On a late summer afternoon boat ride, I couldn’t help but sit back and smile. It was our first venture out in weeks. Too hot, and I’m not as weather resistant as I once was.
Like sunsets, no two boat rides are the same. There’s always something different to see, something different to experience.
It could be a quiet conversation or a noisy boatload of lake revelers to transport. It might be showing newcomers the sights or pulling rowdy youngsters on a tow-behind.
But on afternoons like this, as the sun begins its daily descent, it is as if that noisy world is left behind like the remnants of a boat’s wake. The farther you go, the smaller it gets until it just disappears.
That’s lake life to me – rediscovering the healing powers of the water every time I take a ride. And that’s why all I could do is sit back and smile.
I found myself smiling throughout the editing of this issue of LakeLife 24/7 Magazine. After all, in one way or another, the stories we share are a lot like that boat ride and me. We all love lake life, and it shows.
Logan Martin Lake Protection Association is a prime example. Its members love lake life so much, they dedicate themselves to protecting and preserving it. Their latest milestone is placing the 100th buoy in Logan Martin to warn boaters about water depths and idle speeds – an effort to keep them safe.
The same is true of their bridge marker program. They’re placing bright yellow markers on bridge supports to keep nighttime boaters safe.
Dale and Ronnye Kendrick’s love of lake life is evidenced in their beautiful home in Southside on Neely Henry and the aroma of a special feast emanating from their kitchen.
Perhaps it’s the stunning view of sailboats crisscrossing Logan Martin’s main channel during a Fall regatta of Birmingham Sailing Club or the colorful sight of hot air balloons circling over Neely Henry in Gadsden. Or it just might be the equally delightful view of kids rushing down the giant, urban waterslide on a street near the waterfront.
Of course, there’s plenty of those lake life smiles to go around when Boo Bash, dock-to-dock trick-or-treating on Logan Martin, gears up for another round bigger, better and more fun than the one before it.
Over at Greensport Marina on Neely Henry, it gets a little messy around the water this time of year. It’s the third edition of the Little Tomatina, a tomato-filled food fight inspired by a Spanish festival. Organizers call it wild, wacky and unforgettable. Judging by ear-to-ear grins from last year’s event, we would say it’s lake life unbridled.
Lakeside Live’s outdoor music festival and car show at Lakeside Park is always a crowd pleaser, and Gadsden’s plans for a pedestrian bridge across the lake at Coosa Landing will offer even more access to lake life.
As always, you can read all about it in this edition of LakeLife 24/7. Don’t worry, there’s more lake life ahead. Turn the page and discover it all with us!
Carol Pappas
Editor and Publisher