I would appreciate comments on sailing conditions on Lake Hartwell and living conditions in the area. Specifically, I am interested in the north east section on the SC side. Any issues with bridges segregating the lake into separate sections?From that area, what's the commute like into Greenville? Thanks - Mike
Lake Hartwell
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Mike, when I had a Hunter 260 I frequently launched her from Portman Marina just south of I-85 at exit 14. I-85 divides the lake for sailcraft into three seperate areas: the southern portion starts at the dam and U.S.29, runs up the impounded Savannah Riverand then splits into two major branches, the Tugaloo River and the Seneca River. These rivers are crossed by the interstate and a state highway. Bridge clearance is in the neighborhood of 11 feet. The Tugaloo continues N.W. as a lake, eventually heading up at the mouth of the Chatooga. The Seneca continues as a lake northerly, with Clemson on the eastern bank. It eventually heads up below Lake Keowee. This would be what you have referred to as the north east side. Sailing is good here, but is isolated from the southern, main body portion of the lake. Best sailing is on the southern portion. You will find three marinas and two sailing clubs on this portion: Portman Marina, Western Carolina Sailing Club, Big Water Marina, Big Water Sailing Club, and Hartwell Marina, near Hartwell Ga. From the Big Water end, near the dam, to Greenville is about an hour and ten, from Portman about 45 minutes. Anderson is the closest city of any size, with hospitals, shopping malls, civic/convention center, university, a West Marine store, frequent civic festivals including a hot air ballon rendevous on Memorial Day weekend, proximity to Clemson and all that it involves, about two hours plus to Atlanta etc. Back to the sailing: it is year round with winds generally from some type of westerly component, meaning a reach up and down the lake due to it's north/south orientation. Summer winds are fickle. Both clubs have a calendar full of year round activity. Steve Kamp
Thanks Steve
Thanks for taking the time for all the detail you provided. If I relocate and work in Greenville, Keowee looks more convenient from a commuting perspective, although it appears to be divided by state route bridges into 3 major sections. Always tradeoffs. Easiest thing is to stay put....serious cabin fever setting in right now.
Thanks for taking the time for all the detail you provided. If I relocate and work in Greenville, Keowee looks more convenient from a commuting perspective, although it appears to be divided by state route bridges into 3 major sections. Always tradeoffs. Easiest thing is to stay put....serious cabin fever setting in right now.
One other thing about Lake Hartwell
A couple of decades ago a manufacturer of electrical transformers, Sangamo, was located on "six and twenty creek" which flows into the lake. As part of the manufacturing process coolant was added to the transformer casings at the plant. The coolant was a mix of toxic chemicals including polychlorinated biphenyls. At the time, excess/spilled coolant was routinely allowed to run off into the creek. The PCB's have made it to the top of the food chain in the lake and the S.C. Dept.of Health and Environmental Control has issued advisories regarding how much of each species of fish in the lake to eat. I will not knowingly eat fish from Hartwell. This situation will not affect Lake Keowee as it is upstream from Hartwell. However, it has it's own set of problems including the Duke Power Nuclear Generating Station. Good Luck, Steve
A couple of decades ago a manufacturer of electrical transformers, Sangamo, was located on "six and twenty creek" which flows into the lake. As part of the manufacturing process coolant was added to the transformer casings at the plant. The coolant was a mix of toxic chemicals including polychlorinated biphenyls. At the time, excess/spilled coolant was routinely allowed to run off into the creek. The PCB's have made it to the top of the food chain in the lake and the S.C. Dept.of Health and Environmental Control has issued advisories regarding how much of each species of fish in the lake to eat. I will not knowingly eat fish from Hartwell. This situation will not affect Lake Keowee as it is upstream from Hartwell. However, it has it's own set of problems including the Duke Power Nuclear Generating Station. Good Luck, Steve
T
Tim
Mike , I understand your locale ?
Mike , I sail out of Fairport Sailing Ctr , and have wanted to go south for years but I seem unable to find a locale to satisfy , even taking into account the climate . I looked at Lk Lanier in Ca and all I hear is its inundated with power boats which its proximity to Atlanta thats not suprising , then I hear about Lk Ouachita in Arkansas , and it doesnt look much better and has level fluctuating dilemmas , which is a severe negative to me anyway , so ......... I was considering retiring but now Ill just stay and continue to collect on retirement funds till i find where I feel is correct , if you have any info to share in a locale please do share it .
Mike , I sail out of Fairport Sailing Ctr , and have wanted to go south for years but I seem unable to find a locale to satisfy , even taking into account the climate . I looked at Lk Lanier in Ca and all I hear is its inundated with power boats which its proximity to Atlanta thats not suprising , then I hear about Lk Ouachita in Arkansas , and it doesnt look much better and has level fluctuating dilemmas , which is a severe negative to me anyway , so ......... I was considering retiring but now Ill just stay and continue to collect on retirement funds till i find where I feel is correct , if you have any info to share in a locale please do share it .
Erie - East of Cleveland
Hi Tim - we are practically neighbors, in fact, I took sailing lessons out of Fairport years ago and sailed a small trailerable there (inside the breakwall mostly) for several years. I like living and sailing in this area very much. We have been here since I graduated from college, and the wife and I are very entrenched in the community. I'm not ready to retire, but it is time to start early planning. I could possibly relocate at this time without disrupting my career. The big thing with us is the long, dreary winter here. We have enjoyed sailing and gunkholing around in smaller inland lakes in the past. Our version of the "the dream" might be a rustic house on a lake like Norman, Lanier, Keowee or Kentucky Lake. Wouldn't that be an awesome place for the grandkids to visit? I'm getting way ahead of myself now. Might be interesting to hear of how others in our situation resolved the tradeoffs. Think I'll put the computer down and head out to Pickle Bills to cheer up a bit.
Hi Tim - we are practically neighbors, in fact, I took sailing lessons out of Fairport years ago and sailed a small trailerable there (inside the breakwall mostly) for several years. I like living and sailing in this area very much. We have been here since I graduated from college, and the wife and I are very entrenched in the community. I'm not ready to retire, but it is time to start early planning. I could possibly relocate at this time without disrupting my career. The big thing with us is the long, dreary winter here. We have enjoyed sailing and gunkholing around in smaller inland lakes in the past. Our version of the "the dream" might be a rustic house on a lake like Norman, Lanier, Keowee or Kentucky Lake. Wouldn't that be an awesome place for the grandkids to visit? I'm getting way ahead of myself now. Might be interesting to hear of how others in our situation resolved the tradeoffs. Think I'll put the computer down and head out to Pickle Bills to cheer up a bit.
T
Tim
Mike I was up last Monday to see
Mike do you still sail a trailerable ? If your interested in sailing on my 30 sometime this summer keep in touch , I run up on my bike after work many weeks on Wednesday and stay over and commute back early Thursday morn , I do most of my socializing at The Highwater ...... being I can walk and I dont trust authorities to entrap these days .
Mike do you still sail a trailerable ? If your interested in sailing on my 30 sometime this summer keep in touch , I run up on my bike after work many weeks on Wednesday and stay over and commute back early Thursday morn , I do most of my socializing at The Highwater ...... being I can walk and I dont trust authorities to entrap these days .
Thanks Tim - We have a H23
docked at Mentor Lagoons. My wife and I would love to join you sometime this summer. We would also be happy to show you around the Lagoons - if you haven't been there for several years, you'll be surprised to see about 500 boats in the city run part, alone. Stay in touch when the weather breaks. My email is mmisko1539@aol.com.
docked at Mentor Lagoons. My wife and I would love to join you sometime this summer. We would also be happy to show you around the Lagoons - if you haven't been there for several years, you'll be surprised to see about 500 boats in the city run part, alone. Stay in touch when the weather breaks. My email is mmisko1539@aol.com.
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