me for and never use, I gave him a Gulf Stream Boat Club membership.
He thought it was a joke at first. “Wait… I get to use boats now?”
Yep, Dad. You get to boat.
Yep, Dad. You get to boat.
From Golf Cart to Center Console
The first few weeks were slow. He scheduled a weekday cruise, brought his newspaper and a cooler, and just drifted through the Intracoastal. No big party, no fishing rods. Just peace.
By February, he was calling me from the boat, sending blurry selfies with dolphins in the background.
By March, my parents were packing picnic lunches and docking at their favorite restaurants.
By April, his friends had nicknamed him “Captain Dan” and started asking how they could join.
By February, he was calling me from the boat, sending blurry selfies with dolphins in the background.
By March, my parents were packing picnic lunches and docking at their favorite restaurants.
By April, his friends had nicknamed him “Captain Dan” and started asking how they could join.
It Changed His Routine
Before the membership, weekends were “figuring out what to do” or rewatching the same TV series. Now, he checks the weather and plans a boat day the way some people book tee times or dinner reservations.
He’s more active. He’s outside more. He’s even become kind of a sunset snob (“You really can’t beat the view from the back of a deck boat.”)
And when I visit? It’s not just “hanging out.” We do something. We bring snacks, a speaker, and cruise down to a sandbar. We laugh more. It’s less about sitting in a house, more about making actual memories.
And when I visit? It’s not just “hanging out.” We do something. We bring snacks, a speaker, and cruise down to a sandbar. We laugh more. It’s less about sitting in a house, more about making actual memories.
A Year Later
Gifting that membership didn’t just give my dad access to boats—it gave him back something. A rhythm. A little adventure. A reason to check the tides.
So no, I didn’t get him another golf shirt. I gave him Saturdays. Sunsets. An opportunity to get out and enjoy his life.
And honestly? It might be the best gift I’ve ever given.
