Our Favorite Lake, Greers Ferry Lake

Our lake, the lake we boat on, the lake we fish on, the lake we play on, Greers Ferry Lake. We all know where it is, but do you know where it came from? The formation of our lake, Greers Ferry Lake, was started in March of 1959 when they started to construct the Greers Ferry Dam. 

While the dam was being constructed, it brought tons of people to the area looking for work. They would pop they tents, plant their camper, and rent any vacant houses. Builders were rushing to complete houses so that all the people coming into Herber Springs would have a place to stay. The retail stores, grocery shops, and farmers all were struggling to meet the demand of the now larger population. The locals of Herber Springs hung on until the completion of the dam in December of 1962. Once completed, the influx of people left, moving on looking for the next job.

There is a lot of great history with our lake, one of my favorite pieces, the city of Higden. Higden was actually located under our lake. That’s right; in the 1800’s Higden was a city of farmers who were constantly troubled with flooding. The land was purchased, the cemeteries were moved, the people left, and the now abandoned city was allowed to flood. Don’t feel so bad for the people of Higden; they reestablished their city up on a nearby hill.

The really fun part about this story of a flooded city; it is said that there are still houses, building, and roads under the lake from the abandoned city. They say that you can follow a road right up to the shore line on one side of the lake and pick the same road back up on the other side. People have taken advantage of this and now are using the pre-existing roads as boat launching ramps. Old West Main St. is an example. What have you seen under the water?

Greers Ferry Lake is made up of two lakes connected by a water filled gorge called The Narrows. With a surface area of 63 square miles, and just over 340 miles of shoreline, there is plenty of fun to be had on the lake. It is often ranked in the top ten cleanest, clearest, and most pristine lakes in all of North America. So what are you waiting for, let’s go boating, or fishing, or swimming, or…

Joining The Boating Lifestyle

Hey you, yeah, you. I have a question for you. Why have you not gotten in on the boating lifestyle yet? Let me tell you, you are missing out. You think that boating is too expensive? Think you will get board after taking the boat on the water after the first couple of times? Not sure if you are boating people? I will take the time to answer these questions for you today, so we can get you over that fence you have been sitting on.

Boating is expensive, it is just a luxury. Friend, I am here to tell you, this is one of the biggest myths about boating. You can finance a boat just like you can finance a car. There are boats in any showroom that range in price so you are bound to find one that you love and that you can afford the payment each month. Now you’re thinking, ok I have the boat, but the maintenance will break my bank account. Again, this is just not true. Most of the maintenance you have to perform, you do yourself. Like washing down your boat after use, or making sure you have it covered when not in use. With the stuff you can’t do (oil changes, engine maintenance), expect to pay what you would for the same service to your car.

Boating is a novelty; the fun will wear off quickly after purchase. This statement is far from the truth. The day you buy a boat, you are buying more than just a piece of machinery, you are buying a way to keep your family entertained every weekend, you are buying a way that you can de-stress after a rough day at the office on a Tuesday, you are buying a place that you can take your significant other and really feel like the only two people on the planet for a date night. It is more than just cruising the water, even though that is great too, there are many different activities to enjoy while boating. Fishing, water tubing, wakeboarding, personal water crafts, swimming, the list can go on and on with different things to do in order to keep your boat outing fresh.

Boating is not for me; I am not a “boat person.” My friend, there is no one type of person that fits into this lifestyle. Everywhere you go, you will find people just like you, and people who are completely different than you.  If you love the water, love relaxing & love boats, then it sounds to me that you are a “boat person.”

When you finally hop off that fence post and join in on the fun, you automatically enter into one of the coolest clubs on the planet. You immediately gain new friends who all enjoy boating too. And most importantly, you get to call yourself a boater. So my question to you now is what are you waiting for?

Moonlit Boating

Boating during the day when everything is completely visible, with the sun giving you all the light you need so that you can see everything around you, and where you can see directional buoys hundreds of feet away, there are still accidents. Now, imagine you take all that away. You can't see the boy's rocks in the water, how deep the water is, or the sun. We will teach you the correct guidelines for boating after dark.

Slow Down
Many waterways have slower nighttime speeds. This is a necessary precaution because the landmarks that you are familiar with can change or completely disappear at night which makes it easy to run off course. Debris big enough to damage your boat become invisible on the water. Play it safe, slow down.

Eliminate Distractions
Easy nighttime navigation can be done by reading subtle clues. To be able to read the clues, you will need make sure there is nothing that is distracting you. Lower your interior lights, lower your stereo, and pop your head over the windshield to reduce glare.

Careful With High Beams
You might think that headlights are the answer. Well, most boats only have docking lights which do not produce the power you need on the open water. If you have forward mounted, or spotlight flashlight, those can be helpful. Use them with care. They can confuse other boaters by overpowering your navigation lights, or blind an approaching captain.

Use A Compass
During the day make sure to note the heading on your compass when you are leaving your marina. It is easy to make sure you are going the opposite direction upon your return. As a reminder, never make a trip to unfamiliar destinations at night.

Learn The Lights
Every boater should know the combinations of red, green and white lights that tell you whether a boat is coming or going, and in what general direction. Make sure your own running lights are working properly.

With these simple guidelines, if you get stuck on the water at night, or you plan a nighttime cruise, you should be able to make it back to the docks safely.