Finding Friendship and Community on the Waters of Lake Austin

Ice cold margaritas were flowing, live music was playing, and the tables of Ski Shores Cafe were bustling on a warm sunny Father’s Day weekend last June as crowds gathered to raise a toast to dads and united to watch the annual Vintage Ski Show on Lake Austin. 

Dockside, life was festive and fun, but we found ourselves drawn to the smiling faces and camaraderie of the waterski team who were performing that day. “How does someone get into this type of group sport?” we pondered.

It’s obvious that the waters of Lake Austin add distinct beauty to the sparkling views of our city, but it’s on the water where you’ll find a truly unique community — where friendship and connection are built while locals bask in the sunshine on boats, skis, and wakeboards. 

In our quest to learn more about that lakeside culture, we sat down with Elle Florescu, an essential player in the coordination of the annual Ski Shores Ski Show. Florescu, an avid waterski enthusiast, explained just how vital this lake community is to the fabric of Austin. 

Finding levity on the lake

“I feel that lake life is sort of this sanctuary,” said Florescu. “You can wake up early any morning of any week and have a beautiful clear lake at your leisure. Whether you’re swimming or on the boat skiing, I think that’s really special. It’s sort of a wholesome replenishment that brings a levity to life.”

According to Florescu, there’s a wide range of people that you’ll meet on the lake. She describes the general attitude as “super friendly.”

“I will say there’s an intuitive understanding of no griping, no pretense. We’re just here to have fun,” explained Florescu. 

In terms of an organized waterski team, the idea of their annual June ski show came to be informally and organically among friends. Florescu shared that the first year was very “scrappy.” She worked with other skiers she had gotten to know out on the lake almost everyday. One ski buddy was Wilson Allen, owner of Executive Watersports, which offers summer water sport camps and private instruction. The show included several of Allen’s students, and everything grew from there. 

“I think the whole idea of the show is to give a little bit of a snapshot of the culture on Lake Austin,” shared Allen. “It’s just fun for people to come out and see that there are groups of people that incorporate the lake into their lifestyles year round.”

As for the future of the Vintage Ski Show, it will return to Ski Shores this June. Florescu aims to grow the event to eventually start a nonprofit organization to support water ecology, water safety, and provide scholarship opportunities for youth to engage in water sport lessons. 

An intro to watersports and lake culture

For someone new to Austin or new to watersports, Wilson Allen’s Executive Watersports lessons offer a great place to start that introduction into lake culture. Florescu noted how special it is to “find like-minded people that are looking to do something of that same athletic caliber. It feels like an organic way to find other people doing the same activities.”

For both Florescu and Allen, Lake Austin is an essential part of their community. Florescu concludes that the lake offers a brief  “reprieve from the rest of your life, which is really nice.”

Find details of the upcoming Ski Show performance, taking place on June 16, 2024.