At midnight, the moon reflects silver streaks across still waters and the surrounding woods are dark. At times, deer emerge from the shadows to graze, and the broad wings of an owl appear as it swoops along the shoreline looking for prey. At the marina where we’ve boarded a houseboat for a weekend stay, there are few sounds — just the gentle lap of waves against the hull and the clanging of halyards against masts. Besides the moonlight, there’s just the lights along the docks and from the windows of boat cabins. We could be a million miles from civilization. And maybe we almost are. After all, the nearest big city — if you could call it that — is French Lick, which is 16 miles away and the year-round population there is 1,930.
We’re at Patoka Lake Marina, the second largest marina in the state. Located in Birdseye, a hamlet in southern Indiana, Patoka, which at 8,800 acres is the second largest man-made lake in the state, is surrounded by 26,000 acres of park and woods. Patoka Lake Marina is one of only two marinas on the lake. The other, Hoosier Hills Marina, is out of sight on the western edge of the Hoosier National Forest, and actually in another county. In between is just a large expanse of water, a sandy beach and all those trees. There really isn’t anything else. Just the beauty and quiet of southern Indiana.
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As for staying on a houseboat, think camping on water, albeit with more amenities. The houseboats and nearby floating cabins come in different configurations, but all have two to three bedrooms, bathrooms with showers, air conditioning, fully equipped kitchens, televisions, gas grills to use on deck, and spacious living areas. One could get very lazy here with the lulling drift of the boat and the occasional hoot of an owl, but despite this seemingly being the last outpost of civilization, there’s a surprising amount to do.
Explore
For day trippers and those staying elsewhere, both marinas rent a variety of boats — pontoons, fishing boats, kayaks, standing paddleboats and more.
Before heading out on the water, stock up at the Patoka Lake Marina’s floating ship store, where there’s fresh brewed coffee to sip while you check out the different hot and cold food items, pizza to go options and other groceries. If you’re going to take advantage of the abundant walleye bass, crappie and blue gill that swim in the clear waters, there’s bait and tackle to buy.
Steer the boat to the public beach, anchor, and swim to shore. Take along canvas shoes and follow along the trails, which vary in length. The main trail is 6.5 miles long, the Garden Rock Loop just a mile. The park also features paved bike paths, disc golf and picnic shelters, as well as an archery range, a nature center where birds of prey are on exhibit, modern campgrounds and picnic tables.
As for the lake, even in early fall the water is still warm enough — somewhere in the 70s — that with air temperatures typically in the 80s and the sun still hot and bright, it’s refreshing to take a swim. House boaters have the extra advantage of splashing down from the slide accessible from the boat’s flat rooftop.
For those who like to wander, there are plenty of coves, inlets and bays, as well as small islands, many of them home to nesting osprey and eagle to discover.
For a trip to the other side, ply the waters to the Hoosier Hills Marina where you can dine on pizza, wings, nachos, calzones or their special sub sandwiches on the wide deck overlooking the water.
And just a quick note of reassurance. If you do choose to travel and stay on a houseboat, be assured, they’re much easier than you’d image to navigate on the lake and to dock when returning back to the marina.
Cruising
Patoka Lake Marina offers a variety of cruises aboard either its 60-foot Patoka Voyager or the double-deck Patoka Pride. There’s a two-hour sunset cruise, wildlife cruises for sightings of ospreys, beavers, deer, river otters, loons and hopefully an eagle or two, wine cruises with vino from the nearby Patoka Lake Winery and other Indiana wineries as well. Catered cruises feature wine, cheese and dessert. In the fall when the leaves turn shades of yellow, red and orange, climb aboard for a fall color cruise.
Ho Ho Ho and a bottle of Sangria?
Not far from the marina, sample wines ranging from sweet to very dry at Patoka Lake Winery on the covered deck or in their tasting room. When it’s hot, wine slushies in flavors such as blueberry pomegranate, peach Bellini and strawberry, to name a few, really hit the spot. The winery is open year round, so when cold weather arrives, order the mulled wine. And, of course, there’s a gift shop to take home a bottle or two as well as a slushie mix.
Patoka Lake Winery also offers unique overnight accommodations. There are three luxury suites above the winery complete with kitchenette, living space with flat screen satellite television, fireplace, granite countertops and wi-fi. Or you can opt to stay in the two-story silo suites (and yes, they are silos, and they are round) complete with many of the same amenities as the luxury suites.
Dry Land
For those traveling with kids, head to Santa Claus (yes, that’s really the name of a town) to play at Holiday World and Splashin’ Safari, a family owned amusement and water park which opened in the late 1940s. The park is famed for its award-winning wooden roller coasters, cleanliness and free suntan lotion and soft drinks.
This part of Indiana is a spelunker’s dream as the porous limestone has created a plethora of underground caves. Nearby Marengo Cave is a U.S. National Landmark with a series of tremendously large caverns packed with such cave formations as soda straws, dripstone and penny ceilings, totem pole stalagmites, and flowstone deposits. There are group and individual tours as well as the very popular Night in the Cave option — a chance to overnight in one of the caverns.
For more information: 812-685-2203; www.patokalakemarina.com