My sister came to town and we took her once when my son was young, like 6 or 7. One of my fondest memories, how proud he was to pilot the boat. But that wasn't the best part for me :

We had planned it for a few months, so I knew it was coming. My kid was taking swim lessons and doing really well. He didn't know what a Ducky Tour was, so I just told him it was a bus with the top cut off that took us around town. But that I was nervous, because they drove so close the water and more than once the tour bus had actually fallen into the water (keep in mind this was before the incident in Missouri). I told him "good thing your such a good swimmer!". This was all reinforced by the safety briefing about life jacket location when we boarded (See son, I told you!). He even asked my sister and her BF if they were good swimmers like he was, just in case.

Cut to us entering the water and I'm playing it up that I was really nervous at how close they're getting to the water... then we were in the water. You should have seen his face. He was ready to jump over the side and swim for it, lol.

He got over it quick, and got to drive the boat back and forth in the open river. Not without a comment for me about "try not to hit land". The captain was right there with him, kind of steering him away from other boats if needed. But yeah, lifelong memory. And somehow he hasn't needed therapy about the whole thing.

Bud I drove it and was probably 35. Bucket list item there! Now look, never again.

We were captains of the high seas

That’s awesome!