Looking through the pine trees, I see a large bay, a home to sailors, fishermen and water skiers. Boats spread out on a 1,210 acres of sapphire crystal water. We launch our boat into a channel next to a ornate restaurant called Golden Mast. From that moment on, I knew Okauchee Lake wasn’t just any body of water.

My family drove around to see people swimming, fishing and skiing. My body goes into awe when we pull in behind an island to find a dozen boats tied up to each other. I have never seen anything similar to this on any other lake before--it’s a giant party on the water. As we met up with our friends, we tied our boats together and joined the party chain.

As I grew up, I came back each summer. Every time I went, we discovered a new cove or inlet to explore. There are even restaurants right on the water for example, The Golden Mast and Spitfire Pub and Grill. It has become a tradition to tie up the boat, and get a mouth watering burger at Spitfire Pub & Grill.

Okauchee Lake has aged like an old fine wine, it gets better year after year. Whether we want to soak up the sun, or take a swim on a hot summer day, Okauchee Lake offers a unique experience that will always leave me coming back to this treasure.