Lake Martin Magazine

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.

Mouths are watering as the long-awaited date approaches; it won’t be long now until Kowaliga returns.

Thousands flocked to this year’s Sea Ray AquaPalooza event on Lake Martin for a day filled with boats, bikinis and plenty of good music.

If you’re driving down Highway 229 towards the Red Hill community you’ll ride past a small cottage with odd-looking shutters and an asymmetrical roof. This is the home of the Dirt Road Gourmet. No, it’s not a restaurant or a catering business. It’s a manufacturer of frozen food, specifically casseroles, that is owned by Jackie and Rebuen Thornton.

The Old South meets Lake Martin in this three-story home in Equality. The Southern sensibility is felt most on the front porch – a spacious, two-story area supported by white columns. Porch swings complete the Southern picture and offer a place to relax and look out on the 440 feet of shoreline overlooking the Little Kowaliga area.

“I think we started something.”

Those were the words Russell Marine President Dave Commander used after seeing thousands of music fans descend on Lake Martin for this year’s Sea Ray AquaPalooza event.

Kowaliga. In the Lake Martin area, it is probably the most recognizable name as a landmark and meeting place – to some it conjures up memories of country music when country music was Nashville.

One of the oldest developed areas on Lake Martin, Castaway Island was once home to an amusement park known as the lake’s “little Coney Island.” Today, Castaway Island Road is home to Anchor Bay Marina, Harbour Docks restaurant and a few other businesses.