[Rhodes22-list] Greetings from Lake Lanier, GA; Road trip to Lake Sinclair

[John Lock]

At 08:38 AM 7/26/2008 -0700, Kris B. wrote:
>John L., we are thinking of heading down to Lake Sinclair for our first
>major road trip with the boat. We've transported the boat up and down I-85
>between the lake and our house a few times, but we've not taken the boat to
>another patch of water yet. Where do you suggest we launch at Sinclair, and,
>any tips on good anchoring spots for a weekend stay? Many thanks for any
>suggestions for Sinclair.

Excellent!  Please let me know if you'd like to meet up.  We don't 
get many sailors down here, and another Rhodes would be unprecedented.

There are several marinas that will work, but I like Crooked Creek 
the best.  It's the least busy and it's at the quiet end of the 
lake.  The southern end of the lake (closest to Milledgville) will be 
pretty busy with powerboat traffic on the weekends.  Plus it's the 
most heavily populated, so finding a quiet cove to anchor in is 
almost impossible without the neighbors watching.  On weekdays it's 
very quiet and you have more options.

However, at the north end of the lake (where Crooked Creek is) you 
start to get into forest land and preserves, so there are a number of 
nice anchor spots.  There is one just across the lake from Crooked 
Creek marina that I particularly like because you can get behind a 
small peninsula, so it breaks the waves coming off the 
lake.  Unpopulated (except for herons and ospreys) and nice sunsets 
from there too!

Crooked Creek also has an interesting restaurant, not the usual 
country-fried whatever, but varied and interesting.  But you can get 
country-fried if that's what you want.

Keep in mind that none of the marinas have really extensive services 
for sailors.  You can get gas and snacks and find a restroom, but 
that's about it.  The ones at the south end are larger, busier, and 
cater to powerboat traffic.

There are power lines across the lake on the southern end, but they 
are set pretty high and the Rhodes mast clears them easily if you 
stay near the shore side (rather than center channel).  I've been 
under all of them safely, but it's a little nerve wracking the first time.

Here's an overview map showing marinas and parks that you might find 
useful, keep clicking to zoom in on Lake Sinclair -
http://www.georgiapower.com/lakes/home.asp

Depending on what the wind id doing, the sailing might actually be 
better toward the southern end because you've got more fetch away 
from the shoreline.  But more often the wind is blowing either up or 
down the channel, so you'll get either a dead run or a beat 
upwind.  It might be nice to put in at Crooked Creek, sail south as 
long as you feel like then turn around and head north at the end of 
the day to find an anchorage.

Of course you're welcome to anchor in my cove (20+ feet, 2 miles 
south of Crooked Creek), but it's gonna be rolly if there's any boat 
traffic.  Usually that dies off after dark and you're calm until 
morning when the bass boats head out.  We are the only full-timers on 
the cove and usually have it to ourselves even on weekends lately.

Cheers!

John Lock
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
s/v Pandion - '79 Rhodes 22
Lake Sinclair, GA
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~