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!