Lake Geneva is a beautiful little town right on the Wisconsin and Illinois border and is a very popular tourist attraction especially for people in Chicago. A getaway from the hustle and bustle of the city, but close enough for a quick getaway.  For residents who live on Geneva Lake they are part of a unique tradition that started way back in 1916 and that is having their mail delivered by boat.

The unique thing about this is that the boat does not stop, trolling at about 5 miles per hour. So how does the mail get delivered? By Mail Jumpers. These brave and very fast men and women have to jump off the boat onto the dock drop off or grab outgoing mail then hop back on the boat, again all while the boat is still moving.

This is a coveted job and definitely is for young people who are in shape and have some serious confidence in themselves. Cruise line employees must have at least 1 year of experience under their belts in order to tryout as mail jumpers and also part of the tryout is talking on a microphone since the other part of their job is to narrate tours. People can actually ride on the boat and watch as the mail carriers jump on and off the boat.

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A.J. Theisz has been working for U.S. Mailboat Walworth for the last four years and ow at the rip old age of 20 he has decided he is going to try out to be a mail Jumper. He said to Spectrum News: 

This is the kind of thing there’s not a lot of things you can practice for it. It was a great little time, and I’m happy for the opportunity.

Geneva Lake is the only place in Wisconsin and one of only a few remaining places in the United States where mail is delivered by boat. The season for boat mail is June 15-September 15. I am not sure what the residents do the other months of the year, I suppose they have to go to the actual post office daily and pick up there mail. Even back in high school when I was in prime shape I would never have been able to do that job, I can't jump to save my life. I would totally take this boat tour though to cheer on these brave mail carriers!

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