We headed out Friday evening on my birthday, intending to sail on Bull Shoals Lake in Arkansas near Mountain Home. With all the storms we've had this year, we had been watching forecasts and wind forecasts. It was clear most of the week but a promise of storms Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Naturally.
We chose three destinations: Bull Shoals Lake in Arkansas, Table Rock Lake at Branson Missouri and a popular sailing lake in southwest Missouri called Stockton Lake. Forecasts changed hourly. Winds and lower percentage of thunderstorm chance was at Bull Shoals which had been my first choice.
We drove about 4 hours and camped at the Walmart in Ava, Missouri. The Mac makes a great little camper too!
Saturday Morning, we left early for Bull Shoals. I was excited to take Galactica to a new state, exploring and sailing in new waters! We got to Bull Shoals only to find out that I neglected to check pool levels; after all, I was just at Mark Twain Lake which was nearly normal depth. Bull Shoals, like each of the lakes which stair step from the ozarks down to the white river and into the Mississippi were all holding water in order to lessen the flooding on the rivers. Bull Shoals Lake was 30 foot over pool. We have a Army Corp of Engineer pass so like to use their public ramps. The ranger stopped us and warned us that the ramps were 30' underwater. He called around but in the end, there were no ramps for us to use. We could see the tops of telephone/power poles barely sticking out of the water!
We started driving back to Missouri and on to Table Rock Lake. The internet showed Table Rock's flood levels dropping and not as bad as Bull Shoals. Additionally, the weather forecast changed and was to be relatively clear and windy. Stockton was to have 60mph gusts. We got to the ramp at Indian Point just southwest of Branson and found the flooded ramp useable but there was no room in which to rig Galactica and park our long rig.
We struck up a conversation with the owner and a waitress at a great little family cafe on Indian Point. They pointed us further up lake past Kimberling City. A few phone calls to various marinas and Army Corps public use areas and we decided to check out Mills Creek on the south (Arkansas) side of the lake.
The ramp itself was underwater but the upper 1/3 of the rig parking lot was above water with the moble dock pulled up. Perfect!
We finally rigged and launched Galactica! It's tremendous fun to find new waters to explore. I'm not used to a lake as deep as Table Rock! More on that later.
We had quite a scare. Angie had us turned into the wind and I was raising the reefed mainsail when a gust hit us. I was having to thread some of the slugs back into the mast and lost track of the bitter end of the mainsail halyard. I'll never do that again. I went to coil the halyard when I realized it was over the side of the boat and taunt as a steel cable!!! I couldn't budge it. I faced us into the wind and had Angie attempt to hold us while I shut off the motor and untangle the line. I stepped down onto the swim ladder and was feeling around to find the end of the halyard when the wind caught the main and powered Galactica into flight with me hanging onto the ladder. I should have just cut the main halyard and use only the foresail for the weekend. Bone headed cheapness. Anyway, by that time Angie understood the level of my concern about the main sail being stuck up and winds gusting with strength. I muscled my way back on deck and turned us back into the wind, started the motor and at that time, the halyard either snapped or was cut by the prop. It probably sounds worse than it was but never-the-less, a harrowing learning experience. Table Rock is a pretty lake, clean waters and strong winds; however, the powerboats are definitely NOT used to sailboats and most apparently forgot or didn't understand right of way rules along with respect for wind powered vessels. We got buzzed while under sail numerous times, the worst one was a large scarab type boat that left 4 to 5 foot waves which fortunately, Galactica shouldered through.
Winds were strong, around 15 mph with gusts quite a bit stronger yet at times, quite calm as pictured above! There were interesting bands of strong winds that blew down the lake from the saddles between Ozark mountain tops. On every tack, we would alternate from light sailing to downright fierce winds. Galactica had never sailed as fast as she did on Saturday afternoon. I could feel the power at the helm as the sails hardened and Galactica would leap forward leaving a gurgling wake!
Video Angie took under sail not long afterwards...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppCDTeNHQQI&feature=related
Winds died down and we sailed on a long run to the hwy 13 bridge then let out the Genoa and began tacking back up the lake! As the winds became stronger again, we kept furling the Genny until we were sailing with the main on it's only reef and about 1/3 of the Genny out. It was quite an afternoon! We eventually furled all sail and began motoring in and out of coves looking for a gunkhole for the night.
Waters were quite deep 180+ feet in the channel and tiny coves still 80-90ft. deep. Our anchors only have 150 line and 12' of chain so we were looking for more shallow anchorage.
We found a line of power boats anchored in 50' of water. I dropped anchor and we watched tensely only to find that our anchor didn't hold us in the wind. We explored deep into a cove that had two private docks in it and at the end, found 30' water to drop anchor for the night.
We swam for a while to cool our core body temperatures down in the 90+ degree heat and humidity.
We have a great little grill skillet which makes cooking on the Magma very easy. Angie had Chicken soaking in some flavorful concoction and we threw in potatos and carrots! A great meal! Food always tastes better when outdoors!
Angie retired to read while I played my guitar as the sun set and stars came out. I was treated to a show of meteors!
Lot of stars and meteors after the sun set! My aft Tiki provides lots of light on the cockpit and the masthead anchor light worked great!
The next morning, we pulled up the anchor, set the foresail and sailed out the length of the cove into the lake! Numerous times, we could hear kids exclaiming about the sailboat--especially sailng up the lengthy cove and bay.
We saw boaters taking pictures of Galactica under sail--sailors must be a rare thing at Table Rock.
We had a fantastic sail all the way back to the ramp. I literally could have sailed up to the dock but chose to stop 50 feet out and de-rig as much as possible on the cool water rather than up on the hot parking lot!
Video I shot as we were sailing up to the ramp, ending a fantastic sail!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhZ3Smfi2ww
It was a wonderful way to end our first venture and exploration in that lake!!! I'm pleased with the performance of my recent modifications to Galactica's Trailer!
