It sounded like a perfect ''silly season'' story.
And a Dunedin colleague could not help adding that perhaps they were doing it ''in the buff'' as well.
The story began with Queenstown Lakes District Council harbourmaster Marty Black telling Radio Wanaka listeners he had reports of late-night water-skiing at Glendhu Bay.
He was going to check it out on Tuesday night.
Sure enough, there was a very full moon.
There were, and still are, thousands of boaties around the lake.
And temperatures were balmy enough for late night water sports.
But yesterday Mr Black scuppered the story.
''All quiet'' at Glendhu Bay, he reported to the Otago Daily Times .
''It's a bit of a non-issue really, I think.
''Just a few pushing the limit a bit, maybe.''
End of story, except that Mr Black points out there are indeed rules about late-night boating.
He put it this way.
If it's dark enough for car headlights to be on, then it's dark enough for boats to have navigation lights on.
And if it's dark enough for navigation lights, then it's too dark for water-skiing.
''It's common sense, really,'' he said.
Mr Black was also on the Clutha River on Tuesday, keeping an eye on the flotilla of people on inflatable objects drifting from the outlet of Lake Wanaka to the Albert Town bridge.
And what he found was a marked improvement in the observation of the rule that requires everyone on board a vessel - and that includes Lilos and old car-tyre tubes - to be wearing a life jacket.
''All the youngsters on tubes were wearing life jackets, which was bloody good.''
Mr Black expected the ''second wave'' of boaties this weekend when those who worked through Christmas head for the lakes.
