Lake Norman Celebration

Published in the July 2014 Issue July 2014 News

The skies were full of white puffy clouds in the shape of smurfs one minute, and then dark grey ominous clouds threatening boaters with high winds and rain the next. But as diverse as the weather can be in July on Lake Norman, just northwest of Charlotte, N.C., activities, people and towns can be the same way.

Fireworks are often postponed in other parts of the country because of rain, but the communities around Lake Norman consider it a challenge and just go on in spite of it. On this celebration in 2013, colorful fireworks exploded over the lake as “oohs and ahh’s” echoed under umbrellas or ponchos. Between cloud bursts, revelers had the American flag flying on their boats, balloons celebrating the holiday, along with children dressed in red, white and blue riding on the decked-out bikes. That is what the Fourth of July on, and around, Lake Norman is all about—diversity. It will most likely be about the same in the ensuing years because of the variety of towns and interests surrounding the lake and their strong ties to family, commerce, and especially the peace and joy the lake brings to those very folks.

The History

The diversity started hundreds of years ago when the area was first known as “the people of the river,” or the Kawahcatawbas. The Catawba Indians settled along the area while staking their claim with the Cherokee Indians. Then came the settlers.

The ground was fertile, but visionaries saw the need for clothing growing in America and a chance to use the waters of the river to generate power for textile mills. James B “Buck” Duke and his brother Ben, established 10 dams in 1928 with a dozen powerhouses to help these factories survive and prosper. The Catawba was “the world’s most electrified river.” Eventually, one final dam under the Duke Power system created the largest lake in the Carolinas.

By 1965, six years from its initial construction of the Cowans Ford Dam, which included two years to fill the area with water from the river and stream beds, Lake Norman had 520 miles of shoreline, extended about 34 miles long, and became nine miles wide at its widest point. Today it’s a preponderance of flooded creeks and coves with harbors and lush hilltops dotted with luxurious three- and four-floor magnificent homes. The beautiful homes are not far from secluded double-wide or single family houses that accentuate its diversity.

Community Diversity

Towns reflect similar diversity with the southwest part of the lake like Denver being more agricultural with produce stands touting local delicious peaches,

and the Westport Marina with pontoon boats for rent at Lucky Creek.

However, for a few hours during the Fourth of July morning, you may want to join in the fun, including the family bike decorated parade on the Birkdale Commons Parkway at Birkdale Village.

If it gets hot after the parade, just get under the water sprays at the interactive fountain. The annual Huntersville Fourth of July Celebration has face painting and other activities and the local shops are open, with the restaurants featuring special meals if you don’t bring your own lunch before heading out on your boat.

Cornelius is an upscale area with the “Peninsula” and its wonderful, elegantly manicured homes on display around the Peninsula Club Golf Course. The Yacht Club at water’s edge hosts its own Fourth of July activities for members and offers a special Fourth of July fireworks cruise to the general public or for family and friends to cruise Lake Norman and view the fireworks at several different locations for a nominal fee. The local shops and restaurants all cater to visitors who stay on shore or decide to take box lunches for their afternoon cruise to view the area.

Real Deal

Derados Italian Gourmet Market is a special jewel located at Magnolia Plaza in town who caters to boaters with its own to-die-for real New Jersey or New York Italian hoagies, pasta salads, real Italian cookies and special cannolis. The aromas of true Italian meats and cheeses will make your mouth water when you enter the shop, or just have a gourmet meat and cheese platter to go for that sunset cruise on your pontoon boat before all the firework displays come to life.

Interstate 77 makes going from one end of the lake to the other (north to south direction) very convenient with your boat in tow, or if you don’t want to rent one from several marinas.

North of Cornelius is Davidson, a quaint southern college town dating back to the 1800s and much of it is on the water. Just after crossing Gambles Creek on I-77, take exit 30 and pull into the North Harbor Club at North Harbor Place to eat, or you can dock your boat at its front door to enjoy some unique American fare.

A BLT with fried green tomatoes and thick “Nueske” bacon, arugula and goat cheese smear on focaccia bread (or feta smear if goat smear is not your choice) with asparagus fries is wonderful. And to share with your companions, a spinach, artichoke dip with lots of tangy cheese, lemon oil and crisp yucca for the dipping. Dining can be out on the patio by your boat, or inside if it rains.

Race City, USA

Continuing north, up the Catawba Channel or I-77, the town of Mooresville beckons. Many race car drivers, race car enterprises (more than 60 NASCAR teams and racing related-businesses), and Lowes home improvement headquarters reside in the town known as Race City, USA. The Race City logo is even branded on the police vehicles.

Some of the most beautiful homes on the lake belong to race car drivers, like Kyle Bush’s $7.5 million mansion, or those associated with the local enterprises.

Queen’s Landing on Route 150 at the bridge is also home to pontoon boat rentals and sightseeing cruise boats. CS Rentals of Lake Norman has nine 24- to 30-foot pontoon boats for rent including Bennington, Crest and Premier rentals with varying horsepower. These rental pontoons will accommodate your needs with friendly service and information about the best places to go to see fireworks, or just a leisure cruise during the holiday.

Options

There are also lunch and dinner cruises that not only have great food, but give you an idea of the center part of the lake before taking your own boat out on the water. Captain Alan Stopko, frequent captain of the Lady of the Lake or Catawba Queen is a wealth of information and willing to share it.

For the young crowd, there is one large area that everyone goes for the holidays and it’s known as the sand bar. When you see the crowd of boats, including houseboats, you know you’re there. Go to “D” cove of the lake by D7 and D6. There are a bunch of islands in shallower water not far from the Peninsula and they start lining up around 11:30 in the morning and go to evening.

People know one island as Heron Island by marker 10 and it’s not far from the sand bar. It will have a small sign saying to keep your distance. At the tree tops a large population of herons nesting and roosting can be spotted, so bring your binoculars to see how many you can spot. They tend to blend with the vegetation and trees, but it’s fun to check them out while you cruise the lake.

You are safe to stay in the center channel if you aren’t familiar with the lake. It will be deeper and can be up to 120 feet deep near the south end by Cowans Ford Dam. For the most part, the channel stays about 60 to 80 feet deep, but keep in mind that any boat closer than 150 feet from shore is in a no-wake zone, so idle speed is necessary and be sure not to create a wake.

At the northern end of the lake is Lake Norman State Park. There are 13 miles of shoreline, which provide boating access at this 1,328-acre recreation area. The park also boasts its own 33-acre lake where fishing and boating can be enjoyed. There is also a swimming area, biking and hiking trails, picnic areas, interpretive programs and campgrounds.

Locals

Two people who have enjoyed the lake for several years now, and appreciate the local fireworks set off at adjoining homes on Lucky Creek, are Susie and Carl Wagner. Along with neighboring friends like Nancy Graham, the couple will go out in their 22-foot Bennington pontoon boat in early evening to share ribs, salads and special cakes that Nancy will patriotically decorate. The friends will stay out until after dark watching the beautiful rockets light the night sky from the different locations. There is no traffic to worry about when they head back to their dock, only the light of the moon showing them the way home after a very enjoyable evening.