Cumberland Lemons and Lemonade

[HURRICANEBOB]

Lemons:
1. Dam needs help
2. Water is to 680, and worst case could get skinnier, many ramps can't be used.
3. Dam repairs = 5-7 years
4. Local $$ impacts i.e. tourism/fishing also equates to Sate and Federal Tax Revenues lost.

Lemonade:
1. Guides have there boats in the water ALREADY.
2. Dock rental boats are ALREADY in the water.
3. Tourists will have a hard time ramping in with their own boats. Ergo less "do it yourself" competition, and "if they want to catch Stripers, and can't use "their" boat, then they have to.............(see item 1 above)
4. Houseboats for rent are already in the water.
5. Ergo, shouldn't the emphasis be to clarify the situation to potential tourists in terms of:
a. "Don't bring your boats, save the prep and the trailering, and the hassle, we have you covered once you get here"
b. Rental runabouts provide the skiing and swimming opportunities.
c. State docks floating party barge can be come the "bus" that takes folks out (100 at a time). Sking boats meet the barge once out to take on skiers on a "pay per run" basis. Balance can watch from barge, party, and "Oh, by the way did we forget to tell you we are selling snacks, cold drinks and grilling hot dogs and hamburgers?" And just maybe it has some down poles and rod holders and shiners. Hmmmm....kinda like folks at the seashore who walk out a pier, and pier fish.
d. Any dock with houseboats, has the basic equipment for 30-40 person "day tours", trips to go swimming, see different docks and gift shops, eat a shore lunch at a dock restaurant. And, the "STORY OF LAKE CUMBELAND MOVIE" gives history of the lake, shows it full, and all can see and photography a "HISTORIC" (not catastrophic) event in KY history.
e. So why can't guides alos offer photographic tours for tourists, i.e. take them to falls, or docks or ramsp, so they can get first hand pictures. OH, BY TEH WAY, WHO HAS A CONTRACT WITH ANY LOCAL OR MAJOR NETWORK NEWS OUTFIT TO PROVIDE RIDES AROUND THE LAKE SO THEY CAN SEE AND FILM THE TRUTH, VS THE FICTION. ?
f. Lots of folks love metal detecting for lost and historic treasures. With lake a low levels, artifacts from years gone by are treasure to them. So who is advertizing they will provide transportation to now dry spots where they can now, and maybe never agian, find things long lost?
g. What about GEO TREKING? That's that little game where folks look for hidden treasures using their hand held GPS's. So who's out "plotting the treasures for these folks to find?". Why do I ask, cause they can't get their boats in to find them, so they have to "HIRE" someone to take them to the spot they want to find, or they have to "RENT" something that IS in the water to get there.
h. Who's making it clear that there are now far more areas to swim from than ever before? Who's offering organized shore parties to get to remote, day outing swimming places, either in mass (WATER BUS = RENTAL HOUSEBOAT), or private party trips (i.e Guides to take folks out via boat)
i. I'm not a guide, so please take no offense guys, I love you all. What takes less time and money to prep for? A Striper 8 hour trip (bait, ice, tackle, lost tackle, damaged rods, tackle etc). OR......8 hours or riding around talking to folks and giving them the straight truth about what the lake really is, letting them swim, or ski, or take pictures of an historic event, or hit the beaches to find that metal treasure from 1935!
j. Bigger beaches, longer shorelines, should equate to far more primitive camping and hiking locations and opportunitites than the lake has ever offered.
K. Who's is emphasing the water is just as clean, and beautiful at 680, as at 723?
l. Who has contacted all major universities that teach marine biology or geology, to let them know they have a historical, and fleeting opportuinity, to tour and study a dramntically changing habitate.
L. With the water down, isn't it now cheaper to get you ramp fixed? If not extended to new water level, I mean just resurfaced while its accessible?
M. Take 4 house boats with 2 man Crews out toa main lake and raft them up. Offer Cumberland movies, food drinks, evening dinners, swimming, cast net throwing classes and fishing seminars from the rafted up anchored out houseboats. Customers at any dock pay for a "day pass" flat rate fee, that gets them a ride to the floatilla, where they can roam the houseboats, engage in activitities, and stay as long as they like (up to predesignated closing time, say about 7 pm, so boat can get ready for the "Evening dinner club visitors". (Thats a cook out, byob deal, where the food is provided, the music, and dancing, and 2 way trans to and from the dock).

As some of my posts have hinted, and as my name implies, adversity can spawn rewards. Given the challenges that lie ahead, and the importance of a vibrant local economy (that I feel deserves nothing but the best), I just think there are "out of the ordinary" opportunities that are lurking out there. And I think given the economic impacts, the State and Federal offices need to be ready to make some exceptions to policies, thereby enabling opportunities for the ecomony to dirversify and help overcome the impacts. Exceptional circumstances require exceptional solutions, and laws can be amended, or give god father/sunset dates to help an economy in an unforeseen yet damaging chain of events. We are all in this together, and all stakeholders, the more tourism, the better for the local ecomony that pays in taxes on the revenues they generate. Nugh said.

And I promise, I won't often get this serious......it scares me when I do!

[fishbum]

Dam Hurricane.. You got some seriously good ideas here.. The state should hire you to solve the economic problems at the lake for the next 7 years.. and I am serious about that.
Jim Dicken
PS.. are you still mad at me .. and if so why? I have forgotten.

[redneckshadrap]

Outstanding post Bob...

Billy

[apb]

Interesting post!

fyi, "f. Lots of folks love metal detecting for lost and historic treasures. With lake a low levels, artifacts from years gone by are treasure to them. So who is advertizing they will provide transportation to now dry spots where they can now, and maybe never agian, find things long lost?"

That is actually illegal, so I do not recommend it.

Andrew

[mhall]

I like it, I like it alot, LOL.

[peter]

For everybody's information, apb is an Archeologist. I can't spell that , I don't think. As long as Andrew knows what one is and what he is supposed to do, I don' t have to know how to spell it.

[HURRICANEBOB]

APB,
Gotcha when it comes to things like indian artifacts and skeletons of dionsaurs. But I was referrring to the wheel of granddad's 1942 John Deere, or the odd fishing rod, or trolling motor. When you visit the fossil beds at the Ohio, its okay to take stones with fossils imbeded right? So what's the real difference. I do defer to your experise here, and do think that as an example, this is one of those ares where teh Sates and Feds could ease a regulation for a specififed period just to help spur the economy, and provide an alternate source of tourism. I, as always, sir, repsect your view.

[HURRICANEBOB]

RE: state should hire you to solve the economic problems at the lake for the next 7 years"

Response: forward recommendation with your endorsement to the Capital, and have thier people contact mine for an interview. After that, I'll decide if I want to hire "Them".

RE:are you still mad at me .. and if so why? I have forgotten

Response: I had too till you reminded me, but darned if I can remember. Got any suggestions on what we can argue about next? I'm bored.........

[HURRICANEBOB]

Yo dude, if that's really your picture, then allow me to be the first to call you "SIR".

[apb]

Bob,

Fishing rod, trolling motor, etc., no problem. Technically, anything over 50 years old is an artifact. If you are on federal or state land, it is illegal. If you are on private property, with landowner permission, it is legal. Thats the short answer.

Andrew