Did you know that Lake Eloise is the world’s most famous site for water skiing? Dick Pope, Sr. came here in the 1930s and founded Cypress Gardens, Florida’s first theme park. A decades long ski show became the thrilling centerpiece of Pope’s park. To promote his tropical paradise, Pope plied the media with tens of thousands of images of beautiful young men and women in bathing suits skimming across the water.
Pope’s promotions worked, and millions made the trek to Cypress Gardens including Elvis, Betty Grable, King Hussein of Jordan, multiple Miss Americas, and numerous stars of stage and screen.
Pope inspired me too. I was recently inducted in the Water Skiing Hall of Fame, and like many before was attracted to the “Water Skiing Capital of the World” all the way from California. It has been a long time dream of mine to retire in Florida near Cypress Gardens to build on Pope’s legacy in towed watersports. We are only here part time, so we are sharing our space with our space with you.
In the meantime my wife and I are using this beautiful home as a base of operations to co-produce the Wake-Ski 100, the Centennial Celebration of Towed Watersports in 2022 to be hosted jin Central Florida. You will be a part of this legacy too, when you stay at our home. History has been made on this lake, and much more is to come.