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Right now the only public swimming location on Lake Norman is at Lake Norman State Park which is a long drive from Charlotte. This past week the Mecklenburg County Commission voted to open a second swimming area at Ramsey Creek Park which is in Mecklenburg and much closer to Charlotte. It's near I-77 & Exit 28. Right now there is a public boat landing, a dog park and some picnic areas at this park but no swimming as of yet. Seems like some calls to your commissioner might result in some schedule improvements.
This is an map of the park if you are interested in it's location. (zoom out) It's a good place to go if you just want to see the Lake and walk your dog without a leash.
There are two other nearby county parks on the lake. Closest is Jetton Rd. Park which has lots of wooded picnic areas right on the water and very nice activities center. There is an unofficial beach at this park. Use it at your own risk. The other Mecklenburg Park is at Blythe Landing. There is a large public boat landing, a snack bar and picnic area, and also volleyball courts. There are usually people playing there and I believe several leagues that play there too. This is the location on Lake Norman where the TV reporters always stand if they do a story that involves the lake.
A lot of people in Charlotte don't seem to be very familiar with these parks (unless you are a boater) so I thought I'd mention them.
This is good news and about time. My bet is that it will be located in the cove with a little beach by the boat landing.
I see this will bring a lot of traffic and parking at what is now boat trailer parking area.
Give it a year then they could open a swimming area at Jetton. If I remember correctly doesn't Jetton charge for use of the park on the weekends also it has limited parking.
I hope it does not attract the drug dealing riff raff that tend to flock to anything that is free. Just sayin'.
The other parks have an entrance fee during the weekends & holidays so this might keep that from happening. However I've never seen any riftraft at any of them. There are a lot of patrols around the lake area.
This seems a little strange to me for a couple of reasons. Number one, the water in the areas around the Cornelius parks is quite shallow since they are basically on the coves created by the dam flood. You have to go out quite a ways for anything reaching a depth for swimming if you're not a toddler, and then once you do, it drops off fast and you're way out. What are they going to do? truck in a bunch of sand to cover the clay and mica and even it out, and then replace it every year when it washes away? Two, lake water around the parks gets very warm very quickly, its kind of yucky. I always assumed the deeper water more towards the middle of the lake was colder, but the water at the parks is so warm, you might as well as go home and take a bath. I shudder to think what would happen if people from all over Meck suddenly start flocking to Ramsey Creek along with the boating crowd. Catawba Ave is a congested two lane deal, and the road that leads to Ramsey Creek certainly was never meant to handle lots of traffic, and the turn is dangerious in and out and quite easy to miss. Moreover, this park has become quite a haven for wind surfers, kayakers, and paddleboarders in addition to the boaters and jet skiers, this is kind of a scary mix. Unless the park plan includes resurfacing and widening the roads (and did I mention that a boatload of condos and apartments are under construction in the immediate area?), it could turn a lovely park into an absolute circus.
This seems a little strange to me for a couple of reasons. Number one, the water in the areas around the Cornelius parks is quite shallow since they are basically on the coves created by the dam flood.
Water in that cove is between 15 & 35 feet deep. This park has a public boat access area and the water is deep enough there where there isn't even a need to put up any channel markers. Yesterday we went swimming in Lake Norman and the average water temperature was about 90 degrees with the high of 92 and it was 87 where we were swimming. Body temperature is 98 degrees so this water will still feel quite nice. Most public pools are a lot warmer than this. There are plenty of beach areas on the islands where there is sand and it there doesn't seem to be an issue with erosion. There are no high currents or waves in Lake Norman especially at the South end of the lake. If it is handled like the other NC public swimming parks, then the swimming area will be off limits to any water craft so there won't be an issue.
All of Lake Norman was formed by the dam on the river at Cowans Ford. In the main channel the water can be a little over 100 ft deep. Most of the major branches are between 35-75 feet. The coves in Mecklenburg county tend to be the deepest because it's at the southern part of the lake.
.."Catawba Ave is a congested two lane deal,..."
Maybe you have not been there in a few years, but Catawba Avenue was widened to a nice 4 lane + turn lane boulevard all the way to Jetton Rd. This gives easy access Ramsey Creek and Jetton Rd. Parks. There won't be any issue with traffic.
Exactly there will be barriers to keep out watercraft. It will be a string of buoys sectioning it off. Yes the water is shallow in coves but in order to provide a safe swimming area majority of it needs to be. The water probably will be way over your head around the buoys.
At High Rock Lake on Davidson County side, there is two public swimming spots, both are at boat launch areas with no Park.
Both are located on a branch of the lake away from the main channel.
The Pebble Beach swimming area there is a lot of boat traffic since it near the main channel but they have two strings of buoys about a foot apart. This is to keep out those on jet skis from getting close to swimmers that are hanging onto buoys.
This one is popular and insane only on holidays and that is how I see this one at Ramsey Creek being once the newness wears off.
It called Pebble Beach because the beach is covered in gravel all the way into the water. It might be uncomfortable for those who want to lay out but heading into the water there isnt mushy mud.
I agree there is no heavy traffic on Catawba Avenue since it has been widen. I was in mood for K&W one day which has closed so we decided to go to Acropolis Greek restaurant. This used to take 20 minutes due to traffic but we made it over there by I-77 in no time.
The water in swimming areas will be bath water warm, which is why I take the kayak out where we can swim in cooler water.
Im sure Wild Life officers will patrol the area to make sure it is safe environment for swimmers at Ramsey Creek.
As a windsurfer & paddler, I'm a bit concerned about any plans to allow us continued access to current launches. Paddlers can launch nearly anywhere, but parking needs to fairly close. Windsurfers will need to launch from the point or western shore line,with adequate parking & rigging area nearby. It seems to me the big cove @ Jetton park would make better sense. It is more removed from boat traffic for safety reasons, outboard motors also expel a bit of oil, main swimming area & major boat launch in the same small cove?? Plus Jetton rd. has direct access to the improved portion of Catawba ave.
Last edited by padlsrf; 06-21-2015 at 07:20 AM..
Reason: skipped a word
Yeah, Jetton is way better. But. Parking is an issue. Ramsey Creek can hold a much much larger volume of traffic. And let's face it, Mecklenburg has a million people. Already on the weekend they charge for Jetton Park because of parking capacity
It'd be really awesome if they made a greenway from Jetton to Ramsey Creek
Side note. How do y'all pronounce Jetton? I believe it's French sounding and I pronounce it in French but only because everyone else I know does
I also hear some people say Gilead Jill-lie-ed instead of Gill-E-Ed. Though I say Gill-E-Ed because I hear that used more often
Yeah, Jetton is way better. But. Parking is an issue. Ramsey Creek can hold a much much larger volume of traffic. And let's face it, Mecklenburg has a million people. Already on the weekend they charge for Jetton Park because of parking capacity
It'd be really awesome if they made a greenway from Jetton to Ramsey Creek
Side note. How do y'all pronounce Jetton? I believe it's French sounding and I pronounce it in French but only because everyone else I know does
I also hear some people say Gilead Jill-lie-ed instead of Gill-E-Ed. Though I say Gill-E-Ed because I hear that used more often
I've always heard it as "Jeh-tawn"
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and about time. My bet is that it will be located in the cove with a little beach by the boat landing.
so we decided to go to Acropolis Greek restaurant. This used to take 20 minutes due to traffic but we made it over there by I-77 in no time. 
