New Year 2009 on Lake Norman

We are having some typical "winter" weather here in North Carolina. Typical here is cold one day unseasonably warm the next. These photos were all taken yesterday, December 30, 2008 on the south end of LKN. 

So, if you are not afraid of water in the 40 degree range and a bit of a breeze (expecting gust around 60 MPH today), head out to the lake and have some fun. The water levels are still respectable and the traffic is very light. 

Happy New Year from LKN Local!

It Just Keeps Getting Easier to get to Lake Norman

The Harris Development Group is planning a retail/residential development close to Caldwell Station. For those familiar with the area, that is right on the highly anticipated light rail line. 

In the 12+ years we've lived at LKN, we've heard about the completion of the outer belt loop and light rail. Now that the economy is slumping and new construction is slowing to less than a crawl, please forgive me if I am less than excited by the news. What I can tell you is that in those 12+ years, the population and traffic have shot off the charts. 

However, if this development DOES come to pass and light rail DOES make it up our way, then I promise to be excited. I might even do some shopping there. Until then, I am going to enjoy looking out the window at LKN, which makes a little traffic worth it all!

Note to Self...

Okay, this story has nothing to do with living at LKN but it just had to be passed on. 

Seems a bank robber needed something to write his holdup note on. So he grabs the closest piece of paper, his payroll stub. Needless to say, authorities solved the the crime quickly!

Lake Norman Holidays - Merry Christmas!

Well, we are counting down to the big day on Thursday and while we won't have a white Christmas on LKN, we certainly have the cold weather to put us in the Christmas spirit! We started the day at 20 degrees! Since we don't have an enclosure for our boat cabin, we won't be doing a cruise on the lake any time soon!

I hope you all have a great holiday and happy New Year. 

No Vacancy in Lake Norman

The Town of Cornelius is one step closer to banning vacation rentals in residential neighborhoods. I'm not sure I have enough information to be educated on the issue but the bottom line is that vacation rentals are going to be harder to come by if this passes. 

How to Become a Weather Geek

"My name is Tommy and I am a gadget geek" (Hello Tommy).....

At least that is what I feel I should be saying. I can't seem to help myself (although my wife seems to be enough help for us both but that is another post). If it runs on a laptop, can be plugged into a wall charger or a car cigarette lighter, I just want it, period. So imagine my delight when I found a web site today that sells weather station equipment. I was even more delighted to learn that you can join a network of other weather geeks and deliver real time weather data to the network. I have to tell you, it is all I can do to not to whip out the Visa and go to town!

But not only is being a weather geek fun for me, it is down right necessary because of my other obsession, boating. No responsible captain takes to the waves until he has checked the weather, both current conditions and the forecast. Now, do I need a $500 home weather station to do that? Well, no but wouldn't it be cool? I mean, I could tell my wife if it is cold, raining, and windy without ever opening a door or window. What woman doesn't want that kind of efficiency from her man? Anyone?

Oh well, I guess I will once again suppress my inner geek and log into weather.com!

A Faster Way to Lake Norman

Finally! Believe it or not, the new Northwestern leg of I-485 opened this weekend! Friday at 2pm, the state DOT opened the 5 mile leg of the yet to be completed outer beltway. From the south, the west or even downtown, there is now a new and faster way to make it to Lake Norman. 

We took a drive down the virgin pavement Friday night and outside of the very dark surrounding area, the only thing we felt was a smooth, un-congested cruise (much like a mid-week cruise on LKN :-)

So, come see us up here! LKN, not only a great place to live, work, and play but now easier to get to!

Lake Norman Holiday Lights

Thanksgiving is starting to feel like a faint memory. I mean it was a whole week ago and we are now well into the Christmas season. Of course, retailers across the country have been decorated for the holiday since the day after Labor Day but for many, we are just now starting to dig out the baubles and lights for our homes. 

As I was sitting in my office last night, I couldn't help but notice the homes across the cove from me. They have not only decorated the "front" of their homes but many have also decorated the other front (meaning the lake side). As I sat here and grimaced that I was still in my office at 9:30, I have to say that it truly lifted my spirits, holiday and otherwise, to see the lights shimmering on the water. To those LKN neighbors that were thoughtful enough to consider my point-of-view, thank you. What a beautiful way to brighten the holidays!

What is Old is New Again...

A few years back, WCNC one of our local television stations, choose not to renew the contract of their lead meteorologist, Terri Bennett. Terri was a great personality for the station and her departure was a surprise for many in the area. 

Not to be left in the dust storm of old media players, Terri and her husband had the foresight years before to register the domain name terribennett.com. Because the brass at WCNC hadn't been forward thinking enough to include restrictions on digital media in her contracts, Ms. Bennett was free to launch into the digital media marketplace the day she left the station. 

Fast forward to 2008 and you can find a wealth of local information, including the weather, on her web site. There are blogs, videos, local advertisers and more that are of interest to locals. So, while most of our content is focused on Lake Norman locals, I think it is worth your time to check out some other local info. 

NC Considers Boater Education Requirements

It looks like we are one step closer to legislation that would require boater education in North Carolina. As you've seen in my previous post, I think at minimum, required boater education is necessary. 

Living and boating on Lake Norman is great but only as long as everyone returns at the end of the trip safe and unharmed. Mandatory boater education could go a long way in helping that become a reality. I will hold out my full support until I see the final language of the bill but on the surface, this is a step in the right direction. 

Happy Thanksgiving from LKN Local

The economy is crummy and folks are generally gloomy about the upcoming holidays but please stop and give thanks for everything you have. Yes, things could be better but the facts are that you have family, friends, health, a roof over your head, etc. These are all things to be thankful for. 

So, no matter where or how you celebrate the holiday, remember to send a up a prayer of thanks.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Take it Outside at Lake Norman

So, the temperature is only supposed to hit 44 degrees today and by my standards, that is too darned cold to spend much time outdoors. However, there are plenty of things to do in your yard or garden this time of year. No sense is wasting these dormant months just sitting inside and waiting for spring! Start planning and on the milder days, start doing. You will enjoy the spring that much more!

To that end, just a few weeks ago, I found this great garden center in Mooresville, Lake Norman Gardens. If you are thinking about yard work and gardening as utilitarian chores, please take some time to visit this artistic vision of life outdoors. Owner Robbi Grayson is usually there and can walk you through most any question and knows ever square inch her store. From fountains, to palm trees, you will find common and many uncommon things for sale. Even if you live in a condo on LKN, this is a place you will want to visit. 

Things to do at Lake Norman

Amy Baldwin of the Charlotte Observer did a great piece today about just a few of the things you can do in the Lake Norman region. 

Now that the weather is turning brisk and we are spending more time on shore than on the water, these kinds of activities can be a lot of fun. Don't just think of LKN as being only about water!

Lake Norman Levels Still Strong

It looks like we are just a few feet below full pond. Target lake levels for this time of year are 96.5 but with yesterday's showers, we are now at 97.3. After the horrible year we had last year on LKN, it is so nice to see water where last year we saw "extended" shoreline. 

But let's not forget, we are still in a drought. So, just because we have great water levels on the lake and water restrictions have been eased, we still need to use water wisely. I am sure none of us are in a hurry to see a repeat of last year!

589 Acre Park on Lake Norman

One of the last large parcels of land on the northern end of LKN has been preserved as a park. While I normally focus on the southern end of LKN, it is really nice to know that the upper channels of our Carolina jewel will have an area preserved and made available for those folks that will eventually settle the northern most coves of our great lake. 

Here is the story that ran on Thursday!

Do Yourself a Favor, Service Your Boat

We all love boating on Lake Norman. There are so many places to go and things to do. Last weekend, we did our last LKN Leaf Cruse and as I had promised myself I would, I had our boat serviced for the year. Please don't think that winterizing is the same thing as servicing. Servicing is more than just some fuel stablizer and draining the block. 

We have a 2004 Bennington pontoon with a 115 HP 4-Stroke Yamaha. I love the fact that it starts quickly and has given me no trouble. However, I believe the key to a good boating experience, meaning no engine trouble, is maintenance and care (also, education and safety but that is another post). As I have mentioned in the past, we currently keep our boat at Westport, on the West Shore of LKN. For those who travel Hwy 16 to Denver, you may have noticed that Westport closed their boat sales lot BUT the Marina, Dry Storage, and Service Department are all still very much open. 

So, regardless of where you have it done or if you do it yourself, please have your engine serviced and if you have an outboard, don't forget the water pump and impeller. Take it from someone who has been stranded on the lake, it is a much cheaper and less stressful to KNOW your boat is ready rather than hoping your boat is ready for some fun. 

Happy fall boating, y'all!

NC Community Sailing & Rowing Center on Lake Norman!

As someone that proudly putters around Lake Norman on my pontoon boat, I am thrilled that the long awaited Sailing & Rowing Center has finally been approved. Admittedly, I am not overly informed on the center or the logistics surrounding the project. Perhaps that is a mistake on my part because I live just across the cove from Blythe Landing, the proposed center's home. Still, I think that raising the profile of sailing on LKN is a good thing. Specifically, on the south end of the lake. 

Yes, we see a fair number of sailboats on LKN but once you make your way down to Markers 1 & 2 (around Ramsey Creek), they are few and far between. No, I am not saying that we need to hold regattas in the Ramsey Creek channel but a good mix of power and sailing vessels is a good thing. But it will certainly beg the question about required boater safety courses. As I have noted on more than one occasion, it is painfully obvious that some sort of boater education and/or safety training is needed and missing on our lakes. 

Okay, I've packed a bunch of links and posturing into this one post. The bottom line for me, I'm glad to be adding public access to sailing to the LKN boating mix. 

Early Voting in Mecklenburg County

I was on vacation last week and so my wife and I decided to go to early voting. We went on day two and still waited an hour! 

Red state, blue state, or any state, please get out and vote! Don't wait, early voting ends this weekend!

Lake Norman Leaf Cruise

I propose we start a new (at least to me) tradition, a fall leaf cruise on Lake Norman. This year, we have a great lake level and based on the leaf color on the island, I am betting the peak on the lake will be this coming weekend (November 1-2). 

So finish up the left over Halloween candy and enjoy some beautiful views this weekend on the lake!

What a Day on the Lake!

We spent the day out on Lake Norman yesterday. It was a beautiful fall day and since the major boating season is over, the water was very nice. We stopped off for lunch at an island around marker 8 on the main channel and it was really nice. We had the island to ourselves, the weather was great, and with smooth water, we didn't need to reposition the boat. 

In just a few short weeks, we will have the fun of cruising the lake and coves of LKN looking at the wonderful fall colors. This is really one of the best times to live and boat on the lake. See you around the lake!

Denver Days Festival this Weekend

Hey, don't forget to make it over to the west side of Lake Norman this weekend. The Denver Days Fall Festival is happening! Good food, good music, and lots of fun rides. Bring the family, some lawn chairs, and a good mood. You'll enjoy all of it!

See you there (after we come off LKN, of course ;-)

Lake Norman Lake Levels Are Holding Very Nicely!

I am trying to catch up on my postings (so far two today!). I'm also trying to catch up the various things going on around the lake. I took a quick look at the Lake Norman Lake Levels and we are only off the target level by 6 inches. It seems we are doing well. 

See you out on the lake this weekend!

Lake Norman Gas, PLEASE!!!

Since I work from home, I don't tend to drive much. Last weekend, as Hurricane Ike made landfall on the Texas coast, I didn't see the need to line up at the pump and fill up every container that would hold petrol. 

Fast forward to this weekend and I needed to not only fill my cars but I also needed gas for my lawnmower, string trimmer, and leaf blower. I had to go to five (5) different stations just to find gas. Honestly, I was to the point of paying any price because I had to have fuel. The first three stations were dry, not even premium. Station number four would only sell me ten gallons. Finally number 5 had regular gas and was 10 cents cheaper than the 10 gallon limit place. I was on the edge! Not that I was about to run out of gas on the side of the road but the frustration in finding fuel was almost more than I could handle! 

My friends will tell you I am a pretty mellow guy (remember, I said friends, my wife would say different :-) but this whole fuel thing is starting to get under my skin. I mean, the price of a barrel went up $25 today and closed at $130. But who cares, if I can't buy it, the price could be $300 a barrel. 

Okay, now I've gotten this off my chest. So, if you are looking for a gas station and want to find the best price per gallon (off the lake of course) have a gander at this link.

Have a great time wildcatting for fuel in these here parts! 

Wildlife on Lake Norman

I try to walk every morning. Mostly for the exercise but recently for the calm and quite of the day that allows me to meditate and prepare for what lies ahead. 

This morning my daughter was waiting for the bus (before 6am) and we saw a Great Horned Owl. I had heard it a few weeks ago. When I told my daughter, she just shrugged it off as her old man not having a clue (she is a teenager after all) and then today, when the owl came out of the trees by my neighbor's house, she was convinced her dad knew a thing or two. 

Of course, owls are just one of the many things we get to see around her. It still amazes me that we have so many forms of wildlife just out our back door but then you can leave out the front door and be in a world of traffic and shopping. It really is nice that the two worlds co-exist.

Extra, Extra, Read All of It (or most of it)!

Over the weekend, we added a few more things to our site. I am quickly feeling like the free account from Blogger isn't going to be big enough to hold everything we want to include but for now, it seems to work fine.

So what did we add? Cornelius weather, Lake Norman area town links, NASCAR picture of the day (what, you didn't think we could exclude NASCAR did you?), and finally, a little bit of information about me.

Over time, I hope to build out a one-stop site where you can find the latest information on our area. Any ideas? Please send them on over!

Lake Norman Alert - Watch for Helicopters!

If you boat on the south end of Lake Norman, you may already know this but there is a fellow that lives at the end of Ramsey Creek and in addition to his boat dock he also has a helicopter "dock". On Labor Day, we were coming out of Ramsey Creek when we saw him approach for a landing.

Now, normally the only things we see flying around the lake are fowl but it was kind of sweet to see him swoop in. If you are familiar with this location, you know it is a tight entrance into Ramsey Creek from the main channel and with all of the onlookers (me included), it was a very busy spot. Still, if you do your boating in a safe way, everyone gets to see the sights!

I hope you had a good Labor Day on LKN, let us know what you did!

Enjoy Lake Norman this Labor Day Weekend!

We hope you all have a happy and safe Labor Day weekend! Here around Lake Norman, we expect a busy few days on the water as the "official" close of summer events like boating, camping, grilling, and just plain having fun get under way.

Be safe out there and we'll be back next week talking about all of the LKN!

The Towns and Communities of Lake Norman

If you have never been to Lake Norman, you may think of it as a single place but that is not the case at all. A man-made lake, owned and managed by Duke Energy, what we call Lake Norman today was mostly farm land, small towns, textile mills, and cross roads only 50 years ago. No one can argue the lake's impact on the region. I'm lucky enough to have grown up nearby and now have neighbors who grew up here, lived in these communities, and witnessed the dramatic transformation from farming and textiles to upscale living. But what is so striking is not how much this area has changed but how it has been able to evolve. Certainly, change is hard and many folks simply don't want it. I am sure that over the next twenty years, my family and I will see changes that make us uneasy. Still, time and progress march on and LKN seems to steadily improve.

Now, if you want to know a little about the area and the towns that dot the 520 miles of shoreline, take a look at this piece from the Sept. 2007 Charlotte Observer. And note the links at the bottom of the article to town specific sites. I think you will certainly learn a few things about Lake Norman and this wonderful region.

Come and see us!

Lake Norman on the Rise!

Lake Norman came up to target level on Wednesday, almost 18 inches! It looks like the close of the summer season on the Queen City's crown jewel will be almost like the opening.

Of course this good news didn't come without some bad news. For all of the obvious reasons, that much rain in that short amount of time comes with a price. So while many of us are very happy to have the rain and a full lake, many are cleaning up the mess left from flooded homes, cars, and even some washed out roads.

Let's hope that Gustav isn't as much trouble.

Lake Norman Rainfall and the Rising Lake Levels

How sweet this rain is! I know, too much of a good thing for some but it is so nice to see the lake levels on the rise.

At the start of the rains on Monday (at 2:23 pm here in Cornelius) until 5:30 am today, we have gotten 7 1/2 inches of this glorious nectar called rain! As of yesterday, we were about 3 1/2 feet below full pond but that may quickly change with the heavy overnight rains.

Let's hope these are the rains that will float our boats!

Heading out on the Lake this weekend!

So, if you read my last post, you saw that we took the LKN Power Squadron's ABC Safe Boating Class last week. What that also means is that we bought a boat. We had a small bow rider a few years back but we had to trailer it and store it in our garage (HOA restrictions), so it wasn't that much fun. Especially since we live on the south end of LKN and on the weekends, navigating a 16' v-hull is like trying to boat in a pot of boiling water!

This time around, we bought a 25' pontoon that we currently have in dry storage on the west side of the lake. We're looking at building a pier at our home but until that happens I think dry storage will be a good fit for us. By virtue of being a bigger boat, the pontoon seems to ride better in the choppy waters. But not having to put in and haul a boat is like a dream for me!

We went for a sail on Sunday and let me tell you, there are lots of folks out there that don't know a channel marker from the port side of their vessel. I'm not sure I believe in boating licenses for all boaters in NC but the LKN Power Squadron and the LKN Marine Commission both are pushing to make safety courses required for all boaters. And after seeing LKN boating skills first hand this past weekend, I don't think it can happen too soon!

So, safe boating everyone! I'll see you out there this weekend!

ABCs of Boating - Best Thing on the Lake!

This weekend, my family and I took the Lake Norman Power Squadron's ABCs of Boating Class. While my 14 year-old didn't want to take the course, the "prize" of a NC PWC Certificate was enough to entice her to sit through the 8 hour session.

If you aren't familiar, the LNK Power Squadron is dedicated to boater safety and education for the Lake Norman area. I have to say that if all of their 100+ members are as dedicated as the 15 or so we met, LKN is in great hands. This is an all volunteer organization and the services they provide help make our community an attractive place to live, work, and play.

Thanks to the LKN Power Squadron!

Safe boating everyone!

Westport Golf Club on Lake Norman

A couple of years ago, a close friend of mine bought the then closed Westport Golf Club in Denver, NC. At the time, the club house was a mess and the fairways looked more like meadows. If you lived in the neighborhood, you were not a happy camper. The place was a real eye sore and certainly not something to help your property value.

Fast forward to 2008 and what a transformation. After a year of rebuilding nearly EVERYTHING and another year back in operation, Westport has surpassed it's former glory. The club house is practically brand new, the course is in great shape, and there are new homes going up next door. If you did not know better, you would think this was a completely different place, not the Westport of days gone by.

If you are into golf, looking for a good value, and a great experience, check out Westport today and tell them you heard about it on Lake Norman Local (they will have no idea what you are talking about but the look on their face will be priceless!).

Lake Norman Traffic - or is it just smoke on the water?

I work from home and because our neighborhood is still one of those well kept secrets of Lake Norman, traffic really doesn't impact my daily life. But on those rare occasions when I do have to leave the tranquillity of our lakeside oasis, I only need to drive to the end of my street to meet the harsh reality of suburban traffic.

Now, the communities of Huntersville, Cornelius, and Davidson are proposing some sort of organization that will lobby and keep the traffic issues we face on the forefront of those in Raleigh that dole out road improvement funds. Of course, to set up such an organization, will require funding and guess what, we residents will need to pay for that.

The intra-town committee that is proposing this new organization has also proposed seven (7) sources of funding and only one (1) of those sources doesn't include a fee from my pocket! All of this might make sense if we weren't dealing with a Highway Funding scheme in Raleigh that was developed to build roads to farmland in eastern North Carolina regardless of where the traffic was really based. So, by putting an organization together to represent the highway funding needs of our three lakeside towns might get us noticed but as long as Raleigh has legislated that only half of the funding set aside for road work in NC can be spent in the Western part of NC, road improvements here will not be made any faster and without more money from our pockets!

Lake Norman is almost at Full-pond!!!!

We are almost at full-pond (Lake Norman is almost full again) after a record drought. I’m in the market for a pontoon boat and maybe a couple of jet skis. Of course, the next question is where to store our new toys! We still don’t have a dock and with all the talk about a downturn in the economy, evidentially, that doesn’t apply to dock and dredge companies.

We attended the Mid-Atlantic Boat Show back in late February and actually asked two dock companies to call us for an appointment. Lancaster’s called and left a message. I called back right away and then called again and spoke to the guy but he never made an appointment and never called back as he had promised. The other company never bothered to call. I’m in sales and I would love to be in a position to be able to blow off prospects.

What’s funny about it is that the project we are looking to bid is not a typical, single family dock but a pretty in depth project that would surely be more than a run of the mill dock. Oh well, I guess that isn’t important.
So, I’m not sure if we buy a boat that we will have a place to put it! I guess we’ll enjoy full-pond LKN from the shore for now!

Drought, Drought Go Away....

Looking out over Lake Norman this morning, it is clear that the water level is slowly rising but we are still in a drought. Many of the hazards we have seen in LKN over the past few months are slipping back under the merky waters and giving us a false sense of relief that really isn't so.

Please keep up the water conservation practices you have started. Even when the rains do come (and they will eventually come), we still need to think about how the region around LKN is growing and that more and more people will depend on our living jewel, Lake Norman, in the years to come.

MI-Connection: Not My Connection

We had our new DirectTV satilite installed over the weekend. Man what a difference. Our house is new and we have a fairly nice structured wiring set up. I liked the idea of cable vs. satilite because it was less clutter and simple to connect. But our wonderful local governments have sold our souls (and future tax revenue) to the new devil called MI-Connection.


Someone got the bright idea that we wanted our local governments to own and manage the local cable company. I don't know who that genius was but I sincerely hope we never meet. For those of you too new to LKN to remember, many years ago, Cornelius, Huntersville, and serveral other munis that were part of "ElectriCities" got the bright (pun intended) idea to buy into the building of power plants. They thought that by owning these assets it would be cheaper power to buy and sell in the long run. NOT.


Well, in very short order, the cost to build those plants exploded, the towns that were going to use all that power didn't grow as they had expected, and power sales didn't increase as expected. But guess what, the banks and bond holders still wanted to be paid for loaning all the money to the munis. So, to meet their bond obligations, they had to raise electric rates to cover their expenses. To this day, power rates for Huntersville and Cornelius are higher than those at neighboring Duke Power or EnergyUnited.


Fast forward to 2008 and the same munis have bought a bankrupt cable system that needs huge investments just to get into the digital age, they are still restricted to their town boarders, AND they have satilite as well as the internet to compete with. And on top of that, MI-Connection can't even compete with Time-Warner on price because the bankruptcey sale froze cable rates to match or exceed Time-Warner!


This isn't going to end well for me. Yes, I am now a very satisfied DirecTV subscriber but I am also a resident of the Town of Cornelius. That means that there is a very good chance that at some point in the very near future, my property taxes will be paying down some really poor programming choices.

Welcome to Lake Norman Locals!

Hi and welcome to my blog! My name is Tommy but my friends call me Tc. I live with my family on the south end of Lake Norman. We've been in this area for over 10 years but I grew up just across the river in Gaston County and have spent my fair share of time in the Lake Norman area.

For some time now, I've thinking about what kind of blog I wanted to write. I'm in sales for a real job (so far as I can tell, blogs don't pay anything) and thought about writing in that field but let's face it, there are plenty of sales gurus out there spouting off advice and I didn't think the world needed one more. I also considered writing a ranting blog, you know, one of those that goes off on tangents about all manner of irratating things. Again, who really needs more of that. Then I thought about all of the folks in the area that have been here a while or may be new to the Lake. Why not write about our area? Why not talk about the good things, the not so good things, and just life in general in the Lake Norman area? Well, there you go.

I don't know where this will take me but it will be fun just seeing how we connect. I hope you enjoy my postings and I look forward to your feedback. So, now that we're friends, you can call me Tc too!