It was the first time we had the boat out this spring and swimming seemed like a good idea, at least in theory. Daughter Hailey and I decided despite the online thermometer saying the lake temperature was just 69.8 degrees, we should take the plunge. Since it was April 29, it would be the last opportunity before May, so why not. I jumped first and was able to contain my thoughts long enough to convince her to jump. She wanted to come in one toe at a time, but I knew that plan would fail, so after minor coaxing she finally jumped. It really wasn't that bad, but the dry towel sure felt good once back inside the boat. Our goal for next year is to get in the water in March and eventually back it up to New Years Day and start a Lake Norman Polar Bear Club. Yes, there are actual pictures of us in the water, but it's still early in the year and we're quite pale, so I decided to spare you. And yes, I always insist upon photo credits, so to be fair: (Photo by Nolan Clark)
Some of the 'gee whiz' fact about Lake Norman include it is 34 miles long and eight miles across at its widest point. Its surface area of 32,500 acres has 520 mile of shoreline. Lake Norman is 760 feet above sea level, 130 feet deep at its deepest point, and holds 3.4 trillion gallons. There was a time when people stood on highways around the lake offering lake lots for sale for $1,000. There weren't many takers back then. With the completion of I-77, the entire lake became more accessible to urban centers to the south and north. Slowly, development began creeping north to the part of the lake that had always been agricultural. Today in four counties that surround the lake, there are more than 25,000 residents who like calling Lake Norman home.
