I really did try to run and hide from it.
I even tried convincing myself there were more important things to be done on life’s priority list. But just like an infectious disease, it caught up with me and never loosened its mighty grip.
That’s what new boat fever does to a person. It’s like new car fever, only better – and a lot more fun.
Of course, I had to wait awhile, long after the fever took hold. It seems the object of my affection got stuck in the supply chain shortage, like just about everything else, and it wasn’t until a week before the water went down for winter on Logan Martin that it arrived. But, oh, what a glorious seven days it was!
Every afternoon after work we skimmed across mirror-like water. Fast. Slow. It didn’t matter much to us as long as we were moving. A slight September breeze and a hint of color along the shorelines foretold that fall was indeed on the way. And a long wait for spring, unfortunately, was up ahead.
Just a hunch, but this may feel like the longest wait for spring and the water rising again that I have ever spent on Logan Martin. Just like the fever that caught me this past spring, it just won’t let go.
Rather than experiencing all alone the anticipated euphoria that surely will be lying in my wake come spring, I decided to start the new year off with more than a fireworks bang. We’re turning LakeLife 24/7 Magazine® into our first ever Boat Show Edition. In print, online, in photos and video, you’ll see the 2022 line of boats, watercrafts and water toys, guaranteed to – at the very least – give you a low-grade ‘wish’ fever.
After all, boat dealers from around the Logan Martin and Neely Henry region stand ready to showcase the hottest vessels on the water this season. While I suffer in silence, already recovering and ready to return to the water, I have to warn you, the photos and stories in this issue can be contagious. New boat fever spreads pretty quickly. Take it from me.
But the allure of this edition doesn’t stop there. New boats aren’t your thing?
No worries. There’s plenty more inside.
We’ll take you inside the kitchen of Ronnie Harkins and wife Deb Mattison. Actually, we’re taking you outside to this kitchen. It’s an outdoor paradise, a gathering place for good times, good food and a panoramic view that makes it the perfect place for entertaining.
Go back in time with us to Neely Henry’s Little Bridge Marina in Remember When, an in-depth look at the story behind our lakes’ landmarks, people and places. This time, it’s the storied history of the bridge and the community.
How about a mechanic who makes house calls? Boathouse calls, that is. That would be Paul Davis of Paul’s Mobile Boat Repair, an innovative twist on getting the job done without putting it in ‘the shop.’
At Greensport Marina, we’ll relive another first – Rocking the Banks of Greensport – a music-filled evening along the shoreline of this historic destination point, ushering yet another new era for this centuries old homeplace.
Ride along with bass pro Zeke Gossett in Catchin’ the Coosa as he provides anglers with tips and trends for nabbing ‘the big ones’ this time of year on Logan Martin and Neely Henry.
There’s more. Just turn the page and discover it all with us.
