A Christmas Catch

Skip and Angie Dechau went fishing yesterday afternoon. She caught the first fish, but he caught the biggest. Not a bad way to spend a beautiful Christmas afternoon in Pontiac!

A new website for a new year!

Hey everyone! Check it out. Our new website is FINALLY finished! It's been in the works for months, and it's finally up for the world to see. Give it a look. Let me know if you see any mistakes, or have any suggestions. I'll be adding pictures and information over the next several months. Your thoughts and comments are welcome. So chime in!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Holiday Schedule

Hey everyone! Just wanted to let you know the dock will be closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (Dec. 24-25) and New Year's Eve and New Year's Day (Dec. 31-Jan. 1).

That's all for now! Have a great weekend!

Home, Sweet Home

Tom and Dee Glenn are happy to have their son J.T. home from Iraq. He made it home Thanksgiving evening. He'll be here through Christmas, and then he heads to Germany on January 5, where he'll stay for about four months. J.T.'s first tour in Tikrit, Iraq lasted a year. Then he spent a year in Germany. And most recently he spent 16 months in Baghdad. J.T. is pictured above on his new motorcycle.

Whooooaaaa weather man (or woman)

So... it sleeted enough earlier to cover our porch and patio furniture. Wow! Didn't expect that. Well, it didn't literally cover it, I could still see the surface underneath. It just lightly accumulated on the wood. On the news this morning the forecast was for cold, but no precip in our part of the Ozarks. A-ha! They were wrong. No worries, it didn't stick to the roads, so it hasn't created a treacherous situation for Highway W. But I can imagine if it stays this cold (Lisa Luna reported her vehicle said 29 degrees) then we may be in trouble after dark if the roads stay wet.

Anyway, just thought I'd give you a little weather report since there isn't anything else exciting happening here. Have a good one! And stay warm.

Let it rain...

It's raining here. And we sure do need it. But what a dreary day. Fitting for the mood I'm in. (Tiger fans know what I'm talking about.)

Letters/statements went out Friday. Some of you may have received yours on Saturday, and the rest of you should look for them first of the week. If you have any questions please call me. If you aren't planning to renew let me know. If you aren't planning to renew and have a lift and haven't sold it/moved it yet, let me know your game plan. Thank you!

Have a nice Sunday.

M-I-Z !!!

Okay, so I know this is a "what's happening at Pontiac Cove Marina" blog, not a "what's happening in the world of football" blog... But I just can't help myself! WOW! Go Tigers! What a game Saturday night. We were there! It was incredible. First of all, our seats were amazing. We were six rows back from the field between the 20 and 30 yard lines. It was unbelievable. So, big high fives to all you PCM customers who happen to be Mizzou fans, too. WE'RE NUMBER 1!!!!

Now, back to business...

I'm finishing up the annual boat slip renewals and will have them in the mail by the end of this week. So you should be expecting to receive something soon. When you receive your statement, if you have any questions, please call me. If you don't plan to renew, please let me know asap. And if you have a lift and aren't renewing, remember you need to have arrangements made (either sold or moved out) by Jan. 1, or you will be expected to pay for the slip for 2008.

Starting this week we're switching over to our winter hours -- 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. daily. We do check our messages every day, so if you call and don't get an answer, leave a message and we'll call you back asap. If you need something during a time other than during those hours, just call ahead and we can make arrangements to meet you or whatever you need to do. We're flexible.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. Enjoy the next four weeks... Christmas will be here and gone before we know it! Oh, and what are your thoughts on a "Polar Bear Swim" on New Year's Day? Some of you might recall Skip and Angie Dechau jumping in the lake on New Year's Day this year... Lucky for them it was at least a sunny day, but still cold and the water was frigid. We all talked about getting a group together to do it this year, so keep checking back here in the coming weeks... I'll let you know if we're going to try to organize something.

Happy Monday!

Talkin' Turkey

Hey everyone! I just wanted to let you know PCM will be closed next Thursday and Friday (Nov. 22-23) for the Thanksgiving holiday. But we will be open on Saturday and Sunday. Just a heads up, in case you plan to spend some time at the lake next weekend.

Also, depending on the weather, we will most likely cut back to our winter hours starting December 1. We are typically open from 8-10 a.m. daily starting Dec. 1 through March 1. However, you'll often find Matt, Tim or myself here much later than 10 a.m. If you know you're going to be here at a certain time and need to meet with one of us, just call ahead and make arrangements with us, and we'll be happy to work with you.

Have a great day!

Sunday afternoon...

Just wrapping up a few things at the dock for the day and thought I'd write a quick update...

Not much happening here this weekend, although there were some hunters in and out. Bill Allen and Craig Mincke both got bucks opening morning. So far they're the only two I know about. Matt hunted in Ava with his dad and brother... He hasn't gotten anything yet. I'll just be glad when the season is over! I'm hearing gunshots from dawn 'til dusk. Yikes.

Speaking of hunters... Roger Lee told me the fire department served 202 dinners last night at its annual hunters' dinner. WOW! That is awesome. I haven't heard how much money they netted, but it sounds like it was a great fund-raiser for them.

The water is officially off at the dock. It did get below freezing a couple days last week (and now today it's like 75 and sunny... what??). I hope you've made arrangements for winterizing your boat if you haven't done it yet.

In the next couple weeks you'll be getting the final newsletter of 2007, plus your oh-so-fun renewal info with your slip rental price for next year. Just a heads up.

AND... I guess that's it for now. Oh! I talked to Mike Cochran yesterday. All the way from Iraq. He sounded good. Said he's coming home the first of December. Looking forward to seeing him.

And last but not least... GO TIGERS!

Autumn has arrived... are you ready?

Hey everyone! Once again, sorry I've been absent for a while. Been BUSY! So, here is what you need to know...

The chili cook-off on Oct. 27 was lots of fun. We had 15 entries. Last year's champ, Skip Dechau, tied for first with Bob Gunkel! It was quite a showdown. Bob set out to beat Skip. So it was so appropriate that they tied. Kathy Fourcault won for most original recipe. And Kelly Laurie won for the most-likely-to-set-your-mouth-on-fire hottest chili. It was also a Halloween party--a few people were festive and came in costume. I think a good time was had by all!

Have you seen the weather forecast for P-town? If you haven't made arrangements to winterize your boat, I would strongly suggest you do so asap. Temps are predicted to get below freezing the next couple of nights. I know Roger Lee (Stateline Marine) has been busy doing winterizations the past couple weeks. If you're planning to have him to yours, and you haven't called him, you should do it NOW! His number is 417-839-3084. Or, if you're doing it yourself or having someone else do it, you should get it done. This cold weather snuck up on us, as usual, and I just want to make sure you're all prepared. Also on that note, we'll be winterizing the water at the dock probably this week. So keep that in mind if you're coming down to stay on your houseboat, or use the water to clean your boat. There won't be any. Sorry. Click here to see the latest forecast from weather.com.

The Pontiac/Price Place Volunteer Fire Department is having its annual Hunter's Dinner this Saturday night at 5 p.m. For a $6 donation for adults, or $3 donation for kids younger than 10, you get turkey, dressing, and all the trimmings, plus dessert and a drink.

Let them eat CHILI!

A couple reminders for the chili cook-off and Halloween party tomorrow night at Charles and Lisa Luna's garage... The chili tasting starts at 6:30 p.m. If you're making chili, please arrive by 6:00 so we can get everyone situated before the hungry crowd gets there. Please bring a ladle for your chili. We should have plenty of extension cords and power strips. However, if you have one that you would like to bring for your slow cooker... bring it! We need as many as we can get. PCM has all the fixin's for the chili, plus a keg o' beer and a non-alcoholic beverage, too. You may bring a dessert if you'd like. Cost to eat is $5 for adults; $3 for kids. (Chili makers eat for free.) Anyone who eats gets to vote on his or her favorite chili. Winners take home cash prizes!

ALSO... it is a Halloween party! So you can wear costumes! Kids and adults! I'm dressing up! It's going to be so fun! We'll have a costume contest later on in the evening. If you can't come up with a good idea, no worries, you'll still be allowed to come in. :)

If you have ANY questions, please let me know!

Mother Nature is our pal

Well, it seems we dodged the bullet again last night. Thank goodness for that! I'm sure many of you are aware of the severe weather that passed through the Ozarks last night. Some of you probably rode out storms at your own homes. I hope everyone is safe and sound this morning. Other than a bit of debris on the roads, a few misplaced trash cans and some trash in the fuel dock this morning... all is well at PCM.

The Scoop

(Left) Last year's Chili Cook-off winner, Skip Dechau, modeling a great costume idea for the Halloween party on October 27.

Okay, so I've had several people ask me about the details for the Chili Cook-off and Halloween party, coming up on October 27. So here's what you need to know... It's going to be held at Charles and Lisa Luna's garage. They were kind enough to let us do it there last year, which worked out great, and they've agreed to let us have it there again this year! (If you don't know where that is, just ask me.)

If you'd like to enter your chili, all you need to do is bring a crock pot (something that can plug in and stay warm) of your best recipe, and a serving ladle. We're going to open the tasting at 6:30 p.m., which means the chili makers should arrive at 6 p.m. to set up. PCM will provide all the fixin's for the chili -- cheese, crackers, etc. Plus we're donating a keg of beer and non-alcoholic beverages, too. If you're not making chili, but you'd like to contribute something, feel free to bring a dessert. Cost is $5 (all you can eat) for adults; $3 for kids. Anyone who eats gets to vote. Winners take home cash prizes!

Remember, this is also a Halloween party, so we encourage you to be festive and wear a costume; however, you certainly don't have to dress up. The Halloween party will go on into the evening, and there will be a costume contest for kids and adults.

If you do plan to enter the chili contest, please shoot me an e-mail or give me a call, so I can have an idea of how many crocks of chili we'll have this year. Last year we had 20!! It was a great turnout. Skip Dechau took first place... Who's taking on the challenge this year???

Hellooooooo!!

Sorry I've been absent for a while... I just haven't had much to write about. But here goes...

First of all, we're open 8am to 5pm daily and will be through the end of the month. Jackie's is open 3-10pm Wednesday and Friday... AND you should know she is not serving pizza on those days. Pizza only on Saturday and Sunday. And she is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner on Saturdays and Sundays, although the kitchen does close early on Sundays.

The Chili Cook-off and Halloween party is 16 days away and counting! Have you picked out your costume yet???

Fishing has been pretty good. Matt caught a couple crappie a few nights ago. Yum.

That's all for now. Have a good evening!

Matt the Trash Man

This is the pile of trash Bill Adams, Dennis Kroeker and Orville Vogt picked up on Saturday. Click here to see more pics from the Pontiac Lake Clean-Up and Full Moon Party. (Oh, and thank you to Sharon Davidson, who took some of these pics.)

Clean-up Wrap-up

The Pontiac Lake Clean-up was Saturday. We filled two truck beds with garbage. Bill Adams, Dennis Kroeker and Orville Vogt collected a big bunch of it. They brought in three big Styrofoam blocks that were pretty water-logged. Matt loaded all the trash into the trucks at the launch ramp, and let me tell you, I wasn’t sure if he was going to be able to get those things into the truck bed by himself. That’s how heavy they were. Those guys also brought in several old tires, and some other garbage.

Gary and Cindy Peterson, Jessica and Gabe Blackburn, and Eric and Cathy Callahan also brought in a lot of trash—including the kitchen sink. Literally. They found a kitchen sink AND a refrigerator. The fridge was too big to haul back, so they just brought the door back as proof. Susan Dieckhaus found a barbecue grill that was dumped at Gulley (Gooley) Creek. Other participants included Micky Iseminger, Lynda Dunsmuir and her granddaughters, Nina and Ashton; Lynne Akins and her family, and several others. We collected about two-thirds as much garbage this year as we did last year. A lot of folks told me there just wasn’t much out there, which tells me people are picking up after themselves (and others) on a regular basis. Thanks to everyone who helped out!

Afterward the Pontiac/Price Place Volunteer Fire Department served hamburgers, hot dogs, potato salad, baked beans and dessert at the park. They raised about $400 for the fire department. Bob Kirgan, Ted Gutweiler, Shirley Sanders, Bill Richardson, Roger and Debbie Lee, Chuck Wilson, Georgianna Dorell and Vita Curvey were there to help. (I apologize if I forgot anyone!)

Larry Wallace and the Outlaws entertained us with their music. All in all it was a fun day and night. I'll post pictures later on.

Cheers!

Where's the pot o' gold?

Late this afternoon a little storm blew through, bringing with it some very strong wind gusts and a quick rain shower. Afterward the sun came out and the roads were steaming. This rainbow appeared, and you could actually see the other end of it, too. I just couldn't capture the whole thing in this pic. Pretty neat.

Lake Cleanup/Full Moon Party THIS SATURDAY!

Don't miss out! Picking up trash is LOADS of fun! Didn't you know? Well, okay, so maybe picking up trash isn't normally your idea of FUN, but it is a great way to give back after a season full of fun on the lake. Plus, we've got a fun picnic and party planned in the park following the cleanup. The Pontiac/Price Place Volunteer Fire Department is grilling up burgers and hot dogs, sides, dessert and drinks for only a $6 donation for adults and $3 for kids. Food starts at 5:00. Then, Larry Wallace and the Outlaws are playing from 5:30 to 9:30. These guys (and gals??) have always put on a good show for us in the past. They're a little bit (okay... a LOT) country, and they are great. The forecast looks good... 80 and sunny during the day, upper 50s for a low... It's going to be a great weekend all around.

We hope to see you here!!

Catching Up

Sorry I haven't written anything in so long! Needless to say it's been pretty quiet here since Labor Day weekend. The air temp is still getting very warm during the day. But the chilly nights have caused the water temp to drop in the past few weeks. It's probably upper 70's, maybe 80 degrees in some places.

Our hours continue to get shorter... This week we are open 8am to 6pm Monday to Thursday; 8am to 7pm Friday; 7am to 7pm Saturday; 7am to 6pm Sunday. Next week may be different. I'll keep you posted.

Don't forget to let us know if you plan to attend the Lake Cleanup next weekend so we can plan for the food!

VID's (very important dates)

Sept. 29: Pontiac Lake Clean-up and Full Moon Party (pick up trash during the day/party in the park starting at 5:00)

Oct. 27: Chili Cook-off and Halloween/Costume Party

More details later...

Fantastic Forecast!

Today is still a little dreary in P-town. We have gotten some much-needed rain over the past few days. But check out the forecast for the next 10 days -- click here. Nice!

So there really are fish in Bull Shoals...

Skip and Angie Dechau went fishing on this cloudy, rainy day and caught dinner! Four nice kentuckys. Not bad!

PCM hours

Open daily 7am to 7pm. The hours will continue to get shorter, maybe even on a weekly basis, so be sure to check with us regularly. Thanks!

Correction

I wrote earlier in the week that Ed Duffin was taken to the hospital via ambulance for heat exhaustion after helping fight the fire on Monday... I just found out that is not true. Apparently he was treated on-site for exhaustion. But he did not go to the hospital. Sorry about that, Ed!

The Last BIG Hurrah

Wow. What a crazy weekend that was. We couldn't have asked for better weather. It was gorgeous, sunny, not too hot, and no rain -- although we still desperately need the rain. Everybody and their brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, kids and dogs were in town this weekend. I heard several folks say they'd never seen the lake so busy. And I believe it.

In Labor Day Monday news... The woods at Gooley (Gulley) Creek caught fire yesterday, and from what I was told it was quite a fire, and it spread very quickly and threatened a few homes. The fire was headed toward Lynne Akins' home (her son, Aaron, works at the dock), and they were pretty scared. Thankfully the wind shifted the fire away from their house. A lot of volunteers were there helping -- Pontiac, Timber Knob, Theodosia, Oakland and Gainesville fire departments responded, and so did the Conservation Dept. and the Corps of Engineers. Rumor has it the fire was started by people camping at the creek. Shame, shame. Seriously people... when it's this dry, be smart and don't light a fire. Sheesh. Thank goodness everyone is okay. Although I did hear Ed Duffin was taken to the hospital via ambulance... for heat exhaustion or smoke inhalation... I hope he's doing better today. I haven't heard.

So anyway, besides the fire, Labor Day weekend came and went without incident. And alas, summer is winding down. We've changed our hours: 7am to 7pm Sun-Thurs; 7am to 8pm Fri-Sat. And they will continue to get shorter throughout the month. I'll keep you posted. Also, Jackie is back to her off-season hours. She is open 3-10pm Wednesday and Friday; 8am to 10pm Saturday; 8am to 6pm Sunday.

Now, just because Labor Day is over doesn't mean there is no more lake fun to be had this year... Don't forget the Pontiac Lake Cleanup and Full Moon Party is Saturday, Sept. 29. I'll have more details for you soon. And also the chili cook-off will be coming up in a couple months -- a date and more details will follow on that, too.

Have a nice (four-day) week everyone!

Got Gas?

Or should I say... Do you need gas? Just a quick note to let you know our fuel price has DROPPED to $3.249 per gallon. Fill 'er up!

Huge Labor Day SALE!!!

Have you been eyeing a PCM t-shirt this summer but just couldn't quite pull the trigger? Well, now you have no excuse! Starting Friday, all t-shirts are 20% off. AND the shirts that are already on sale are BOGO (of equal or lesser value) FREE! That's right! (That's buy one get one FREE!) We want rid of all shirts before year's end so we can make room for the 2008 designs... and we promise they will be better than ever, including tanks, short-sleeve and long-sleeve tees, plus some original designs by an artist friend. (Yep, I did say we were doing that this year... and it didn't happen... sorry... but we really are next year!)

Plus... all tubes, skis, wakeboards, kneeboards and life jackets are also 20% off THIS WEEKEND ONLY!!

AND... we're not finished yet... All Caribbean Breeze products (that includes sunscreen, suntan lotions, after sun lotions, etc.) are also 20% off. Stock up now for next season!

This is one heckuva sale! We NEVER do sales. So you better take advantage of us -- er, I mean, take advantage of THIS SALE before it's too late. :)

Just a note to let you all know Pat Murphy passed away last Sunday. Bill and Pat are long-time dock customers and Pontiac residents. The family has chosen to have a private service. I will keep you posted if I hear any more details. If anyone has a good picture of Pat will you please e-mail it to me? Thank you. She will be missed.

Pic 1 - Lost Cove Resort

I stopped by Lost Cove Resort on Tuesday (to pick up Paul and drag him to his first Missouri Bull Shoals Lake Association meeting), and I got a quick tour of Cabin #1... almost finished! Then I saw him today, and he said the appliances are in, and the furniture is arriving on Tuesday. He and Carol may have their first renters Labor Day weekend!

Pic 2 - Living Room

Pic 3 - Kitchen

NEW HOURS

It's just a minor change, but with things slowing down considerably through the week since school has started we have decided to start closing at 8 p.m. Sunday through Thursday. So here goes...

7am to 8pm Sun-Thurs
7am to 9pm Fri-Sat

These are our hours from now through Labor Day. We will be open until 9pm the Sunday of Labor Day weekend. And we will start closing at 8pm daily starting Labor Day Monday, Sept. 3.

Questions? Let me know!

Mark your calendars...

It looks like the Pontiac Lake Cleanup & Full Moon Party is going to be September 29. Activities will be similar to last year... We'll clean up the lake during the day, then have a picnic and party in the evening. Details are not yet worked out. I'll keep you posted.

Don't forget...

... tomorrow is National Marina Day. You know what to do.

Hang on Ladies!

(Photo by Kristy Laurie): Who's that stud on the jet ski giving rides to and from the shore at the Blowout last Saturday? Is that legal? Somebody better call the water patrol...

If you can't take the heat... go jump in the lake!

The 10-day weather forecast for P-town is BRUTAL. Check this out. A hundred degrees the next five days! I know other parts of the state/country are also experiencing the dog days of summer. We're not the only ones. We're just lucky we have a giant pool (a.k.a. the lake) in our backyard so we can stay cool! I hope those of you who work outside are taking good care of yourselves and drinking LOTS of H2O.

Take this Dog Days of Summer Quiz to see how much you know about summer.

Blowout 2007

Click here to see more pics from the Blowout. Thanks to Kristy Laurie for sharing her pics with me. She took about half of these.

National Marina Day: Celebrating America's Gateways to Boating

This Saturday, August 11, is National Marina Day. So just for fun if you come in anytime from 7am to 9pm this Saturday and mention National Marina Day you'll get a free bag of ice! You must be a dock customer at PCM. Only one bag per family/boat/slip. You get the idea. Click here to learn more about National Marina Day. Cheers! See you Saturday.

Is it really over?

THANK YOU to everyone who came out yesterday afternoon for the 28th annual Blowout. Great weather. Good food. Lots of fun. I'll post pictures soon.

BLOWOUT reminders...

Bring a chair... if you want to sit on shore.
Bring a side... if it's feasible for you.
Wear your swimsuit.
Wear sunscreen. It's going to be HOT.
Remember, we eat at 2 p.m.
Music is from 2 to 6 p.m.
Bring some cash if you want to buy raffle tickets (proceeds for fireworks 2008).

Questions? Give me a call, e-mail, or stop by the dock. See you tomorrow!

Blowout this Saturday...

A little snippet of what you have to look forward to this Saturday afternoon... :0)

Big Daddy

Mrs. Brenda Kankey had the biggest catch last night... Look at the size of those chompers!

Mike Cochran, Brenda and Larry Kankey, Skip and Angie Dechau, Josh Simpson, Pat Godwin, Bob Gunkel and Matt were the catching crew last night. Click here to see all the pics from the crawdad hunt. (Oh, and check out the snapping turtle Josh caught while looking for crawdads... He was awfully feisty.) Remember, the boil is tonight, 7:00, at the pavilion in the park. Anyone and everyone is welcome. Bring a chair. Bring a beverage. Bring a dessert (if you want!!), but it's not necessary. Just come down and have fun!

Doggie Doo

I was just looking back at some old blog posts, and I noticed a comment from (I believe) a few weeks ago! I apologize for not responding to this sooner... An anonymous person commented that some folks are not cleaning up after their pets leave a "mess" on the new dock. Please, please, please take care of this if your pet does this. There are 84 boat owners sharing that space. Allowing your pet to leave presents for your neighbors and then not cleaning it up is not a nice thing to do. And that goes for any person on any dock, not just the new dock.

Crawdad Boil this Thursday night!

Mike Cochran is home! At least for a little while... He is set to leave again August 9, to head back to Iraq. If you haven't seen him and hugged his neck, I suggest you do so asap! He just stopped by my office and informed me the crawdad boil is THIS WEEK! Everyone is going to the river Wednesday night to catch them. If you want to help catch them meet at the dock around 8:00 Wednesday night to carpool and caravan over there. If you plan to get in the water don't forget to bring a towel and maybe a change of clothes. If you have a mask/goggles and a dive light, bring those, too. The boil is Thursday night at 7 p.m. at the pavilion in the park. For those of you who haven't been before... the boil includes crawdads, corn on the cob and potatoes. If you'd like to bring another side or dessert, please do so. Also, BYO beverages and a lawn chair. Mike says if you can't help catch, and you don't have time to make a dish or dessert... it does NOT matter! Please come anyway! The more the merrier. And if you think you're anti-crawdad, at least give them a try. They really are quite tasty.

WATER, WATER, WATER!

The electric problem on the new dock is fixed! The water will be back on first thing tomorrow morning. Again, I apologize for the inconvenience. Thank you so much for your patience.

New Faces

Okay, so I don't have pictures to post at this time... But I'm sure you're wondering who some of the newbies are pumping your gas at the dock this summer. The tall blond-headed young man is Spencer Wade. A-ha! Another Wade! Yep, he is Matt's first cousin. He is a student and plays baseball at York College in Nebraska. He'll be with us through mid-August. You all know Sam... he's been with us for several summers now. (He is a sophomore at Central Missouri State University in Warrensburg, in case you didn't know.) His younger brother, Lucas, is new at the dock this year. He has curly hair and looks like Sam! The other new young man helping us this year is Rice Voss. His family has been enjoying the lake since before he was born! He and Lucas are both high school students at Gainesville. And finally, Jana Engstrom is a brand new employee. She is Aaron's older sister -- Aaron has been with us a few summers now. Jana is picking up a few shifts a week -- she already has a full-time job! So... there are their names! I'll try to get them to let me take their pics, and I'll post them here soon.

Body of Keith Akridge found

I just heard this morning... Apparently divers recovered the body of Keith Akridge last night. Click here to read about it.

28th Annual Blowout!

I've been working on a summer newsletter, which includes details on our upcoming customer appreciation party, among other things. And I'll have it in the mail by tomorrow. However, I thought I'd go ahead and let you know the date and details so you can mark your calendar and plan to be there.

The Blowout is set for Saturday, August 4. As many of you know, we changed things up a bit last year by moving it out of the sweltering park to a lakeside location. The turnout was great, the feedback even better. Almost all of you came by boat and stayed in the water all afternoon. We provided meat and beverages, along with music by a local D.J. It was an afternoon event that ended by 7-ish. Since we had the Blessing picnic in the park back in April this year -- when it was cool enough to enjoy it -- we've decided to have the Blowout lakeside once again this year. We'll give you the exact location a little later. Just plan to spend the day with us on August 4. If you'd like, you may drop your side dish at the dock Saturday morning, and we'll transport it to the site so you don't have to try to bring it by boat. We suggest you use disposable dishes, and please bring a serving utensil if your dish requires one.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Questions? Ask me. Cheers!

Sad news...

As far as I know the body of Keith Akridge, the missing person from Saturday night's boating accident, was not recovered today.

Click here to read an update on KTLO's website. Douglas Rogers (Mammoth Spring, Ark.), the passenger in the bass boat that was involved in the accident, died this morning at St. John's Hospital in Springfield.

Well folks, I still don't really have anything new to report on the boating accident that happened Saturday night, or the search for Keith Akridge. This afternoon David Catanese, a reporter for Springfield television station KY3, and a cameraman came by the dock looking for answers about it. We really couldn't help them because we don't really know what is going on except that the search is still on. We suggested they go to Oakland, which is where, as we understood it, is the base for the investigation. However, they came back later looking to rent a pontoon to get out to the accident site, and Josh (boat dock employee) offered to drive them. David reported live at 5:00 from the road above the launch ramp at Pontiac. Based on his report, apparently some of the other victims involved in the crash were out on the water today assisting divers and others in pinpointing the exact place where the two boats collided, perhaps to better determine where they might recover the body.

That's really all I know. Keep the family and friends of Keith Akridge, and the other victims, in your thoughts and prayers.

Update

Click here to read an update on KTLO's website about the boating accident Saturday night.

Boating Accident

There was a boating accident on Bull Shoals Lake last night at the Missouri-Arkansas border near Pontiac. One boat involved was a bass boat carrying a father-son fishing duo. The other was a ski boat carrying at least six people. The driver of the ski boat is still missing. Search and recovery efforts are under way. A Pontiac first responder said five helicopters responded to the accident -- I believe four were Air Evac helicopters and the fifth was involved in the search of the missing man. I found this story on KTLO's website -- KTLO is a radio station based in Mountain Home, Ark. Click here to read what the radio station reported. I'll keep you posted as I learn more details.

Ooooh.... Ahhhhh....

This is from the Pontiac fireworks Sunday night.

And the winner is...

The fireworks were awesome last night! I've heard several people comment that they were the best ever. Great job to everyone involved. And those of you who made donations over the past year... you can pat yourselves on the back, too!

We drew for the $500 gift certificate to the marina, and the winner is Don Malter. He is a new dock customer this year. So congratulations to Don!

We also drew for 2-night stays to Roo-B-Doo, Cactus Ridge and Pontiac Lodge. Sonny and Dottie Stroud won TWO of those! Rich Delassus won the third.

And finally, we drew for the patriotic quilt that was made and donated by Cheryl Mattingly. Micky Iseminger won that! She is a lucky gal. (You might recall she also won a $100 gift certificate to Just Jackie's at the Blessing.)

Helpers Wanted

We are lucky to have a good group of folks helping set up the fireworks display this afternoon. Bill Bauer, Jerry Conner, Skip & Angie Dechau, Brenda & Larry Kankey, Dennis Kroeker... and I know I'm forgetting a few... Anyway, if you would like to help clean up tomorrow you can check in at the marina in the morning. It doesn't take long if there are several people helping. So, if you're bored, it might be something REALLY fun for you to do! All helpers are much appreciated.

2:45 p.m. Fireworks a go.

Fireworks are ON!

It is now 12:45 p.m., and I've just been told the fireworks are still a go. Puhleeeeeaaaase let the rain stop and the sun shine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rain, rain go away...

As of 7:45 this morning the Pontiac fireworks are still on for tonight! Well... a group of volunteers are getting ready to start setting up anyway. Optimism. It's dreary and rainy, and the radar doesn't look great this morning. BUT, it's early. We're a little less than 14 hours from go time. (The fireworks are scheduled for about 9:30 tonight.) A lot can happen between now and then! Stay positive. And stay tuned.

Electricity Woes: Update #1

Josh -- in full scuba gear -- swam the underwater electric line at the new dock today, and he found the problem! In simple terms, there is a break in the line. Not sure what caused it. But sure enough, it's there. It is fixable, but it will take some time. So... the water faucets and fish-cleaning table on that dock will be out of commission for a bit longer. Again, we are sorry for the inconvenience. Now that we have located the problem we are on it, and I promise we will have your water up and running again asap. Thanks for your patience!

Oh, and... NO SWIMMING, PLEASE. Not that I've seen anyone swimming over there, but I just want to remind you. It is not a safe swimming area. Especially right now.

Thanks! :)

The Golden Ticket

For those of you who have purchased raffle tickets (the blue tickets we've been selling since last year... one for $10 or three for $25), we will be drawing for the BIG winner Sunday morning and posting it at the marina. That is... we'll be drawing to see who wins the $500 gift certificate to PCM! We'll also draw for some other prizes, and we'll post those winners as well. If you haven't bought your raffle tickets yet, there is still time. You can buy them from Bill Bauer or myself through Saturday night. Good luck!

Who needs electricity?

Well... we all do. :)

Sorry for the inconvenience all day Friday and Saturday morning on the new dock. We are having electrical problems, and we're working on it. Everyone should have power at their slips now. However, the water and fish cleaning table is going to be out for a short while until we can fix the problem.

We don't know for sure of the cause. One possibility is a fish hook in the electric line. This is why we don't allow fishing from the dock. We'll find out soon and let you know. Again, thank you for your patience and understanding.

Bill Bauer informed me we have reached the $6,000 mark for the fireworks fund. That means we're going to have a 20-minute show next Sunday! Wow! It's going to be awesome. THANK YOU to everyone who has supported the fund-raising efforts. Without ALL of you this would not be possible.

Busy weekend. I hope everyone had a good one and enjoyed the sunshine.

One more thing...

I forgot to mention this earlier... Happy First Day of Summer! You may think it's flying by, but there are still 92 days left... Enjoy.

Stocking Up!

We just got a new shipment of the lovely and the oh-so-popular Caribbean Soul bags! Come by and see the new styles and colors. AND... we have a new ladies tee on the rack. It's super cute, too.

$3.399/gallon

Gas is FINALLY cheaper at the dock as of this morning! Down 20 cents. Woo-hoo!

Spearfishing Tourney Results

Forty-three divers entered the spearfishing tournament yesterday. The weather was perfect. Here are the results:





1st Place Catfish: Jason Copeland (38 lbs, 7 oz) - $330
2nd Place Catfish: Ricky Clark (29 lbs, 5 oz) - $165
3rd Place Catfish: Randy Boeddeker (16 lbs, 4 oz) - $55

1st Place Rough Fish: Jeff Jeter (8 lbs, 2 oz carp) - $220
2nd Place Rough Fish: Bob Benson (7 lbs, 12 oz drum) - $110
3rd Place Rough Fish: Roger Johnson (7 lbs, 1 oz carp) - $55

Big Walleye: Mike Rees (6 lbs, 12 oz) - $165

We also gave away about 20 prizes... the big one was a Cressi-Sub pneumatic spear gun from Scuba Doo Dive Shop in Mtn. Home, Ark. It went to Pontiac resident Skip Dechau.

(Jason Copeland is pictured above with the winning catfish.)

Click here to view more pictures from the spearfishing tournament.

The Lake's Arisin'

Hey all. FYI, the water is over the lower road... again. So we have it roped off. Please be mindful of this. The current lake level is 657.6, and according to the Corps of Engineers website it's supposed to go up another tenth of a foot by tomorrow. Who knows after that. So far it's really not a big deal. It isn't much higher than it has been the past month... just high enough that it has spilled over the road and made things slightly difficult for us here at the main walkway. :)

This will make you chuckle... The last time the lake was over the road a bit, a certain young lady innocently asked if we could pump the extra water "somewhere" ... I won't tell you who said this, as I'm sure she would be a little embarrassed. But it gave me a good laugh anyway! Yes, that would be handy... but unfortunately... not possible. :)

Looks like this weekend is going to be beautiful! Warm and sunny. FINALLY!! If you're not entering the spearfishing tournament, you should still come on down to Hollingsworth Cove to see the weigh-in from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday.

Anything for a cure...

The second annual Ozark County Relay for Life was Friday night, and the folks from Pontiac represented nicely. Recognize that guy, er gal, in the picture at left? Yep, that's Pontiac's favorite hula girl, Skip Dechau. "Skippy Lou" took the stage Friday night for the Lake Bums in the Queen of the Relay contest. Skip's wife, Angie, helped him prepare for the contest... she even polished his toe nails. Below: Team members Sue Klayman, Karen Eubank, Jessica and Gabe Blackburn watched.

The Pontiac Lake Bums sold raffle tickets for a custom-built 5-by-10-foot utility trailer, the materials and labor for which were donated by the employees of E-Z Loader in Mountain Home, Ark. Norman Eubank is a Lake Bums team member, he works at E-Z Loader, and he was responsible for the trailer idea. The team raised about $3,000 for the American Cancer Society with the raffle, bringing their total to nearly $5,000!! Woo-hoo! LeAnn Kinscherff won the raffle -- she's a dock customer. Congrats LeAnn! The total for the Ozark County Relay was about $114,000 -- the goal was $90,000 -- and that is incredible!

Norman was also recognized for completing the most laps—168 to be exact, or 42 miles. This is the second year he received that honor. Thanks to Norman and other dedicated walkers on the team, the Pontiac Lake Bums also won for the most team laps for the second year in a row. Way to go team!

Saturday was a beautiful day in Pontiac, and the lake was hopping. Sunday, however, wasn’t so pretty—well, I guess that depends on who you ask. It wasn’t a very nice day for sunbathing, but it was perfect for a Sunday afternoon nap or getting a line wet. We had our A/C off and opened the windows, which was very pleasant. It started out overcast, and when the rain started to fall a little after noon it seemed like it would never end (it finally did around 5 p.m.) When we checked it that evening our rain gauge showed that we got only one inch of rain, which we are certain is inaccurate. Maybe there’s a pin hole in the bottom of it. Maybe it’s time for a new rain gauge.

...more on the gas tax refund...

Here is some info from the BoatU.S. Government Affairs website:

Missouri: Recreational boaters can apply for a $0.17 per-gallon refund of state sales tax on either gasoline or diesel fuel purchased for use in their boat. An application form must be on file with the Missouri Department of Revenue before a refund claim may be filed. Original invoices and receipts must accompany the claim, and can be filed no later than one year after purchasing the fuel, or on April 15th - whichever date is sooner.

The application form, 4924, claim form, 4923, and Schedule A, Marine Fuel Purchases by County form, 4925, are all necessary for the tax refund and can all be downloaded from the Internet at: www.dor.mo.gov/tax/business/fuel/forms/. For more information, call (573) 751-7671.

REMEMBER: We have all these forms at the dock, too.

Pain at the Pump

Hey all. I think a lot of you already know this... but in case you do not... you can get $0.17 per gallon back from the state of Missouri for the fuel you buy for your boat. We have the forms at the marina. We try to remember to tell people about them. But sometimes we forget. So just ask us. It is a little bit of paperwork... and you need to save your dock bills (they show gallons, price per gallon, and total)... but it's worth it when you get that little bonus check in the mail! Just think... if you go through 1,000 gallons of gasoline this summer (maybe that's stretching it for some of you) you could get $170 back!! Not too shabby. So... keep that in mind as you cringe at your total when you fill your tank next time. We truly feel for ya. Cheers! :)

Meet your Pontiac Park attendants!

Have you noticed new faces in the gate house this summer? John and Guyla Roberts are from Mountain Home, Arkansas. They've been here since April, but perhaps you haven't met them yet. They're really nice people, and they're with us until early fall. It's looking like today is going to be a beautiful day! Get out and enjoy it!

A Few of Our Favorite Things (Part 1)

(Above left) Cool Bags: We now carry Caribbean Soul beach bags! They are great. Brightly colored works of art, these bags are big enough for all your lake gear, including big fluffy beach towels, and they are waterproof on the inside! So your stuff won't get wet, even if the outside of the bag does. They are selling fast, so get one now!

(Above right) Quaint Little T-shirts: People have been requesting these shirts, so we bought them in more colors and more sizes, including men's and women's. Hey, if the shoe fits...

Q: Why did the snake cross the road?

A: To get to the other side... which happens to be right by my mailbox.

Oh yes, this "little" fella was lying on the edge of the road by my mailbox yesterday afternoon! When I pull up to get the mail or drop off outgoing mail I have to get out of the driver's side and walk around to the mailbox, because I can't reach out the passenger window... Luckily I saw this thing before I got out of the car, or else you probably would have heard me scream from 50 miles away. :) I thought it was dead, because it didn't move an inch when I pulled up beside it and leaned out my car window to take this picture. However... it wasn't there this morning. Yikes.

The Calm

Well, the first holiday weekend of summer 2007 has come and gone. Historically Memorial weekend can be a wash if the weather doesn't cooperate... This Memorial weekend weather was no exception, although the off-and-on rain and cloud cover didn't seem to stop too many folks from heading out on the lake. PCM was hopping all weekend, as I'm sure you noticed if you were here. Naturally, yesterday was gorgeous -- sunny and warm. I know some people got to enjoy a little of that before packing up and heading home. So, thank you to everyone who spent your Memorial weekend with us in Pontiac. I hope everyone had safe travels home.

We are open from 7am to 9pm every day from now till Labor Day, and Just Jackie's is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day as well.

The next event on the PCM calendar is the Pontiac Spearfishing Tournament June 16. Even if you don't scuba, you might enjoy coming down to Hollingsworth Cove that afternoon for the weigh-in. It's from 1 to 3 pm.

Cheers!

Good Morning Pontiac!

It's Saturday morning of Memorial weekend... I'm sure most of you are still sleeping! But a few are starting to stir. We had a nice dose of scattered showers yesterday... enough that I didn't have to water my flowers this morning. :) The campground appears to be full, and if last night is any indication... there are lots of people in town this weekend, hoping to enjoy the unofficial first weekend of summer. Puhleeeeaaase let us have long periods of sun today. Cheers!

So... is it going to rain this weekend?

Who knows. But let's hope not! The temp is supposed to be in the 80s this weekend. But the forecast has been calling for a chance of rain pretty much every day. But it's only a chance! The lake is still high. But it's starting to go down. If we're lucky it will go down a liiiiiiiiiiiittle bit more, and we can re-open the lower road. That would be handy. Sorry... nothing else really to report. That's it for now.

A Few Brave Men

Heard from Mike today (that's him in the center). He sent me some pictures and the following e-mail:

"We are inside the compound at the Sadat police station. It is in the city of Al Qaim. The Marines with me are Bennett, to my left, and Bader, to my right. Top gunner on the 240 is Hernandes. They are my body guards. I usually ride with them. What I am wearing is a ballistic vest. The coveralls we wear are made of Nomex, a fire retardant material. We are equipped with either m-16s or in my case, an m-4. Our pistols are Barrettes. Nomex gloves and special vented Wiley Glasses, etc. The Humvee to our rear has a 50 cal. We travel in usually a convoy of six."

He also called today, and he sounded well! I know he reads this blog, so if you would like to leave him a message you can leave a comment and he will see it!

No Thru Traffic!

Thought I'd let you know the lower road is temporarily blocked off. You can still park on the lower road, you just can't drive through. The lake is not over the road, but because of the current lake level the cable that runs across that road and attaches to the dock has some slack in it -- a gust of wind can pick it up off the ground a good foot. So we can't have anyone driving over it. Just be aware that there is a rope across the road. Hopefully the lake will go down a bit, and we can re-open the road. Thanks for your cooperation.

Blessing pics

Here are a couple of pics from the 2007 Blessing of the Fleet. The Stieren family (below) was pictured in last week's Ozark County Times! Yep, that's right. PCM got a blurb in the paper about our event, and this picture was printed along with it. Chris Geroff and his daughter, Valerie (left), won for best costumes. Click here for more pics from the event. Remember, all you have to do (if you don't already use snapfish) is create a user name and password to view the photos. It's easy.

A Little Catching Up

Sorry, sorry, sorry... that there has been such a lapse since I last updated the blog. Lots of catching up to do here.

First of all, I have some very sad news to report... Glenn McGee, of Ava, passed away early Sunday morning. He and his wife, Iva, keep a houseboat at the dock, and they spent many, many weekends here. They were here over this past weekend, and from what I have been told he suffered a heart attack on his boat early Sunday morning, and he died. The PCM community is deeply saddened. There is a visitation tonight from 7 to 8 at Clinkingbeard Funeral Home in Ava. The funeral is tomorrow (Wednesday) at 10 a.m., also at Clinkingbeard's.

On a much lighter note, the Blessing of the Fleet on April 28 was a wonderful success thanks to the many people involved. More than 40 boats were blessed by Fr. Paul. Thank you to those who participated. Also, prizes were awarded to the Yeager clan, a.k.a. "The Vikings" for Best in Show; Chris and Valerie Geroff for Most Original Theme; and Skip and Angie Dechau for Best Costumes.

The Pontiac Relay for Life team sold OUT of food, which included several dozen pounds of fried fish, plus a pig roast, sides and desserts. Several people came up to me and said the food was awesome. So... way to go team! Also, the Original Uncivil Servants performed, and they rocked the park. This was the first event they have played for PCM, and it won't be the last. :) We sold out of all Blessing t-shirts. As of now I am not planning to do a re-order. If you really, really, really want one, let me know. It's not too late to do a re-order. I just need to hear from you asap. And finally, a whopping $3,000 was raised that night for the Pontiac fireworks. THAT IS AWESOME!! Bill Bauer worked the crowd, and sold seven tickets to his infamous "One Minute Club" -- a donation of $300 will get you in the club, and you can brag to your friends that you bought a whole minute of the fireworks display, coming up on Sunday, July 1. Plus he sold several raffle tickets to the big drawing coming up the night of the fireworks -- it's for a $500 gift certificate to PCM. Many other prizes are given away that night as well. If you haven't bought your raffle ticket yet for the $500 drawing, DO IT! It's only $10 for one ticket or $25 for 3 tickets. See Bill or me.

What else... well, it seems we had quite a bit of rain last week, so the lake has gone up a bit. Not over the lower road by any means, but it's getting up there. Other than that the weather has been beautiful. Maybe summer is here to stay. Let's hope so.

I'll post pictures from the Blessing soon.

Cheers!

A little BLESSING reminder...

Hey all! I hope you're having a good week and planning to spend your weekend with us at the Blessing of the Fleet this Saturday! The Blessing ceremony begins at 2 p.m., which means you should be in your boat outside the breakwater by 2 p.m. When the ceremony begins you will pass single file by the end of the new dock, where Father Paul will douse you in holy water. Just kidding... it's just a sprinkle. :)

A happy hour/blessing celebration will follow on the dock for a bit, where we'll be selling Blessing tees for $10 each - proceeds benefiting the Pontiac Firework Fund. Then we'll make our way up to the Pontiac Park pavilion, where the Pontiac Relay for Life team (the "Pontiac Lake Bums") will start selling food at 5:30 -- it's a pig roast/fish fry, and they'll have hot dogs too. Plus sides, desserts and beverages. They're also selling plastic souvenir cups - $2 each. And PCM is providing beer... hopefully it will last all night, but in case it runs out, you should have a back-up in mind. :)

And finally, for your listening (and dancing) pleasure, we are so excited to announce the Original Uncivil Servants Reunion are playing from 6 to 10 p.m. at the park.

It isn't too late to RSVP! Remember, it isn't mandatory to RSVP. It just gives us a better idea of what to expect. Thanks.

Let's just hope we are blessed with nice weather this year! Looking good so far... See you Saturday!

Nice Fish

Zack Lawrence, Florissant, caught these fish a couple weeks ago... The largemouth on the left weighed 4 pounds, 4 ounces.

Beautification

These two have been working away today to make the dock look nicer. Angie has applied a sealer to the whole building, and she's working on the deck around it. Roger is tacking a rubber bumper around all the gas dock slips. It is a beautiful day!

Mike's New 'Do

Mike shared this photo with us. Apparently he just got a haircut! Looks pretty good...

Remembering David Relyea

On Monday David Relyea (pictured left at the Pontiac Lake Cleanup last fall), of Mountain Grove, was killed in a plane crash south of Ava. Dave and his wife, LouDonna, are long-time customers and friends of Pontiac Cove Marina. I looked back at some old records today and found that they have been stall customers at least since 1985, if not earlier than that. So you probably know his face, and you've surely heard his voice come across your marine radio on behalf of the Goldfire, the sailboat they keep at the boat dock.

The best way I know to describe Dave is as an always cheerful, fun-loving world traveler who truly lived his life to the fullest. And he was a great storyteller. Among many other things, he really loved Bull Shoals Lake. He enjoyed flying, and anytime he was in the area he liked to "buzz" the boat dock. In fact, I had been meaning to ask him to take a new aerial photo of the marina. The one we have is so old, it doesn't even show the new dock... I never got the chance.

Based on what was reported on KY3 (click here) and what I have heard from other people, Dave and a friend were on their way back from lunch at Gaston's on Monday when the plane crashed into a ravine in a heavily wooded area south of Ava. The passenger was able to walk away from the accident and call for help. Details about the cause of the crash are unknown at this time.

David is survived by his wife, LouDonna, a daughter, Heather, and a granddaughter, Savannah. And many, many friends. A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 21, at the Mountain Grove YMCA. Call 417-926-6737 for directions. Also, the family has requested that any donations should be made to the Mountain Grove YMCA.

In other sad news... Judy Kirgan, a Pontiac resident and long-time customer of Pontiac Cove Marina, died on Monday at the Baxter County Regional Medical Center in Mountain Home. Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, April 19, at Clinkingbeard's Funeral Home in Gainesville. A dinner at the Pontiac firehouse will follow.

And finally, I'd also like to mention we lost another dear friend and boat dock customer last month, Helen Beard. Helen and her husband, Ron, have lived in Pontiac for many years. Helen is the sister of Pontiac resident Chris Geroff.

Our condolences to the families and friends of David, Judy and Helen.

Fishing Tourney Results

Sixteen teams fished the Verne D. Cubbage Memorial Buddy Bass Tournament Saturday out of Pontiac , despite the cold and morning drizzle. And fishing was pretty good. Twelve teams weighed a total of 72 fish—a total weight of about 160 pounds. James Henning and Richard Taber (pictured above), both of Theodosia, placed first (a payout of $530) with 27 pounds, 3 ounces. Mark Sanders and Randy Lawrence, both of Ava, placed second (a payout of $300) with 25 pounds, 13 ounces. Bobby Comstock and Tommy Skinner, both of Protem, placed third (a payout of $200) with 21 pounds, 14 ounces. Ray Richardson, Hardenville, and Jerry Coleman, Mountain Home, placed fourth (a payout of $150) with 20 pounds, 14 ounces. Mike Guidorzi, Fenton, and Matt Wade, Pontiac , placed fifth (a payout of $100) with 19 pounds, 14 ounces. Mark Sanders and Randy Lawrence also weighed the big bass and won $160. Several door prizes were handed out. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation. There is already talk of the tournament becoming an annual event. We'll keep you posted.

Howdy Paul!

In addition to Mike Cochran... another friend and neighbor is currently working as a civilian in Iraq. Paul Sturgeon headed over a couple weeks ago, and he'll be there for about three months doing telecommunications for the United States government. I received an e-mail from him last week, and it went something like this...


"i am doing fine... been working too many hours.... as far as being in the desert it is not hot here should have brought my coat. had to buy a sweat shirt to keep warm in the am. i think it is going to get hot real soon though. anyway have to go take care be home soon.
paul"

Paul and his wife, Carol, are currently developing Lost Cove Resort about a mile from the marina up Highway W. We'll keep you posted on their progress, and what Paul is up to as well.

Ohhh... just tie it back together...

This walkway was also dangling in the water after the wind gust yesterday. So there were actually two breaking points... here... and the one in the pic in the previous post. There are a few broken boards, as you can see in the top left corner of the pic... Repair work under way today.

Bye-bye dock...

This is the uncovered dock situated in the back of the cove... don't worry... it's attached now. :) There are a couple pontoons on the dock, and they are fine, as far as we can tell.

This was spooky...

That's an ominous sky... wow. We had a little wind today. One of the docks broke loose... the one situated in the back of the cove. It's going to need a little repair work, but nothing major. Craig Mincke and Frank Mellenger were on the dock at the time, and when it broke loose they were stuck! They were nice enough to stay and help Tim, Josh, Matt and Angie patch things up for the evening. As far as we can tell there was no damage to any boats. Here are a couple sky pics.

Happy Easter!

It was a cold one. A few folks went fishing, and the good news is fish are still being caught, despite the cold. Crappie, bass and even a walleye or two.

Another call from Mike...

Mike Cochran called today. He is doing well. The weather report from Iraq is that it has been cool enough in the evenings that he has been wearing a jacket. It must be cooler there than it has been here! That's hard to believe.

This week he saw ruins of a structure that was built by Alexander the Great sometime between 400 and 300 B.C., which he thought was pretty cool. I asked him to e-mail me some pictures so I can post them on the blog. He said he's waiting for his digital camera to arrive. Hopefully in a couple weeks I'll be receiving pics from him and can share them with you.

Also, he said to let Jackie (Just Jackie's restaurant on the hill above the marina) know he would be calling to order another pizza, but he would appreciate it if the jalapenos weren't cold this time.

:)

Still feels like summer in Pontiac... but for how long?

It's been a beautiful couple of days here in Pontiac. Yesterday the temp hit about 85, and it sure did feel like summertime. Today is about as warm, but the wind seems to be picking up, and everyone keeps saying we're going to get storms. Let's hope not. The temp is supposed to drop, so Easter weekend probably won't be quite as warm as we might like, but it may still be close to 60 degrees and the sun will (hopefully) be shining, according to weather.com. That's not so bad, huh? For you out-of-towners, you can always check out the local radar at ky3.com. Or just click here for the latest forecast from Springfield station KY3.

Longer hours...

Sorry it's been so long since I've posted anything... There hasn't been much to report really. We have changed our hours just slightly. We're open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Last Saturday was super busy, so we decided it was time to stay open a little later. We've been ordering drinks and snacks and candy, trying to fill the shelves. If you have ANY requests, just let me know, and I'll do my best to get it in here. For example, last year a customer asked me to get some sugar free ice cream. Well... did you know Schwans does not carry any completely sugar free ice cream??? They have some "fat free" popsicles and stuff made with artificial sweetener. BUT... on the nutrition info on the back it still says it has "sugar" in it. Hmm. Well, I tried anyway! Also, another big one... TACKLE. Attention fishermen and women... if there is something you've been using to catch fish that we don't carry... please let me know! I order tackle on Mondays and it's here the very next day.

Happy First Day of Spring!

It's official. Spring is here. It sure felt like it this morning with the warm rain we had. Spring newsletters went out last week. Sorry for the opus... Don't forget to RSVP for the Blessing of the Fleet! If you don't RSVP, it doesn't mean you can't come. It just helps us to know how many people/boats to expect so we can prepare an awesome party for you! If you don't get around to mailing in your response... shoot me an e-mail or call.

Cheers!

Spring Has Sprung!

These blooms just came up out of nowhere! So pretty. And sooooo springy! I've been seeing them in everyone's yards. Not to mention our grass is already growing like crazy. I tell you... I think everyone has cabin fever (like me) because these past couple days (70+ degrees) have brought out the fishermen (and women). It's so nice to see the lower road full of cars! We are open all day every day. So if you need to pick up some fishing supplies, stop on by! We just got crappie and bass minnows in today. And we also have nightcrawlers. We've picked up a few bits of tackle. But hey... if there is anything you want or need for fishing that we do not have... PLEASE let me know. I would be more than happy to order it for you (if I can). Have a nice week everyone.

Mike Says Hello

Good morning! I got a surprise phone call this morning from Mike Cochran... all the way from Iraq! (He's pictured at left at our Lake Cleanup picnic last October.) Formerly of the Missouri Water Patrol, Mike is spending the next year in Iraq teaching Iraqi police officers "how to be police" and "how to shoot guns," to put it in simple terms, he says. Other than the one-second delay during our phone conversation, he sounded like he was calling from his house in Pontiac. He is doing great. And he feels safe -- he says when he goes anywhere he is escorted by a group of marines, and he travels in an armored Humvee with a 50-caliber machine gun on top. He said he has his own office and his own living space, with heating and air conditioning. The current temp in Iraq, he said, reaches about 70 to 80 degrees during the day and about 50 degrees at night. He is currently stationed about 20 miles from the Syrian border at Al Qaim. He says his only problem right now is that he has a lot of downtime, and he gets bored: "Yesterday I taught a 30-minute class and rode around in a convoy for eight and a half hours."

He sends his best!

Tim the Builder

A little sidenote to my post about Lake Harbour Village... I forgot to mention that Tim Morgan is building the second house that is currently under construction. I just thought that was an interesting tidbit that you might enjoy knowing.

Um... where did THIS come from?

This morning I walked outside to head to the dock, and there was this white stuff floating in the air. I put my hand over my cup of hot tea, because I didn't want this "debris" to get in my ginger peach/green tea concoction. I thought it was something blowing off the trees! But I soon realized it was SNOW. Whaaaaa? Are ya kiddin' me? So I snapped this pic this morning to show you how miserable this day started. The snow didn't stick to anything, and it has stopped. The sun even came out. But it's still cold. And it's still very windy. Not a very good day for fishing, as Matt and his friend, Paxton, quickly figured out. Oh yes, they braved the white caps this morning. But they were off the lake by 10:00, both of them frozen through from the ride back in. And I was just SURE this would be a nice weekend, despite what the forecasters were saying. After all... it's March! What a disappointment. Oh well. Maybe spring will come tomorrow.

Welcome to Lake Harbour Village

If you're wondering what's going on down County Road 609... here's the scoop. Tim and Johnna Morgan are developing Lake Harbour Village, a residential community about one mile from Pontiac Cove Marina. Plans include six houses, each situated on approximately 1 1/2 acres. House No. 1 is finished and is currently on the market. House No. 2 is under construction, as you can see, and Johnna says it should be finished by mid-summer.

Each house will include a full basement -- and in addition some will have the living and sleeping space all on the main level, while others will also feature a loft. The first finished house has living space on three levels -- the loft has a bedroom and bathroom, plus a small living space and office nook; the master bedroom and bath are on the main level, as well as the kitchen, living and dining spaces; and the basement is full and unfinished. The second house, currently under construction, will have living and sleeping space all on one level.

If you're interested in hearing more about Lake Harbour Village, stop in or call the marina (417-679-3676) to get in touch with Tim or Johnna. Or e-mail them at morgan@pontiaccove.com. If you're curious, feel free to drive down and take a look. You might even catch a glimpse of the baby ducks that have been hanging out on the pond.

Happy Friday!

It's March 1st people!

Okay, so I have NOT been very good about writing updates lately. Sorry about that. I haven't had much to report. But I do now! Our hours have changed: We are now open daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. I'll keep you posted, as that will change again in the coming months.

It's March! Which means spring is almost here! There have been so many more people around just in the past couple weeks since the temp warmed up a bit. It's exciting! PEOPLE! Hopefully fishing will pick up soon. There is a tournament going on this week/weekend out of Bull Shoals Boat Dock. But I hear the fishing is terrible. So hopefully that will soon change. If I hear any good reports, I'll definitely let you know. :)

Oh, and I'm sure you've noticed how EMPTY our shelves were this winter. Well, we're stocking up again! The ice man is here delivering bags of ice as I write. And we have beer, soda, chips and other snacks on the way. And fishing supplies. And our 2007 hats and T-shirts will be here in a month or so. Woo-hoo! So when you drop by in the coming weeks, you'll notice the shelves are getting full again. A good sign.

I suppose that's it for now. Have a lovely day.

Cheers!

One year ago today...

...what we refer to as "the storm" hit Pontiac Cove Marina. It's hard to believe it has been a year. Even more difficult to believe it was 78 degrees that day, as this morning in Pontiac we are somewhere in the teens! But sure enough, one year ago today it was pushing 80 in Pontiac. Unseasonably warm, yes, but no one was complaining. That is until a cold front came crashing in, dropping the temp about 40 degrees in a matter of minutes and bringing with it a storm that would wreak havoc on the place. The only witnesses were Jackie Klineline (owner of Just Jackie's restaurant on the hill) and Mary Cline. The two were at the restaurant, and when they saw tin flying through the air, they ran in the walk-in cooler for safety until it was over. When they emerged from their hiding place, what they saw below them at the marina was devastation.

As most of you know, the damage has all been repaired; and a brand new dock was built in place of the one that was totally destroyed. Some boats suffered minor damage; a few boats had more major damage. But in reality, it could have been much worse -- remember the ice storm that hit Lake of the Ozarks at the end of last year... we don't even want to think about that kind of devastation.

"The storm" on Feb. 16, 2006 was arguably one of the worst storms, in terms of damage, this dock has ever seen. At the time it seemed like the worst thing in the world. But we know better than that. There are many worse tragedies that have occurred in this world that affected a thousand times more people. But in our little piece of paradise, it was pretty scary.

While this day doesn't exactly call for any "happy" anniversary salutes, for us it serves as a reminder how lucky we are to have bounced back the way we did. We were open for business during the repairs and rebuilding, and we were back in the full swing of business by Memorial weekend.

I'll admit it -- I'm secretly wishing it were pushing 80 in Pontiac today, as I sit here in my layers upon layers of clothing. I'm ready for summer! But you know, I'm leery of those unseasonably warm winter days now. It just isn't normal to be wearing shorts and flip-flops before March. So I'll take 18 degrees in February any day.

Cheers!

Click here to view more pics of the storm damage from Feb. 16, 2006.