Waterskiing is a sport where a person glides across the surface of a lake or river while being pulled by a speedboat. The skier holds onto a rope attached to the boat and stands on one or two long, narrow skis that skim across the water. When the boat accelerates, the skier rises up out of the water and rides along behind it, balancing against the pull of the rope.

Learning to waterski takes practice and courage. The hardest part is usually the start: you crouch in the water holding the rope handle, with your skis pointed up in front of you, and as the boat pulls forward you have to let it lift you up rather than trying to stand too early. Once you're up and riding, you can lean from side to side to carve across the boat's wake, the rolling waves that spread out behind it.

Waterskiing became popular in the 1920s and 1930s, and by the 1950s it had become a favorite summer activity at lakes across America. Today, competitive skiers perform jumps, tricks, and high-speed slalom runs around buoys. But most people waterski just for the thrill of skimming across the water on a sunny day, feeling the spray and the speed.