The Sound of Summer Ending

The Sound of Summer Ending...

The sandy beaches once hidden under the unsalted waters of Lake Martin are broader and lonelier as the lake drops for the winter months. The water’s calmer now that there aren’t so many of us churning it up with boats full of people who’ve had too much sun and the perfect summer playlist. The waves don’t quite reach the sea walls anymore.

Our hearts are full but there is an undeniable tinge of sadness that boating season is ending. If you listen close enough, you can almost hear the change in the air. The quietness of it all.

Our summer memories are tucked away like photographs in a shoebox. The kids jumping off Chimney Rock. Honking as we idle under the bridges. The brain freeze from a cold daiquiri from Boondocks. The smell of somebody’s grill drifting across the water at sunset. The sound of laughter and cannonballs carrying across the slough on a still night.

Those days are slipping through our fingers like lake water.

But here’s the thing about Lake Martin Boaters, we’re already counting down to plug day next spring. We’re writing it on calendars. We’re thinking about it on our drive to work. We’re dreaming about a boat ride when the Alabama winter chill settles in.

That countdown is what bonds us. What keeps us tethered to each other and to this beautiful place.

Because this lake isn’t just a body of water. It’s where we became who we are. It’s where kids learned to swim and grandparents taught patience with a fishing rod. It’s where we found happiness in the simple things; a cold drink, a sunny boat ride with people we love.

As the water drops, there’s a promise that when it comes back up, we’ll all come back too. And we’ll pick up right where we left off.

XOXO -Jamie Burnett

Image by my friend Elizabeth Bowyer for Lake Martin Boaters