♪ <gentle music> ♪ Well, y'all, I'm going back to school today, driving school, that is... sort of.

I am going to learn how to captain a boat.

I figure there are so many great waters across the state of South Carolina, it's probably about time I learned how to navigate them myself.

Let's go for it!

I'm here with Kevin Davis here at Blacks Camp.

Kevin, can you tell us just a little bit about your history as a guide here in South Carolina?

<Kevin> Yeah, well, I've been a fishing guide for 25 years at Blacks Camp here.

We're a full service fishing camp with a restaurant and cabins and rooms and everything else the fisherman needs.

<Devyn> Yeah?

<Kevin> Yep.

<Devyn> Awesome!

So why do you think people should come to places like this and get out on the waters of South Carolina?

<Kevin> Well, here in the Lowcountry of South Carolina, we're still very rural, and you come to a place like this, it's like you're going back to the 50's or 60's or something.

It's just like you're stepping back in time, and it's peaceful.

You're not going to see a whole lot of boats on the Santee Cooper lakes because they're so big and the boats are spread out, but it's just a great place to come and get away from the everyday stresses of life.

<Devyn> Absolutely.

So today you're going to teach me how to captain a boat.

Are you ready to go?

<Kevin> I'm ready to go.

<Devyn> Alright, let's go for it!

♪ <upbeat music> ♪ <Kevin> The captain always gets on the boat first.

<Devyn> The captain gets on the boat first?

Okay, here we go.

<Kevin> And I'm supposed to ask permission to board, Captain.

<Devyn> Permission granted, sir.

<Kevin> Thank you.

Throw that inside.

<Devyn> Done.

Step one.

<Kevin> I'll let you get on this side.

<Kevin> Alright, crank her up right there.

Just turn it to the right, just like you would your car.

<engine cranking> <Kevin> Alright, now just ease the throttle down in reverse, straight down.

<Devyn> Ease it down.

<Kevin> Yep.

<Kevin> There you go.

Now, use your wheel.

Kind of curve us around that way.

And see how that takes the front of the boat away from the dock?

Keep on backing out that way.

There you go.

<Devyn> Oooh, I'm driving a boat!

<Kevin laughs> Just keep us right on the left of that.

Alright, let's not get going too... let's turn her.

<Devyn shrieks and laughs> <Kevin> Let's get away from these boats.

<Devyn> I thought we were still in neutral.

<Kevin> Oh, you did?

It's touchy now.

This throttle is touchy on this boat and this is a powerful boat, so be careful, okay?

<Devyn laughing> Okay!

<Kevin> Alright, we're straightened back out.

<Devyn> I'm so excited!

<Kevin> Lean against the seat right here in case you put it all the way wide open or something.

Alright, and here's your throttle.

Go ahead and give it some gas.

♪ <snappy music> ♪ When you add Lake Moultrie with Lake Marion and the diversion canal, you put that all together, it's almost 200,000 surface acres of water.

So yeah, they're huge.

♪ <snappy music continues> ♪ This is one of the best fisheries in the United States for large mouth bass, huge catfish.

The striper fishery has come back tremendously.

Crappy, big crappy, bream, shell cracker, all the big major freshwater species.

♪ <snappy music continues> ♪ <Kevin> Alright, just barely put it down.

There you go.

Now hold it right there until the boat stops.

Give it a little bit of gas.

Look at that.

Alright, neutral.

Perfect!

Back up just a little bit.

<Devyn> Back up a little more?

<Kevin> There you go.

Alright, let's put it in neutral.

♪ <snappy music continues> ♪ <Devyn> Y'all, I wanna say some cheesy joke about how I'm the captain now, but I'll save you from that, but that was so cool.

I am so glad that I got to drive a boat today.

It was never something that I thought I could see myself doing before, but I'm so glad I gave it a shot.

Now it's your turn to try something new, and when it comes to getting out on the waters of South Carolina, just go for it!

♪ <snappy music continues> ♪