...A stick in the mud...

A story in a series of local "water-spots" in the county I did for the Advertiser.


Sandbar - a gathering spot like no other
By Kathleen Brown
For The Advertiser

There are some destinations that can be described as “off the beaten path,” the Sandbar, however requires a more complicated distinction.
This unique Lake Greenwood attraction can only be reached by boat, therefore it makes sense that the directions to the spot are by water and often include landmarks like restaurants and overpasses.

“You go under the bridge, across from Harris’ Landing,” said Mike Chumley of Laurens, “and then keep on going. You can’t miss the boats.”

The gathering spot that attracts literally boatloads of people everyday is merely a shallow stretch of land with a sandy floor that sits more than 100 yards from the nearest shore.

No one is quite sure who discovered the swath of land, and one can only imagine some unsuspecting boater surprised to find his vessel run ashore in the middle of the lake. Perhaps this explorer told a friend, who told a friend and so on, thus the Sandbar was created.

Speculations aside, the Sandbar has become the meeting place for people, young and old with access to a boat, a heavy anchor, and some time to spend.

Chumley grew up on and around Lake Greenwood and has many fond memories of the Sandbar.



“I remember going when we were kids with little boats.” Chumley said, although he notes that the spot was not the gathering place it is today due to the water level.

After years of drought in the mid 1990’s Lake Greenwood’s waters began to recede, and the Sandbar started to grow in size and popularity.

Chumley’s 17 year-old daughter, Raegan Chumley recalls sunny days during the Sandbar’s “growth spurt.”

“The thing I remember most is when they (the boaters) would set up the volleyball net,” Raegan said. “The water was as shallow as your calves.”

Although water levels are up on the lake this summer, the Sandbar continues to be a “hot-spot” for socializing day and night.

“The first thing out of somebody’s mouth when you get on the lake is ‘let’s go to the Sandbar’,” said Chumley.