Table Rock Lake

Jeff: It was quite the experience each and every time! Approximately 100,000 vessels travel through that strait every year, and at it's most narrow point it is only 1.5NM wide which poses quite a challenge when you transit that area at night. I remember my first transit, the Captain of my ship had asked that a video monitor be placed in his sleeping quarters of his stateroom so if he was asleep he could wake up and at least have a glance at all the contacts on the radar. The Executive Officer was on the bridge while the Captain was getting some sleep, and I remember the Captain waking up and coming up to the bridge in a panic and asking everyone what was wrong with our radar. The XO told him to "look outside" and he quickly realized that the radar wasn't broken - there were just that many surface contacts! He had been stationed on ships on the East Coast his entire career, and this was his first West Coast ship. So he had never made the transit before. They use a Traffic Separation Scheme which works pretty well and in most cases you cannot overtake a vessel except in a couple of areas. The Navy largely ignored AIS as they weren't legally required to use it (and still aren't) but have said that they will now use it in congested areas after the John S. McCain collision three years ago.

Stephen
 
Hello,

Admiral and I will be arriving at TRL on Friday. Camping at the KOA and boat at the state park. In the past we have taken trips up to Hideaway and cape fair. I noticed that there is another location (looking for somewhere with food/.drinks) called Big M marina? Anyone been there? Is the food good? and is it worth the trip?

MORobb
 
Hi MORobb,

Big M is a pretty popular spot and it is a long boat ride from State Park. They are located over in Cassville and it’s pretty much the far West side of TRL. I haven’t been in a couple of years, though their food has always been good.

The Catfish Hole and Sharky’s Pizza in Kimberling City are good spots too. Just depends on what you’re in the mood for.

Stephen
 
Stephen,

Can you walk to Sharky's or the Catfish hole from the marina? Is Big M much farther than going to Cape Fair from the State Park? We like to take slow cruises Up or Down the lake have lunch and then make our way back. Have been to both Cape Fair and the Hideaway.

MORobb
 
Catfish Hole, yes. Sharky's, they walk to you! Both locations are close to the docks you pull up to, though Sharky's doesn't have dine-in facilities. They will bring your order down to the dock and you can eat it there or take it with you on the boat.

Big M is a little farther than the Cape Fair ride but not as narrow or shallow. It's roughly 1.5 hours one way from State Park @ 25 knots.
 
Cap'n Scuba Steve said:
Catfish Hole, yes. Sharky's, they walk to you! Both locations are close to the docks you pull up to, though Sharky's doesn't have dine-in facilities. They will bring your order down to the dock and you can eat it there or take it with you on the boat.

Big M is a little farther than the Cape Fair ride but not as narrow or shallow. It's roughly 1.5 hours one way from State Park @ 25 knots.
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+1 on the Catfish Hole. Good food and fair drinks. And if you don't feel like walking up a steep hill, they will pick you up from the dock in a golf cart.
 
+1 on Big Cedar. It has been a few years since we have been to Campbell point. Has anyone been to the restaurant there recently? We have friends who have a house at Baxter and they like going to a restaurant at Kings Mill Marina, but we have never been.
 
Well, we made it to TRL. Forgot how much we like this lake. Picked up some friends at Chateau yesterday and headed down into AR. We down and anchored in the cove across from Ozark RV. yesterday was a great weather day. Hope we have several more this week.

If anyone is out let us know and maybe we could meet up for a intro and a beer.

MORobb
 
highslice said:
Should be great weather for you. At least until I get out Friday morning, then rain....
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Sat and Sun look to be shaping up nice, and we all know how weather goes around here. Supposed to rain this past Sunday and not a drop fell on us as we were anchored off Joe Bald all day!
 
Glad to see everyone is having fun at TRL, we spent the weekend with family on LOTO and are spending the week up here on vacation. Little rain on Sunday but we stayed out anyway, love having isinglass and a hardtop.
Family Pic on the boat.jpg
 
highslice said:
Well, Friday morning rain aside, it was a great weekend on TRL. Had my daughter-in-law's family down and a good time was had by all. First time we've had jello shots on the boat...
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Hopefully they were homemade and not those Shotty’s that I’ve seen (and unfortunately tried)! Those things are gross IMHO!
 
Cap'n Scuba Steve said:
Hopefully they were homemade and not those Shotty’s that I’ve seen (and unfortunately tried)! Those things are gross IMHO!
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Most definitely homemade. My DIL's sister works in a research lab and procured a bunch of large syringes. Made the shots and put them in the syringes. Supposedly very good, but I didn't have any. Haven't been drinking much on the boat this year. I had half a beer all day Saturday. Not really sure why, just not interested.

On another note, I am still amazed at the number of cruisers running on plane or at plowing speed. Just not used to seeing that in the past. They do seem to be all newer boats.
 
I have noticed a significant uptick in big boats. We spent Sat and Sun in Coombs Ferry and there were a bunch of older Sea Rays that I hadn’t seen recently. The only thing I can attribute it to is people who have had them on the lake and sold them, and they are now being used. The Mayse family has their huge yacht and there is a new grey and white yacht that looks to be a Galeon or similar. Both of them stop in Coombs every so often.
 
We were in Coombs on Friday and power line on Saturday. There are some new bigger cruisers this year. One of the new ones is a Carver C52 and has a gray colored hull..and there is a new 51 Azumit, with a silver colored hull. I have seen both of these boats in Coombs. A couple of people on our dock have moved up to bigger boats this year...one went to a 2010 390 Sundancer and another has a Meridian 391 under contract.

There are several of the cruisers that I wish would run up on plane instead of running at “plowing speed”.

Im ready for another weekend.
 
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I just hope this isn't the next step towards LOTO status. The wakes don't really bother my boat, especially if I have several passengers (the more weight the less the boat notices). And I don't really mind either. But I wouldn't want to take a 22' boat to Kimberling City.
 
I have seen that C52 as well, it’s a nice boat! I’d still take an L650 over it though!

I get what you are saying about traffic though. Not much bothers our 240, but I feel bad for those small bowriders.

Ready for another weekend as well and Friday can’t get here fast enough!
 
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