Another Dam Place

I found this photo on Flickr a while back and became very interested in it. The photo was taken at a lake I had never heard of and is no more than a twenty minute drive away.

(The photo can be found here on flickr. The guy with his arms up sliding is Joel Gillespie.  He had a friend take the photo for him.)

Last week I had the opportunity to drive over to Clemson and find lake Issaqueena while the rest of my family took a nap. The lake is off the beaten path and somewhat hidden away in the trees.

I turned down a dirt road leading to the dam but stopped when I saw a sign for a cemetery.

As I walked down the narrow path, every sound in the woods seemed loud. I was alone and in the middle of what seemed to be nowhere. Mud in the trail revealed the paths of animals. My senses were sensitive to my surroundings.

The path went up a hill and then widened at the top. After pausing to absorb the view, I started toward the walled cemetery in the woods, when a loud crashing noise came from my left. I froze. My heart was racing.

The turkey ran in front of me gobbling and ruffling her feathers. I'm not sure who was initially more scared of the other. She followed me the short distance to the end of the trail and watched when I turned to leave.

Back at the car it was only a short drive down the bumpy dirt to the lake and dam. Standing near the dam, it was easy to imagine people sliding down into the murky water. The surface seemed rough and steep.

I later learned that the platform I was standing on for some of my photos was also used as a launching pad for an awesome rope swing in the past. Someone had installed the rope on the tallest tree but it didn't take long for the managing authority to cut it down. The story says that the rope was quickly re-installed in the tallest tree on that part of the river. One account said that the rope swing would give you a two second free fall into the river! Several more times the rope was cut and then re-installed. Finally, the authority cut the tree down.

A trail went into the woods from the dam and toward the lake. The trail emerged at the shore and into a wide open view of the water.

Lake Issaqueena was quiet and I knew that I had found a treasure hidden in the woods.

Although it is posted to not climb on the dam, I read that it is still a popular summer activity. During my next trip to the lake, I hope to see some swimmers in action.