If you spent any time on Lake Norman in the ’80s or ’90s, you probably know this spot. It was the “original Cocktail Cove” — we just didn’t call it that back then. Located in Cornelius, this was once a quarry used during the construction of I-77.

Long before it became a “boat parking lot” and well before houses lined the cliff, it was the go-to place to drop anchor and watch idiots leap off the cliff. Yes- I was one of those idiots.

In retrospect I question why my father allowed me to do that? To get up there, you had to swim to the left side and climb the rocks then walk around to the top. I remember the water always being colder than other areas in the lake. Probably because its 100′ deep!