What is the absolute largest body of water near to where you live, and have you ever been in it or on it?

Lake Tahoe.  I've neither been on or in it (and we both want to keep it that way)

Lake Ontario, in and on it. 

The largest body of water near where I live is the Atlantic Ocean.  I have been in it and on it.  

Lake Erie. Both in and on it.

Gulf of Mexico.  I've been in it many times and on it only a few.

How near?

Largest lake in my state is Lake of the Ozarks and yes I have been in and on it. 
I have been both in and on every large lake on my state.

The Southern Ocean. In it, not on it. All of the boating I've done was on the Pacific, the Hawkesbury River or the Parramatta River.

Incidentally, have you never been IN the Pacific? I thought everyone who lived in California was practically symbiotic with their surfboard. Was Brian Wilson lying to us all this time? This post was edited by Slartibartfast at July 16, 2022 2:32 PM MDT

The Atlantic Ocean. In it and flew over it.

You had me thinking this was a Kittigate redundancy production. Is there such a thing as the conditional, qualified, or otherwise unabsolute largest body of water? Of course not; it's either the largest or it's not, so absolute is redundant. Grrrrr.

You didn’t define near, so I’ll say it’s Lake Thompson, South Dakota.  It’s about 50 miles from me and it’s the state’s largest natural lake.  I haven’t been in it or on it.