B E INSPIRED
Belews Lake – close by, yet a world away The recreational area of Duke Energy’s reservoir north of Stokesdale is preparing to spring back to life as warmer weather draws families with boats, jet skis and fishing poles By CHRIS BURRITT
GRANITE | QUARTZ | MARBLE | SOLID SURFACE find your inspiration at mainlandstoneworksnc.com jeff@mainlandstoneworks.com | 336.773.0714
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Spring 2022
STOKESDALE – Andrew and Dana Angel have a short drive from their home to Belews Lake, where they often head in warm weather with their two children and 23-foot boat in tow. “We say we can be on the water in seven minutes,” Dana said. “It’s not a bad gig.” While the Stokesdale couple fishes year round, the real fun begins as the weather warms up and the Angels and their friends anchor their boats in a cove for a day of wake boarding, tubing and just hanging out. They start early, eating breakfast at Humphrey’s Ridge Marina where they launch their boats, followed by lunch at the Deck at Carolina Marina and a sunset cruise before heading home. “Our friends joke that a 12-hour lake day is nothing for the Angels,” Dana said. “It’s a special place for our family and so many others. There are no iPads, no phones, no email.” The tradition goes back almost half a century, when Duke Energy created the nearly 3,900-acre reservoir in Stokes, Rockingham, Guilford and Forsyth counties as a cooling reservoir for the Belews Creek Steam Station. Water used for the generation of electricity in the coal and natural gas plant is piped into the lake, resulting in warmer-than-normal water temperatures. While fishermen report seeing boats occasionally pulling skiers during frosty weather, the traditional summer season – from Memorial Day to Labor Day – is the
Photo by Chris Burritt/NWO
Stacked signs on a pole direct visitors to a lake villa on Belews Lake as well as the nearby dock, restaurant, and tourist spots as far away as Myrtle Beach.
