“The Stuff of Legends”—that’s the title of a Cottage Life feature article about the Lake Boshkung Skiers.
Teenagers Ross Pawson and Andy Murdison formed Lake Boshkung Skiers Club in 1964 with lots of support from their parents.
They became known for jumps and tricks like skiing backwards and holding the tow rope with one foot. Ross was famous for lifting his sister Carole into daredevil poses. Andy already had two Canadian Championship trophies.
The club made a successful bid to host the 1964 Ontario Waterski Championships and 1965 Canadian Open, bringing the best Canadian skiers to Haliburton County.
In 1967, they celebrated Canada’s Centennial by skiing from Toronto to Expo 67 in Montreal (via Lake Ontario to Kingston, up the Rideau Canal system to Ottawa and down the Ottawa River to the Ontario Pavilion at the Expo 67 site in Montreal). They delivered a letter of congratulations from Toronto Mayor Dennison to the “Mayor of Expo”, Philippe de Gaspé Beaubien. There were two ski rigs with a skier behind each one at all times (except through the locks). The trip took six days.
The Pawson cottage on Lake Boshkung was the club base, with a ski rig, jump, and slalom course. Along with competitive skiing, the club presented an annual Skitacular show amazing lake-side spectators with their stunts. Night-time shows were enhanced with floodlights and flares. They also performed the show on Toronto Island’s Long Pond.
Achieving major awards, a reputation for excellence followed club members from Lac St. Joseph, Quebec to Victoria, British Columbia. Andy and Bonnie Murdison skied for the Canadian National Team. Andy went on to World Championships in Australia, Columbia and Mexico.
Club Members in Photo Left to Right:
Garth Mole, Charlie Boudreau, Ross Pawson, Andy Murdison, Carolyn Pawson (Joyce), Linda Cherry (Jones), Paul Cherry, Don Warrington, Chris Archer (Clark), Bob Wallace, Carol Wallace (Pawson), Trevor Pawson.
Club members not In the Photo:
Bill Cherry, Don Archer, Paul Pawson, Bonnie Murdison, Jen Murdison, Mary Boudreau, Carol Warrington, Ann Blain, Don Blain, Wendy Wiltshire, Gary Wiltshire, Ginny Gulledge, Brian Gulledge, Marilyn Whitwell, and Monica Meristo.
