Patrolling the Pond: June 17, 2026
Storms to Sunsets by Mike Miller, VP Lake Lotawana Home Owners Association
Nothing like picture-perfect days and rainy, stormy weekend nights! I could take a little less storm and a little more of the azure-blue skies and beautiful sunsets for sure! As we hit mid-June and lake traffic begins to move toward its peak (the 4th of July holiday weekend), it’s time for rule reminders as we go into the Independence Holiday weekend and the remainder of the summer, eyes wide open. While our Water Patrol is fully staffed, they can’t be everywhere at once. We are all Water Patrol! Does that mean we expect you to pull other members over if you see a rules violation? No. It does mean that when you know and follow the rules, you are one less person our WP needs to deal with. We are all members of a community that signed agreements to live here, which means you signed agreements to read and follow the rules. And while we have some special regulations unique to our beautiful lake, many of our rules are the same as those you would find on any lake. All of our rules are in place to create a safe environment for everyone.
Here are a few important reminders on the rules based on observations and other feedback from owners:
- Anchor lights: If you are anchored at night in a cove, you must have one anchor light that is working and turned on 30 minutes after sunset, or if visibility is < 100 yards (same for navigation lights). There have been multiple reports of anchored boats in coves that are not using their anchor lights. This creates a dangerous situation that can result in boat damage and injuries. USE YOUR ANCHOR LIGHTS! (3pt violation).
- NO WAKES in the no-wake zones: If you are in a hurry to get to your dock, I have some good news. It will be there when you arrive. Take your time. You bought a lake house to relax. Taking a little more time getting down the cove will be appreciated and avoid points. NOTE: There will be an expanded No Wake Zone once dredging begins in Quantrill’s and Waterfall Cove. More to come on that next time.
- Good Coving: We received some questions regarding which direction cove traffic should flow. The direction on the main body of the lake, of course, is counterclockwise. What about when you are in a cove? Still counterclockwise? In general, you should follow the rules of passing on the left, which, by default, makes the direction counterclockwise. Some of the questions apply to wider coves, e.g., Sunset, Bandit Bay, and Big Rock. Entering a cove on the right side and exiting on the right is correct. Criss-crossing from one side to the other is generally not a good idea. All coves are no-wake zones, and caution should be exercised because there are often many swimmers, kayakers, and others in the water. And if you are parked in a cove at night, anchor lights on please!
It’s great to see so many people enjoying the lake at this point in the season. The water was even warmer than the air at some points this weekend! There is so much activity, including an event that I didn’t get to catch this time…Professional Ski Jumping! Hopefully, I’ll get that one next year. I hear it was awesome! These are what make Lotawana so unique and special. The storms that blew in and out of here last weekend tossed a lot of items into the water. Watch out for those as you make your way around the Lake. It looked like a yard sale on the Lake Rats FB page! It wasn’t the first storm we’ve had this summer, and it won’t be the last. Fortunately, like most things in life, there is always more sun than rain at Lotawana and more beautiful sunrises and sunsets than storms. See you on the Pond!
Safer Seven
Safer Seven is on the road this week, so is exercising the option to postpone this week’s quiz until next week. A good study for the week is SECTION 3, Part G, Lighting Regulations that start on page 13. We did have a winner from last week, who I will announce in the next edition of Safer Seven. The question? What are the different speed limits on the lake? Here is the answer:
- No Wake Zones: Slowest operating speed of your boat that allows you to maintain course and creates no or very limited wake.
- Main Body speed: 40mph, sunrise to 30 minutes past sunset.
- After sunset speeds: 30 minutes after sunset, 10mph or less with minimal wake.
- Coves are all slow or no-wake zones, with no excessive wash created.
Of note, coves always have a lot of non-Watercraft activity and lots of people in the water. Violation of any of these speed limits is 6 pts.
Coming up: The Independence Day issue of Patrolling the Pond. More fun prizes in store!