The Church of the Living Waters at StillWaters offers Sunday services from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Services are held at 9 a.m. on the dates listed and communion will be served May 26, July 14 and Sept. 1. The church is located at 782 Lakeview Ridge, across from the Golf Colony Villas, near the Harbor Pointe Marina. Dress is casual, and services are open to the public. Come by car, bike, golf cart or boat.

May 26 – Billy Coleman, Vinemont

June 2 – Rev. Faron Golden, Kent

June 9 – Dr. Gerald Hallmark, Alex City

June 16 – Rev. Dan Rhodes, Union

June 23 – Rev. David Carboni, Dadeville

June 30 – Rev. Sam Henderson, Newnan, Ga.

July 7 – Donna Allen, LaFayette (Message in Music & Song)

July 14 – Rev. James Cullins, Hollins

July 21 – Rev. Kevin Payne, Dadeville

July 28 – Rev. K.G. Jones, Tuskegee

Aug. 4 – Dr. Roy Hornsby, Trussville

Aug. 11 – Rev. Tommy Greer, Bowdon, Ga.

Aug. 18 – Harlan Burton, Dadeville (Message in Music & Song)

Aug. 25 – Rev. Al Perkins, Montgomery

Sept. 1 – Rev. Carmen Falcione, Montgomery

Church in the Pines

For the 60th year, Sunday morning services will be held from 9 to 9:30 a.m. at The Church in the Pines on the Children’s Harbor campus off U.S. Highway 63.

May 5 – Dr. Lawson Bryan, First United Methodist Church, Montgomery

May 12 – Rev. Mark Jackson, Mulder Memorial United Methodist Church, Wetumpka

May 19 – Rev. James Cullins, Retired, Church of Christ, Alexander City

May 26 – Dr. George Mathison, Auburn United Methodist Church

June 2 – Rev. Gates Shaw, Christ Episcopal Church, Birmingham

June 9 – Richard Simmons, Executive Director of Center for Executive Leadership, Birmingham

June 16 – Dr. Jim Jackson, Director of the Elmore Baptist Association, Tallassee

June 23 – Dr. Karl Stegall, Pastor Emeritus, First United Methodist Church, Montgomery

June 30 – Dr. Larry Little, Director of the Enrichment Center, Decatur

July 7 – Dr. John Ed Mathison, John Ed Mathison Leadership Ministries, Montgomery

July 14 – Father Stephen Phelan, Jr., Harbor Presbyterian Church, San Diego, California

July 21 – Spencer Tillman, Lead Studio Analyst for CBS Sports coverage of College Football Today

July 28 – Rev. James Cullins, Church of Christ, Alexander City

Aug. 4 – Rev. John Coleman, Church of the Ascension, Montgomery

Aug. 11 – Jeremiah Castille, Jeremiah Castille Ministries, Birmingham

Aug. 18 – Dr. Belon Friday, Bear Creek United Methodist Church, Bear Creek

Aug. 25 – Pastor Steve Franklin, Steve Franklin Ministries, Birmingham

Sept. 1 – Dr. Mickey Morgan, Retired, United Methodist, Birmingham

Sept. 8 – Rev. John Mann, Retired, United Methodist, Dadeville

Sept. 15 – Dr. Henry Lyon, III, Alabama Baptist Consultant, Montgomery

In addition, Episcopal Eucharistic services will be held at noon on the following dates:

June 16 and 30, July 14 and 28, Aug. 11 and 25.

Kowaliga Restaurant last week opened to resounding reviews of its mouth-watering menu offerings, completely renovated interior and a new Indian carved by local artist Corey Worden.

Worden last fall began working on the wooden Indian that traditionally has greeted visitors to the lakeside-dining venue. He began with a 32-inch diameter pine log more than 9 feet long. “It took some time to find a log the size that would fit the Indian,” Worden said. “The finished Indian is a little larger than life, so the proportions of the log had to be that much bigger.”

Burning through more than 12 gallons of gasoline for his chainsaw, Worden spent three months on the project. “When you’re carving, anything you take away affects the proportions of everything else on the piece, so I would cut and sand and then go back and cut some more. I worked with the whole figure at once, taking away layers and trying to keep it in proportion as I went,” Worden explained.

The Indian, made famous in Hank Williams, Jr.’s, hit country song, Kaw-liga, stands with upraised arm just inside the refurbished entry of Russell Lands On Lake Martin’s newest restaurant.

Work began on the eatery’s renovation last October and included additional seating and docking space, fixture relocations and complete remodeling of the restrooms. A new smoker in the kitchen contributes to an impressive menu with spicy baby back ribs and a brisket po’boy that is reputed to melt in the mouth.

Every table now has a view of the lake, and executive chef Russ Bodner said the restaurant would maintain a family-friendly atmosphere and offer a menu of fresh and delicious entrees and sides at affordable pricing.

By Betsy Iler

The new facilities at Children’s Harbor will be ready for a Magic Moments Memorial Day weekend camp, despite substantial rain delays over the winter, said Robins & Morton’s commercial manager, David Green. “We lost about 47 days due to weather, but we’re catching up over the weekends and working overtime to stay on schedule, and we expect to be ready by Memorial Day,” Green said.

More than $4.3 million in renovations and new construction began last October and will include facilities for an additional 64 campers, a new galley kitchen and dining facility, renovations to the health hut and a handicapped-accessible putt-putt golf course. In addition, a storm shelter under the dining hall will accommodate 200 campers during weather alerts.

“We’re putting finishing touches inside the bay house – painting, finishing floors and doing the trim work, and we’re putting in the landscaping,” construction superintendent Barry Jones explained.

The bay house will add lodging for more than 60 campers in two wings, with a great room in the middle, a small kitchen and new bathrooms and bunk rooms on each side. “About 40 percent of the bay house square footage is outdoor space. The building is 9,800 square feet, and of that, about 4,100 square feet is covered porch and outdoor viewing,” Green said.

Each wing of the bay house will sleep 32 campers, with accommodations for the unique needs of the handicapped children.

The handicapped-accessible putt-putt course will provide 18 holes of golf to campers, said Children’s Harbor COO Myrle Grate.

“The course has been designed to be wide enough so that campers in wheelchairs can putt and get around to all of the holes. It is one large, continuous path woven through the trees. It’s all on one level with a slight grade at different points,” Grate said.

The health hut renovations include accommodations for a doctor or nurse to stay overnight, a new sick room and laundry facility, as well as bathrooms. “This is the oldest building on the site, and we’ve tried to preserve its significance,” he said.

The basement under the new dining hall has been reinforced and furnished with a generator and bathrooms, so campers can be protected during inclement weather.

“In the wake of the tornado that hit here (April 2011), we knew we needed a place to put children in case of approaching bad weather,” said director of community relations for Children’s Harbor, Tammy Jackson.

Funding for the expansion has been provided through a $7 million capital campaign entitled, “In Pursuit of Dreams.” In addition to the facility improvements, the campaign will contribute more than $3.1 million to an endowment fund.

By Betsy Iler

Despite the cold-water nature of Lake Martin’s striped bass population, hot and dry summers provide these large sporting fish with better quality habitat in Lake Martin than cool, rainy ones, Dr. Steven M. Sammons of the Auburn University Department of Fisheries told lake enthusiasts last month. Dam operation hours, Sammons said, may play a pivotal role in driving the quality and quantity of habitat.

Sammons, the author of a two-year study of striped bass habitat, presented his findings to a packed house at the StillWaters administration building on April 8. The program, sponsored in part by Lake Watch and StillWaters, documented and compared locations of tagged fish from April to September in 2009 and 2010 and analyzed habitat quantity and quality during those times.

Acceptable habitat, Sammons explained, consists of water temperatures at or below 77 degrees Fahrenheit with 1.7 milligrams of dissolved oxygen per liter of water.

According to Sammons’ research, acceptable habitat all but disappeared for about two weeks during the cool, wet conditions of 2009 while data showed more consistent – though lesser quality – levels of habitat in 2010 when less precipitation and higher temperatures were recorded.

“But note that the temporary disappearance of habitat does not mean the fish will inevitably die off,” Sammons hastened to explain. “These fish can and often do go as long as three months without eating.”

More than 75 inches of rain fell in 2009, compared to only 48 inches in 2010. And 2009 recorded only 31 days over 90 degrees while 101 days of temperatures at or above 90 degrees were recorded in 2010.

“It didn’t make a lot of sense that 2010 was the year of more habitat until we considered the operation hours for the dam,” Sammons noted. “Reservoir operation drives habitat to a significant degree.”

Rainwater raises the level of the lake, Sammons explained. The dam turbines pull the existing cooler water below the thermocline of the lake to make room for the inflow. The water exiting the lake is cooler than the incoming rainwater. In a wet year, with lots of rain, that process occurs more frequently than in a dry year. Because the inflowing rainwater typically is warmer than the outflow, the temperature of the striped bass habitat is affected.

“There really isn’t any choice in the matter though,” Sammons noted. “They have to operate the dam and pull water, or your lawns will flood. What it really means is that hot, dry summers are the better years for striped bass. While conditions were less than ideal in 2010, more fish survived.”

Sammons’ study also documented fish movement from the upper reaches of the reservoir to the lower.

His team tagged 30 adult striped bass with sonic and radio tags in April 2009 and then tracked and located the fish at prescribed intervals. They collected water temperature, dissolved oxygen levels and fish location data. While more fish were located in the Tallapoosa River and upper portions of Lake Martin in April, they began to move into the lower reservoir in May and June and remained in the areas below Camp Alamisco and the Kowaliga bridge into September when they again moved north.

In April and May, the data shows, the striped bass were concentrated in the top 10 meters of water. During the months of June, July and August, they were found at or below the thermocline (about 10 meters), and in September, they began to move up again. These depth movements correspond with optimum habitat levels in April, May and June, but in late summer, the fish were found in areas of marginal temperature and dissolved oxygen habitat.

As Michele Johnson pulled into the wet slip a radiant smile came over her face. She’d docked her 19-foot Tahoe perfectly – no bumps or scrapes.

“I’m sure he’s smiling down,” Johnson said. Her husband Stuart passed away in 2012. Johnson said she’d always let him drive the boat, so she didn’t learn a lot about how to safely operate the craft until now.

Johnson participated in the Women on the Water boating class hosted by Lake Martin Resource Association and River North Marina last month. The class featured instruction on boating laws and safety practices, as well as hands-on instruction. River North Marina manager Doug Hamrick said the course is offered every spring and usually fills up weeks before the class date. “We always have a waiting list for the next year’s session,” he said.

At Women on the Water, LMRA volunteers paired up with each student in her boat for a day on the water spent learning everything from navigation lights to buoys, docking and how to maneuver with other boats in close proximity.

“I knew that if I wanted to get out on the water I’d have to learn to do it myself,” Johnson said.

Her instructors for the day were Nicki and Jackson Dozier, owners of Tow Boat U.S., a company that offers towing services to stranded boats on Lake Martin.

“For us, especially since I’m a licensed boat captain, anything to help women feel more comfortable on their own or with their girlfriends operating a boat makes us really happy,” Nicki said. “Also as captains and people who like to enjoy the lake, the more people who have boating knowledge the safer the lake is.”

Dozier was one of the speakers who gave instructions to the class before the hands-on training began. She shared the stage with Sgt. Mark Fuller of the Alabama Marine Police.

Fuller started his lesson by telling the women what problems the marine police frequently address on Lake Martin.

“The biggest problem that I see as far as the law goes is underage drinking on the lake,” Fuller said, adding that he has zero tolerance for boating under the influence regardless of the driver’s age. Another legal issue Fuller deals with frequently is lake litter.

Aside from the criminal aspects of his job, Fuller said, he often has to address safety issues, like navigation lights at night.

He explained that navigational lights should be on at all times if a boat is being operated after dark. He said inexperienced boaters often use docking lights to get around, which is not only against the law, but distracting and dangerous to other boaters.

Fuller covered a number of safety items, including making sure boats are securely tied up when they’re not being used, responding to the different buoy notifications and wearing proper safety attire while boating.

He instructed the class on how to find a coast guard approval number in a life jacket. Without this approval number, boaters are not covered under the law that requires a safety vest while operating a boat or personal watercraft.

Fuller said 90 percent of dangerous situations could be avoided if boaters were courteous and responsible while on the water.

“Take responsibility for yourselves and your property, so we don’t have to,” he said.

After Fuller and Dozier spoke to the class, marina manager Hamrick spoke to the women before pairing instructors with students.

He said one topic that class participants always want to cover is docking. Before actual trial runs, Hamrick had a few tips for the students.

“Never approach a dock at a greater speed than you’re willing to hit it,” he said, eliciting laughter from the crowd.

He added that boaters, male or female, should never be ashamed to do something, docking included, multiple times in order to get it right.

“Pride should never enter the equation when docking. Don’t be ashamed to back out and do it again,” he said. “When I leave here today I’m confident that you’ll be confident too.”

After instruction in their own boats, the class participants, including Johnson, were all smiles. They had received the kind of training that made them more confident boaters and more independent on the water.

Dozier said that result is what makes her and Jackson excited to be a part of the Women on the Water classes.

She said after lunch she watched Johnson take her boat out to go home with a smile on her face, which made the time spent worthwhile. Dozier commended the LMRA volunteers on their patience and skill when instructing the ladies in the class.

“They’re happy to help, and they’re really kind and really patient,” she said.

By Betsy Iler

The Russell cabin has long been an icon of Lake Martin. Set on wooded shores with gingerly footprints and focused more on outdoor living than indoor space, these cabins characterize lake life; they are simple, serene and succinct. The only complaint is that you can never own one. The old Russell cabins can be leased, practically for a lifetime, but much to the disappointment of lake lovers, they are not for sale. Now, however, there is a new cabin option.

Russell Lands On Lake Martin recently commissioned three popular lake home designers to produce six upscale cabin floor plans. These new cabins are modeled on all that is good and wonderful about the old cabins; they focus on a relaxed, simple lifestyle with an eye always tuned to the outdoors. Like the old cabins, these new ones incorporate kitchens into open living spaces and spend generous square footage on porches and decks. Their placement on the banks of Lake Martin is dictated by the landscape, offering optimal views and preserving as many trees as possible. And while they feature modern kitchens and bathrooms, the most marked difference between the new and the old is that these cabins are for sale.

“The Russell cabin has always been a rental product,” explained director of marketing Janet Price. “Several years ago, we asked architect Bobby McAlpine to design some new cabins with more modern amenities for us at Nichols Cove, which we leased just like we do the old ones. People wanted to buy the cabins at the end of their leases.”

Russell Lands developed tight specifications and approached architects Taylor Dawson and Bill Ingram, along with residential designer Bill Farshee, to design plans for this new cabin market. Twenty-one new cabins are planned at Russell Cabin Point, down a country lane just inside The Ridge’s stone entrance. Ranging from 2,090 to 2,720 square feet, The Russell Cabins at The Ridge also include between 616 and 1,248 square feet of porch and deck space. The cabins have four bedrooms, plenty of bathrooms, crafted stone fireplaces and fully appointed kitchens.

Characterized as lakeside getaways and designed as second homes, the cabins waste no space. Bedrooms are comfortably sized for sleeping and dressing; closets won’t hold an entire wardrobe; and bathrooms typically are ample but not spacious. “No one spends time in bedrooms and bathrooms at the lake,” Russell’s Classic Homes builder Chad Calhoun noted.

On the other hand, the cabins include designated storage space for water toys – skis, boards, floats and life jackets are easily accessible for use. Modest design of streetside entries leaves space and spending for the real views on the lake side of the cabins. Porches and decks get top priority in the new Russell cabins. Whether screened, covered or open, they offer the best views and seating options in the house. With interior walls of windows, though, the views from inside can’t be beat either.

The cabins are finished in pine, cypress and oak on walls, ceilings and floors. Rough-sawn beams complement hardwood floors and ceilings and painted horizontal board walls. And each cabin holds a piece of its own unique history. “One prominent piece of wood used in the construction of each cabin is from a tree that stood on that property,” Calhoun said. “It’s something different in each house, so it is a unique conversation piece just for that home.”

The practice, Calhoun said, is a way of keeping to old timey ways of using what is available. “It’s fun to look for ways to incorporate that one piece to be reused, and it keeps us mindful of protecting the environment and making the house blend with the lot.”

Blending with their surroundings is a key aspect of the new Russell cabins. With limited square footage, the floor plans can more easily be turned, flipped or otherwise arranged to reduce their impact on the wooded lots around them and yet provide privacy and spectacular lake views for homeowners.

Five cabins are in various stages of construction at the point, including the Windward model home on lot 17, which was completed this past February. Designed by Birmingham architect Taylor Dawson, the Windward includes 2,263 square feet in air conditioned living space and 1,158 in spacious porches and decks. Four dormers set in the vaulted ceiling above a bank of lakeside windows spill natural light into the open 44 foot by 33 foot central living area that includes an upscale kitchen, cozy fireplace sitting area and a dining area that is as formal as lakeside dining ever gets. Three bedrooms, a cozy bunkroom and three bathrooms are arranged around the porches and great room.

Nan Jackson of Russell Home Décor chose the model home’s furnishings and fixtures in keeping with the “outdoors in” style of Lake Martin living. The farmhouse table she chose for dining area is surrounded by chairs of roughly finished branches under a wagon wheel and rope chandelier she found at The Highlands. A fish basket and rod dress the wall, and porches with views of the dock and lake border the eating area on two sides. On the opposite side of the room, tree trunk lamps shed reading light on a comfy couch further softened with linen pillows and throws in front a cottage stone fireplace that reaches more than 18 feet to the ceiling. Though transom windows are part of the Windward’s original design, Calhoun replaced the glass with framed pine panels to emphasis the room’s warmth.

While the cabin’s kitchen makes a small footprint, it does not compromise function. A gracious quartz-topped island with centered sink addresses the great room in front of stainless steel appliances and a gas stove bordered with plenty of counter space for meal preparations. Painted cabinets complement the Manchester tan walls and window frames and the glass tile backsplash.

In the bedrooms, primitive or Puritan furniture comfortably sleeps a family and guests under cozy quilts and linen. The occasional side chair adds charm as well as a place to don shoes. It’s doubtful the chair will suffer much wear though, as only on rare occasions is footwear more formal than sandals required at the lake. Bathrooms include wood grain tile and aesthetic pine finishes, so the home’s lake feel is never in question, even when freshening up for an evening out.

Prices range from $850,000 to more than $1.1 million for The Russell Cabins at The Ridge, but the lifestyle they offer, like that of their predecessors, may well be minted in gold.

Congratulations on your election as the president of Lake Watch. What do you think are the challenges you will face in that position?

Thank you. I confess it is a position I approach with some trepidation, but I really believe in the cause. Dick Bronson did such a great job as president, and I appreciate his confidence and continued support. That said, there is a challenge in taking the helm of an organization – not just Lake Watch, but any organization – that has been identified so closely with one individual, however much good that individual may have been able to accomplish. I think it will be important for me to help people understand that Lake Watch represents all of our interests and not just the interests of a select few and we all have to work together.

One of the main goals of Lake Watch is environmental education and keeping our water clean. We have our Treasured Lake designation. Lake Martin is a clean lake, but sometimes, complacency can sink in and perhaps the general public thinks that we don’t need to be concerned, but we do. There is ongoing run-off and bacteriological contamination, and the lake needs for citizens to be concerned and to monitor those situations and take action. It is easy to find out about Lake Watch of Lake Martin. We have a Facebook page and a website at lakewatch.org.

How long have you been involved with Lake Watch?

I was trained as a water monitor in a class at Auburn in 1995 and joined Lake Watch soon after. I started testing water off my dock at StillWaters in 1996 and not long after that, I was elected as a member of the Lake Watch board. At that time, there was a lot of development in the area, and there were water quality issues with surface run-off due to excavation and taking dirt for a construction site. We had massive erosion. The water was red from the dirt washing into the lake. Being part of Lake Watch made me aware that muddy lake water in front of my house was not right.

What can you do if you find those kinds of problems?

You have to bring the cause to the attention of those who are doing the damage, and they work gradually and slowly to remedy the problems if you keep the pressure on. In our case, it took several years. People need to open their eyes and look around them and be willing to speak up when they see something that is not right. Whether it’s mud in the water, or litter or dead fish, or whatever it is, if you see something that doesn’t look right, be willing to speak up and take action.

Learn to do the right things and follow your heart. If you see things that need doing in the world, you need to do them. These are worthwhile errands.

Was that your first experience with lake life?

No. I grew up in south Alabama, and my extended family was into boating and water skiing on the lakes in south Alabama and northern Florida. Living in Auburn later, my husband and I knew about Lake Martin and bought a lot in the mid-80s. Bought a lot and a boat and eventually moved full time here.

What do you love most about Lake Martin?

The beauty of the lake itself and the peace and tranquility are the big draws for me. It’s not really natural beauty, because it’s a man-made lake, but I love going out on the boat and slowly motoring along, enjoying the sights and sounds of the water and the sky.

You work in Auburn at the university. What is your position there?

I am the Hollifield Professor of Southern History – in the history department. I teach courses on Southeastern Indians, American colonial history and history of the American Revolution. And occasionally world history. My research interests are the Creek Indians in the 18th and early 19th centuries, early environmental history and travel and the exploration of the early South.

My first book was Deerskins and Duffels: The Creek Indian Trade with Anglo-America, in which I explored the significance of the deerskin trade and how it documented the relationship between the Creek Indians and Anglo-American colonies. The deerskin trade was one of the most powerful forces in Creek Indian life during that time.

I’ve also done work on Creek women, warfare, and slavery, and I’ve spent a good deal of time studying the 18th century travels of William Bartram, who was really a scientist, but in that time, they were called naturalists. I really learned to appreciate seeing Southern history through the lens of Bartram’s writings and environmental works.

Clearly, you are passionate about environmental history and how it affected not just the land but the people as well.

Historians have really only recently begun to pay attention to the changes that occurred on the land when settlers came in and cleared trees and introduced new plant and animal species. Early naturalists saw the environment change. Some saw these as positive changes, and some saw them as negative. In some cases, the things we celebrate as native natural beauty really are not – like peach and orange trees, which the Spanish brought. Honeybees, horses and other animals and plants that were introduced to the South changed the ecosystem and are related to economic development. The Deerskins book talks about how the native people dealt with that and in some cases helped bring about changes, such as new breeds of horses, which they used in the deerskin trade. We tend to think of the Indians as living in a pristine state of nature, but that just wasn’t the case. They opened up trails and spread new plants. By the time people started talking about their “natural” world, it had already been changed by them.

When did you become interested in this history of the land?

I had an interest in the natural landscape through childhood, and I recognize the interconnections of my father’s influence and going camping as a child. My grandmother was a gardener and that started my interest in the plants around me. Then, in my studies, I was exposed to some really dusty 200-year-old documents and books, and I realized if I was going to write about people who were culturally different from me, I had to understand their world, their landscape, and how it functioned, how it looked, how it sounded, how they thought about it. I needed to be able to visualize what their towns looked like and understand what it was like for them live in their landscape. In trying to understand this distant past world, we need to be conscious of the environment and how it has been manipulated and changed and how people viewed it. It’s been an ongoing process to get to that point.

You edited the book, Tohopeka: Rethinking the Creek War and the War of 1812, which was published last year by University of Alabama Press, and much of what you are saying is evident in the introduction you wrote for that book.

The Battle of Horseshoe Bend (Tohopeka) was incredibly significant in American history. It wasn’t just a local event; it had far-reaching effects of national significance. It broke the back of Creek military power and opened up the Southeast to development. It had major political and economic implications for the country; it launched Andrew Jackson toward the presidency.

Are you active at Horseshoe Bend National Military Park?

Yes, I am on the board of directors, and I am a founding member and first president of the Friends of Horseshoe Bend, a non-profit, volunteer organization that works to support park activities and raise support and money for projects there. Anyone who is interested in the work of the Friends can go online to friendsofhorseshoebend.org and find a membership form. You can find out about events at the park and get the newsletters. We would love to have more volunteers to help with fundraising and planning for the commemoration for the 200th anniversary of the battle next year.

What other issues are important to you?

Animal rescue. I have two rescue dogs, both of whom were abandoned. I support local animal rescue efforts as much as I can and do transport for rescue groups. The way we treat animals is very important, and I would like to see stronger support for spay/neuter programs. I really believe that would help end the suffering of companion animals through shelter euthanasia.

What are you working on now?

I am writing a book on the Creek War and one on the old federal road. Other than that, I just like to sit in my garden and enjoy life.

A medical postmortem examination seeks to answer one basic question: What happened?

It’s the same question we seek to answer this month, as we autopsy the foreclosure sales in Lake Martin waterfront real estate. Foreclosures have been a popular topic both here and around the nation for several years. If you are someone who might be considering a purchase, surely this must interest you. Many buyers troll the market for a “steal.” This is normal. A lot of people will tell you they are looking at foreclosures because they “really have to get a good deal.” I always say, “Great!” but often think to myself, “Does anyone want a bad deal?”

Sellers should also be interested in foreclosures, because those are the competition. While it is true that Lake Martin has had its share of foreclosures over the last few years, it has been nothing in comparison to larger markets. A study of the Lake Martin Area MLS shows that in 2009, 2010 and 2011, foreclosures comprised only seven percent of waterfront sales. Seven percent is piddling when compared to Atlanta’s 30 percent in 2011. At Lake Martin, foreclosures didn’t affect volume, but they definitely affected pricing. Buyers came in and expected to see low prices, so even if your home wasn’t a foreclosure, you had to consider their effect when pricing your home.

Curiously, in the calendar year of 2012, we saw an uptick in waterfront foreclosure sales. Thirty-three homes sold through the MLS were listed as foreclosures. With the total waterfront home sales number being 239, that means about 14 percent of sales in 2012 were bank owned. I really do not think this should tell us that the dreaded “second wave” has hit us. I am not alarmed. My gut doesn’t tell me an increased percentage of foreclosure sales spells certain doom. For one thing, the numbers of homes sold continue to trend upward, a healthy sign in anyone’s book. Secondly, many of the bank-owned homes sold in 2012 were for sale for a very long time before that.

Still, as an avowed numbers guy, I follow where the numbers take me. I look at the statistics and then form theories, not the opposite; however, I am intrigued by such a jump (doubling) of a metric that so many watch. It moved me to find out what, if any, trends we can see by looking more deeply into the 33 foreclosed waterfront home sales in 2012.

Here are some of the more interesting nuggets:

Only 13 of the 33 bank-owned sales were financed. The rest were cash sales. That means that in 20 of 33 transactions, or about 61 percent, the buyers did not have to get a bank loan to purchase the foreclosure. They were ready with cash in hand. Compare that to the entire year of 2012 when only about 29 percent of sales had no financing. Conclusion: If you want to buy a foreclosure on Lake Martin, being able to pay cash will double your odds of success.

Another common real estate statistic is Percent of List. You calculate this by dividing the actual sales price by the listing price. Basically you are trying to figure out how much the seller came down from the asking price. A lower percentage means the seller had to accept a lower sales price versus what they were asking. How do the waterfront foreclosure sales compare with the rest of the Lake Martin market? If we look at the total sales volume for all of the 239 waterfront homes sold in 2012, and divide by their list prices, the Percent of List was 91. Foreclosure sales in the same time period showed 89 percent. The two-percent difference means that, on average, foreclosure sales accepted slightly lower prices than the rest of the market. While two percent is a difference, I don’t think it’s too big of a gap to draw many conclusions. We have a small sample size, and 89 percent is pretty much the same as 91 percent, in my opinion. Conclusion: Foreclosed property sellers are not accepting any lower prices than the rest of the market.

Days on Market is another statistic that we professionals like to watch. Logically, this means the number of days a home is on the market from the first day it is listed to the day the sale closes. The average Days on Market for waterfront foreclosures in 2012 was 160. The fastest sale was 35 days, and the slowest was 756. To put this in perspective, average Days on Market for the entire years’ sales was 234. That is quite a difference. We can say that foreclosures sold about 32 percent faster than the market as a whole. Conclusion: Get a move on, buyer!

In summary, if you plan to buy a Lake Martin foreclosure, good luck. You stand a 7-to-14 chance of buying one. If you do buy one, to increase your odds of success, plan to come with cash and come quickly. If you are a seller, I think you should pay close attention to your pricing and Days On Market, and ask yourself if you are competitive.

John Coley is a broker and owner of Lake Martin Voice Realty. He is also the author of the blog Lake Martin Voice at LakeMartinVoice.com. John thinks it’s unfair that sunburns acquired on the lake count toward his carcinogenic total.

Cabin break-ins were frequent in the early years when there was sparse development and mostly dirt-road access to the scattered houses. LMRA members are provided with signs to be placed on their property. In the early years, these signs indicated that rewards of up to $1,000 would be paid to persons providing evidence that led to the arrest and conviction of anyone breaking in and stealing property. Burglaries have continued throughout the years, and many rewards have been paid.

Fast forward to 2013; burglaries are up in numbers, and the reward potential is now up to $5,000. This amount was most recently awarded to two young men who provided information that led to the arrest of a perpetrator who confessed to committing 35 burglaries around Lake Martin. In 2012, a partial reward was paid to a lake resident for preventing a break-in at a LMRA member’s home as it was beginning to take place.

With the increased activity, Lake Martin homeowners are very interested in measures that can be taken to help reduce their exposure. LMRA recommends a prominent display of the reward sign and hoping you have alert neighbors. For more specific steps, I consulted Mack Daugherty, security chief for Russell Lands On Lake Martin, who offered the following suggestions:

-  Turn on the alarm system each and every time the house is unoccupied, even if going out in the boat for a short time.

-  Most alarm companies have policies that include calling the residence first in the event of an alarm, because many false alarms are caused by the owner; however, Daugherty is a strong opponent of such policy, as that couple of minutes when the operator is calling the residence and leaving a message can be the difference between a burglar getting caught or getting away. “I strongly urge everyone to call their alarm company and specifically request that the company not call the premises but instead proceed with very prompt dispatching of the appropriate authorities instead,” Daugherty said.

-  Leave one or more inside lights on or have such on a timer for nighttime use.

-  Do not allow newspapers to accumulate at the entrance to your drive or mail to accumulate in your mailbox. This is an absolute “calling card” for burglars.

-  Lock all trailered boats and PWCs with a concealed hitch lock, which cannot be reached with bolt cutters. Such locks can be obtained at the marinas around Lake Martin.

-  Get credible references on all service personnel.

-  Do not hide a key outside! Remember, if you can think of a good place to hide a key, a burglar can think of a good place to find it!

-  Make certain that your alarm system is equipped with loud inside and outside sirens. Don’t worry about disturbing your neighbors; that is just what needs to happen in the event that an alarm activates.

-  Should you notice a vehicle or situation that “doesn’t look right,” it probably isn’t, so don’t hesitate to notify someone.

-  Be very cautious about posting vacation photos, etc., on social media sites, such as Facebook, while you are away. Wait until you return home from trips. Remember, the burglars look at these sites, too.

For more information on the LMRA Reward program, as well as other projects that we are working on, please visit our website at www.lmra.info. The website features a current calendar of exciting events, along with information on how to join and become an active member of LMRA.

John Thompson is president of Lake Martin Resource Association (LMRA), a volunteer non profit organization. For more information about LMRA, visit www.LMRA.info or contact John at john.thompson@hcsinc.net or 334-323-7880.

Summer begins at the end of this month. Schools are out, and Lake Martin becomes a playground again. Here on Lake Martin, the water warms up in May but is still chilly. I love my neoprene in May; especially my top and especially later in the month, when I want to enjoy the morning glass. The water sports industry has definitely been busy while old man winter has been fully dressed and off the water. The 2013 product lines are deep and recall an old wakeboard debate: Which is best, open-toe or closed-toe bindings?

Some of you will immediately think there is no debate, but let’s really take a look at it. Keep in mind that the only thing translating your body’s movements to the board is the binding. That is where the “rubber meets the road,” so to speak; however, before you dig in too deep, think about Reed Hansen hitting huge wake-to-wake 540s on a wakeskate when he’s not bound to the board at all.

The evolution of the binding for wakeboards has come a long way. It started with the adding of one strap onto the heel. This helped the foot stay in place and reduced the heel lift. This binding eventually evolved to the “high wrap,” like what was on upper-end slalom and jump skis and was an open toe binding. The high wrap evolved to the laced binding in the rear of the boot; and then, the next step was moving the lacing to the front for a tighter fit. The tighter the fit, the better the foot translates the body’s movement to the board. The lace became plural to give the fore foot and the ankle separate degrees of tightness in the boot/binding. From the split lace came the closed toe and the use of Velcro.

Today, we have many options, some of which include open- and closed-toe bindings with double laces; double laced bindings with Velcro; full three-strap Velcro bindings, a clip-in binding (like what snowboarders use); and booties that slip into soft shells, with Velcro or laces.

So what’s the best for you? It really depends on what you want out of your binding and the level at which you ride.

The beginner can start out with the most expensive binding on the market, but really (back to my Reed Hansen statement) when is it needed?

The closed-toe binding can be bought size specific, which lends to a tight fit and equals better translation from the foot. There are open-toe bindings with Velcro at the toe, which allows you to lock the toe down tighter. Open-toe bindings are not size specific, i.e. they fit medium/large or large/extra-large, 8-9 or 8-10, and so more people in a boat/family can use them.

At the end of the day, no one can decide for you. It’s a matter of preference. As for the people to watch here on Lake Martin, Ben Watts rides open toe, and Alex Graydon rides closed. Those are their preferences.

If you are in the market for bindings or a combo, take the time to ride different bindings at demo days. Ask some good riders you know or those you bump into about the characteristics of bindings they use and have used. If you have any questions you can always email me at sdbehindtheboat@gmail.com.

See you on the water.

Sawyer Davis is a wakersurfer for Victoria skimboards and grew up on Lake Martin.