This is an excerpt from a larger list, where I give various activities a Sober Fun rating of 1-10. Entries from this list are scattered throughout my website, or you can find that complete list HERE.

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Jet Skiing: 5-7

I am switching back to a warm weather, water activity here, mainly because jet skis are very similar to the SNOWMOBILES we just talked about. In fact, Ski-Doo and Sea-Doo are owned and manufactured by the same company. One for the snow, one for the water, but both are about the same when it comes to how much sober fun there is to be had. Here again I have the same problem that I do with a lot of activities that require little to no skill, and absolutely no athleticism: if the day isn’t designed properly, the activity becomes really boring, really quick.

Just like with snowmobiles, these jet skis are vehicles, little more, and I feel they are best enjoyed when they are used as such -- with a purpose. Let's use them to get to a destination! Take me on a journey! Riding them in Greece, to see the various islands around Mykonos, or in Italy to go see the grottos -- that's what I'm talking about! Amazing. But don't just plop me in the middle of an ocean or lake and tell me to zoom back and forth with my friend until our clock runs out. That's what you'll get on places like Catalina Island, and many other domestic locations with similar jet ski rental offerings. No thank you. Jet skiing around in a confined area, with your friends, just zooming back and forth? Well, drunk, this seems silly and dangerous, sober, it seems silly and dumb. But mostly just boring. There's not much skill involved, so the only way to do something interesting or impressive is to do something foolish or risky. I'm not a big fan of activities designed around this premise. This seems like something that would be good to rent for other people's children, to occupy them for a day while you go and do something else, but they won't usually rent jet skis to children without adults present, so... Personally, I say save your money and rent everyone a speedboat and water skis instead.

However, if we are riding jet skis with a purpose or to a proper destination, then I'm in! I'll even race you! Hell, if you're paying for it, I'm even down to zoom around with you in a confined/limited area for an hour or so. Two hours max, though, and this gets a Sobriety Fun rating (depending on whether there's a destination or not) of anywhere from 5-7.

You might notice that there is not a jet ski one to be found in my photo, and that is because while I might be confident/stupid enough to bring my nice camera with me ON A CANOE, I'm not quite crazy enough to try bringing it with me on a jet ski. So, until I am, you get an abstract placeholder that I shot of water in my mother's pool. Sorry!

Fun Side Note: If you've only ever been on a Waver Runner in a lake, wait until you try it with the rocky waves of an ocean. Let's just say that for men with egos, this may be a... BALL BUSTING experience. And leave it at that.