Feature

by Marie Krolikowski

Nothing is bad when you are on the Lake

From one waterway to another, these boat owners are staying put at Lake of the Ozarks

Lakes, rivers, oceans…the options of where to launch the boat are many. Each has its own appeal and unique qualities. But what is it about the Lake of the Ozarks that keeps bringing boaters back? What makes our Lake different from the rest? Omaha resident Raymond Perry II grew up boating on the Missouri River. “We are life-long visitors to the Lake and purchased a place two years ago for the family,” Perry said. “We are avid boaters and have experienced the changes at the Lake, and we left the problems of Missouri River flooding behind.” Mike Walters grew up in Minnesota and spent the majority of his childhood on the Mississippi River. “My family had a cruiser, a house- boat, a cruiser, and then moved to a cabin on Gunflint Lake in northern Minnesota,” Walters said. The family then came back to the Mississippi, and Mike himself owned a 26-foot Sea Ray Sundancer and a 30-foot Carver. After much consideration, he shipped the Carver to the Lake of the Ozarks last year. “The Mississippi was beautiful and had beaches you could pull up to,” Walters explained. “There were few restaurants along the waterway. You can take trips up and down the river, through the locks, and up the St. Croix River. Most of the appeal there was our family and friends.” omaha Walters had always heard that Lake of the Ozarks was overcrowded and busy. Five years ago, a friend of his purchased a cabin on the “quiet side of the Lake.” He started spending time there and was sold. “I was driving eight hours every other weekend to go to Minnesota from Kansas City for boating, resident Raymond Perry ii grew up boating on the Missouri River. now the family can be found in their 30-foot and that was getting old,” Walters added. “I was spending time at my friends cabin and I saw the beauty carver on lake of the of the Lake. It wasn’t overly busy and I started to make friends. We did night cruises, went to restauozarks. phOTO pROviDED rants, visited other friends on the Lake and cruised to see the fireworks.” Upon the recommendation from his friend, Walters made the decision two years ago to purchase a place of his own. A shorter drive, the fact that his family in Minnesota wasn’t boating as much, and his love for the Lake sealed the deal for him.

“LOTO is a combination of life on the lake and life on the river,” Mike said. “I miss the beaches and seeing commercial barges. But with lake life, you have your own dock, swimming, tubing, visiting friends and a bed to crash on.”

Walters went on to explain that the people at the Lake are friendly, and his cabin community is like a resort where everyone has a good time. Patronizing different restaurants and night boating are things he couldn’t do on the river.

Walters sold his cruiser and purchased a bow rider. His advice to others thinking of making the move is from his personal experience. First, one needs to determine their needs. When it comes to a boat, do you fish, sail, have kids who want to tube? Do you want a dock or will you rent a slip at a marina? Walters suggests you know your skill level and get help where needed. Above all, make friends and generate those family memories that will last for a lifetime.

In 2011, Ray and Sharon Boyd sold their Iowa lake home of 40 plus years and purchased at Lake of the Ozarks. They left East Lake in Okoboji and never looked back.

The Boyd’s used to boat the Missouri River in Nebraska. They have experienced the northern part of the river which is a very beautiful area to boat and camp, as well as the southern part of the river. In Iowa, they boated all six lakes in the Okoboji area. Sharon explained that they loved boating there, but now there are too many boats, and most are too large for those lakes.

Highlighting the differences between there and the Lake of the Ozarks, it’s easy to see why LOTO has become their preference.

“The real estate taxes are cheaper than Okoboji and there’s more miles of water to explore,” Sharon explained. “There’s more to do at the Lake, and there’s a laid-back atmosphere and friendly people. It’s a longer drive, but it’s well worth it.”

Lake of the Ozarks is much larger than any of the lakes the Boyds previously owned on or boated. The pros include plenty of

places to cruise to, a longer boating season, and the ability to leave your dock in the water year-round.

No place is without its faults, and Sharon talked about those. The negatives include the big boat traffic on holidays and weekends, and not enough places with sand beaches or things for the kids to do.

The Boyd’s first boat was a 14- footer with an outboard. Five boats later, they now own a 25-foot tritoon with a 200 horsepower outboard. The advantage, Sharon explained, is that they can now boat year-round.

“Do your homework before buying a boat,” Sharon advised. “Your purchase will depend on what part of the Lake you want to boat, what kind of boating you want to do, if you want to boat yearround and how much maintenance and upkeep you’re willing to do.” Sharon added that other considerations include whether or not watersports are important to you.

“Boating at LOTO with family and friends equals fun and a lifetime of memories,” she said.

I personally have experienced many different boating venues. My boating experiences began when I was two months old, the result of being born to parents who were avid boaters. Right after tying the knot, my husband and I continued the family tradition of boat ownership, and we have owned a boat ever since. Some of the places I have boated include the Mississippi River, the Illinois River, the Chain of Lakes in both Illinois and Wisconsin, Lake Shelbyville, Kentucky Lake, and Lake Michigan. But for the past 26 years, our best boating experiences were from the Lake of the Ozarks. In my opinion, nothing compares to all the amenities of the Lake.

This past April, we decided to take the plunge and purchase our long-desired Lake home. For us, the Lake far outweighs any other options we’ve experienced. Weighing factors in our decision on where to purchase included the size and depth of the lake, the duration of boating weather, things to do both on and off the water, and whether or not we could consider the location an eventual permanent residence. Number one on my husbands list: what kind of dock could we have?

The size of the Lake and the vast number of dining options along the way was a selling point for us. Anchoring and swimming in different coves, and the uniqueness of each Lake area are things that must be experienced. And mostly, the friendly people we come across and the relaxing atmosphere tells us this is where we belong.

On the flip side, the Lake does get busy and choppy on the weekends. For us, that just means more time spent on the dock, swimming, cooking out, and enjoying a cocktail or two.

This past summer, the Lake has given us memories to last a lifetime. From sunset cruises to entertaining friends, floating for hours or visiting a favorite dining spot, the opportunities for fun have been endless. From talking to others who spend their time at LOTO I can recall one common message — nothing is bad when you’re on the Lake.

OPEN DAILY @ 11AM

Authentic Cajun Right at the Waters’ Edge

KK to the end of Three Seasons Rd. • 21MM