“It’s hard to pinpoint what my favorite thing is about boating,” Rob said. “I did know the first time I was ever on a boat that I would always have one. You feel grounded with nature on a boat, and the stresses of the world fall away. Plus, everyone’s happy on a boat.”
Molly spends her summers boating on Long Lake, Mich., where the Campbells currently dock and cruise their boat. “I grew up in Midland, but we never spent a summer day there,” she said. “We would pack up the car and come up here. My parents both grew up on the finger lakes in upstate New York, so boating is definitely their thing. And because we spent so much time on this lake, I feel like I know it like the back of my hand.”
Her father still lives on Long Lake and is an unashamed collector of boats. From fishing boats to cabin cruisers and speed boats, he could rarely pass a “for sale” boat on the roadside without buying it. Though he spent 50 years on his 21-foot cabin cruiser, Bob at age 85 no longer has the mobility to climb aboard. Which is one more amazing thing about Rob and Molly’s pontoon.
“The ease where he can get in and out of our boat has given him a second life at boating. Some of our favorite nights are when Bob can join us and we spend the evening cruising the lake,” Rob said.
Rob had also never considered owning a pontoon until one year he was hit with a shot of envy while on the water. Each year Traverse City’s Cherry Festival features an air show, which many people watch from their boats, lined up all around Grand Traverse Bay. This inlet of Lake Michigan offers a great view for the show. About five years ago, someone pulled up next to them in a brand-new pontoon. Rob couldn’t get over his excitement saying, “That thing was so nice! They had a large family spread out on it and it wasn’t even cramped. I was sold on pontoons that day. I’ll never go back to an open bow.”
During the covid pandemic when everyone flocked outdoors and scrambled to buy up new boats, Rob and Molly felt almost crowded out of their favorite lake. Time on the beach was no longer fun because of the masses of people. It got too much for Rob, who finally declared, “That’s it, we’re buying a pontoon!”
Once the seed was planted, it was all too easy to find the ideal boat. The Campbells have long been friends with Jeff and Jamie Hirsch, who just so happen to own a nearby boat dealership, BoatCraft Sales. Although the dealership carries another pontoon line as well as Landau, it was Landau’s Island Breeze that caught their eye.
The Campbells traded in for a newer model, a 2021 Landau Island Breeze with nearly enough updates to push it into Landau’s Signature Series, the Atlantis. Their new pontoon has upgraded decking, a jump seat for the perfect configuration, and of course, a Simrad chartplotter.
While Rob enjoys the technology, Molly is a huge fan of the space. “It really is a floating living room. It has all this space and cubbies for storage. We can put so much stuff away. Things are so much tighter on even a 20-foot open bow boat. I just want comfortable seats, a smooth ride, lots of space to put stuff,” she said.
Though they own a trailer and occasionally take their Landau to different lakes to meet up with friends, they are lucky enough to keep the boat docked all summer at Long Lake since Molly’s father lives on the lake and has a private dock.
“We live an 8-minute drive away, just down at the end of the bay,” Molly explained. “We’re spoiled having the boat so easy to launch, but it’s worth it,” she said. “All you have to do is come down and get in—it’s so easy!”
Great for both kids and adults, the energy-canceling diving board means you won’t rock the boat when jumping off. The heavy aluminum diving board is rated for up to 250 pounds, and comes with a handle for stability. You might be surprised by the height once you’re up there, though.
“It’s funny how many people are shocked that it’s so high out of the water,” Rob laughed. “It looks a lot different when you get on top of it than from down on the deck. We’ve had people of all ages chicken out, and plenty of over-confident people do an absolute belly flop. No matter what, we always have a great time on the water because of it.”
Another reason the diving board is so enjoyed by this family is because of how easy it is to get back on the boat, made possible by another standout product from LilliPad Marine. The Easy Step Boarding Ladder has become a popular aftermarket upgrade for active families and is instantly recognizable from a distance.
When stowed, its distinctive, trademark silhouette resembles a sleek, crouched set of legs at the stern—an innovative, space-saving design that blends form with function. Once deployed, its sturdy construction and thoughtfully engineered angle make boarding seamless and safe for the entire family—including the Campbell’s curly-haired pup.
“Our KICKER stereo is great, and I definitely don’t feel the need for an upgrade. We mostly get out here to escape the noise, not to blast music,” Rob said. He’s also pleased with the Suzuki 150hp outboard, noting that it has plenty of power to pull tubes or a kneeboard.
Molly’s favorite thing, though, is to try to lengthen the day, not speed it up. She said, “The evening sun is just gorgeous. I love to lounge here and read. It’s funny because people come out here during the day, but in the late afternoon everyone goes home to make dinner. We stay out until 7 or 8:30. And we’ll catch the most beautiful sunset. The wind will die down, there’s no one else around. We really make the best of it.”
While most people are sitting home watching TV, the Campbells are on the bay. How lucky is that?