Boiled P-Nuts at Lake Murray's Dreher Shoals Dam

Buy Some P-Nuts Today over at Lake Murray's Dam
Want some excellent BOILED PEANUTS in the Greater Columbia area?

BOILED PEANUTS ARE THE OFFICIAL SOUTH CAROLINA STATE SNACK FOOD

Want to get some of the best boiled peanuts in all of South Carolina? Stop in to see the P-Nut Man at Lake Murray's Dreher Shoals Dam. Wade Baughman has been selling boiled peanuts around the Dreher Shoals Dam at Lake Murray for over 20 years.

The Dam P-Nut Man is typcially at the Irmo side of Lake Murray's dam on Friday, Saturdays and Sundays.
P-Nut Man Boiled Peanuts Location:
Kwik Way Store (Exxon Mobil Gas Station)
6230 Bush River Road
Columbia, SC 29212

CLICK HERE: Dam P-Nut Man Website

Be sure to tell Wade that you saw his Boiled Peanut Stand on the World Wide Web!

Happy 4th of July!

Happy 4th of July from Mel & Barbara Coker
at Lake Murray, SC!

We wish you a happy and safe July 4th Celebration today.  We also want to thank all military personnel serving around the world in service to the United States of America.   The United States of America is 234 years old today!

(from Wikipedia):
During the American Revolution, the legal separation of the American colonies from Great Britain occurred on July 2, 1776, when the Second Continental Congress voted to approve a resolution of independence that had been proposed in June by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia.[4][5] After voting for independence, Congress turned its attention to the Declaration of Independence, a statement explaining this decision, which had been prepared by a Committee of Five, with Thomas Jefferson as its principal author. Congress debated and revised the Declaration, finally approving it on July 4. A day earlier, John Adams had written to his wife Abigail:

The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.

Adams's prediction was off by two days. From the outset, Americans celebrated independence on July 4th, the date shown on the much-publicized Declaration of Independence.

July 4th Links:
Independence Day - USA.gov
Declaration of Independence
Patriotic Melodies
4th of July Facts - National Geographic
Wikipedia

July 4, 2010

at Lake Murray

Mel Coker
http://www.melcoker.com/
Columbia, SC Real Estate

July 4th at Lake Murray

July 4th Celebrations on Lake Murray

Most of the organized celebrations take place this year on Saturday, July 3rd.  The following are annual Lake Murray Independence Day events:

Boat Parade: Saturday, July 3rd app. Noon
Enjoy the patriotic display as locals & visitors decorate their boats in ways that will leave you amazed! Viewable from the park sites at the Lake Murray Dam or by boat!

Patriotic Concert: Saturday, July 3rd at 8:00 p.m.
Dreher Island State Park (between Chapin & Prosperity)
Patriotic music featuring the Lake Murray Symphony Orchestra. Bring a chair or blanket! Picnics are welcome--No Alcohol Permitted! Admission: $2/adults; $1.25/SC Seniors; ages 15 and younger/Free!

GATES WILL CLOSE AT 8PM

Fireworks Display: Saturday, July 3rd at 9:15 p.m.

South Carolina's Largest Fireworks Display from TWO locations on Lake Murray - Spence Island and Dreher Island.  The show is choreographed to a patriotic concert that will air simultaneously on the Citadel Broadcasting Stations: B106.7FM & 98.5FM. Both Park Sites at the Dam will be open until they reach capacity. The walking path on the Dam will also be open. PARKING IS LIMITED, EXPECT TRAFFIC DELAYS! (Park Admission: $3/car or truck; $2/motorcycles).  Best Viewing For the Fireworks: Either Park Site at the Lake Murray Dam, the walking path on the Dam, from Dreher Island State Park and from the water.  Please exercise caution while boating on this busiest day of the year on Lake Murray!

Frequently Asked Questions - 4th of July Celebration

Lake Murray Images: Mel's Animoto Music Video

Mel's Lake Murray Video:


I have put some of my Lake Murray pictures in an Animoto Music Video.  CLICK HERE or view the video below:

Watch Out for Lightning at Lake Murray

Safety Reminder from Mel Coker...

Watch out for Spring and Summer Lightning Storms

Summer is the peak season for one of the nation's deadliest weather phenomena - lightning.  Lightning is a serious danger.  In a ranking study of cloud-to-ground flash densities by state for 1996-2004, South Carolina ranks #5.

CLICK HERE: Mel Coker's Lightning Safety eBook

Lightning Casualties In The U.S. By Location Or Activity - Top 4:
1.) Open areas (including sports fields); 2.) Under trees; 3.) Water related activities (swimming, boating, fishing); 4.) Golfing

Most Dangerous: Month: July; Time of Day: 2:00 - 6:00 p.m.; Day of week: Sundays (more people outdoors); Sex: Male (higher rates of outdoor exposure)

Top 5 Most Dangerous States (NOAA Storm Data 1999-2008)
Absolute (based on deaths): Florida, Colorado, Texas, Georgia, North Carolina. South Carolina is #8.

Per Capita (based on deaths): Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Montana, Florida. South Carolina is #9.

Of the victims who were killed by lightning in 2009:

• 100% were outside
• 82% were male
• 71% were males between the ages of 10-50
• 21% were doing yard work

Florida is the lightning capital of the United States. South Carolina is high on the list... BE CAREFUL when lightning is around! Remember, When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors!
Safe(r) Places: home, permanent building, automobile
Unsafe places: near metal or water, under trees; on hills, near electrical/electronics equipment


NEW: Mel's South Carolina Lightning Awareness eBook

COOL Lightning Links:
National Weather Service - Lightning Safety & Awareness
Lightning Safety for You and Your Family
Personal Lightning Safety
StrikeStar - U.S. Lightning Activity Last 60 minutes
Michael Bath's Lightning Photography website
Lightning Strike Densities by State (SC is #5)

Used with permission by Michael Bath

Purple Martins at Lake Murray

Coming Soon: Purple Martins at Lake Murray!
North America's first officially designated Purple Martin sanctuary is at Lake Murray! It's also one of the largest roosting sites in America.

Late each afternoon from June through late August or early September, hundreds of thousands of purple martins make their way to Doolittle Island (also called either Lunch Island or Bomb Island) to nest for the night. The number has been placed in the range of 750,000 purple martins returning to roost each late afternoon. Is is believed that the Lake Murray purple martin roost is the largest in North America (and possibly the world).

CLICK HERE to visit the Lake Murray Purple Martins Website

Mel Coker
http://www.melcoker.com/

Boating on Lake Murray

Boating Season has started on Lake Murray!


Warm weather brings an increased level of boating traffic on Lake Murray. Are you ready for fun? Is your boat equipped for safety? Do you know boating basics and laws for operating a boat safely?

Unfortunately, the boating season on Lake Murray has started tragically.  Last weekend, in TWO separate accidents on Lake Murray, FOUR boaters were killed.  These two accidents happened happened within 30 minutes and one mile of each other.  The accident investigation results have not been released as of this date.
Boating accident news report (#1)  |  Boating accident news report (#2)

Nationally, 72% of all fatal boating accident victims drowned. Of those who drowned, 90% of the victims were not wearing a life jacket. Over 80% of the boaters who drowned were using boats less than 26 feet in length. Consistent with previous years, 75% of reported fatalities occurred on boats where the operator had not received boating safety instruction.


In 2008, South Carolina has one of the highest boater registration rates in the USA.  In fact, South Carolina is #3 in the South (behind only Florida and Texas).   In 2008, South Carolina had 3.4% of all boat registations in the United States.  Unfortunately, South Carolina also had 4.1% of boating accident deaths (#6 in the USA).   Nationally, the #1 contributing factor to boating accident deaths is excessive alcohol consumption.
Links for more South Carolina Boating information:
The Handbook of South Carolina Boating Laws and Responsibilities
South Carolina Online Boating Safety Course and Exam
South Carolina Department of Natural Resources
Boating in South Carolina
Check a Watercraft/Motor Status


Check the weather:
Lake Murray Weather Station
Mel Coker's Columbia Weather Page

Boating Safety:
Lake Murray Power Squadron Boat Smart Course
National Safe Boating Council
Safe Boating Campaign
Boating Safety - U.S. Coast Guard
FloatPlan Central
Boating Accident Statistics