Sometimes Islands (Lake Travis)

The “Sometimes Islands” are in the middle of Lake Travis (near Austin). When the water level of the lake goes down, the Sometimes Islands appear. When the water level goes up, the Sometimes Islands disappear.
 
Kodiak Island (Alaska) also has a “Sometime Island,” but the term (cited from at least the 1990s) appears most popularly associated with Lake Travis.
 
 
Austin American-Statesman
Central Texas may face water restrictions if region stays dry
Not enough water pouring into Highland Lakes, and farmers in jeopardy
By Asher Price
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Saturday, February 10, 2007
 
More than 1 million people who rely on the Colorado River for their water might soon face mandatory water restrictions, according to the authority that manages the river.
 
Last year, less water flowed into Lake Buchanan and Lake Travis — the enormous reservoirs for drinking, industrial and farming water for Austin and points downriver — than at any time since they began operating together as a water supply source in 1942. If the lakes get as little water in 2007, water may be rationed, said Joe Beal, head of the Lower Colorado River Authority, which manages the river.
(...)
On Friday, a couple of sandbars scruffy with vegetation were visible in the middle of Lake Travis. Those sandbars would be underwater if the lake were at its average level; if the lake falls another 7 feet, a land bridge to the islands will emerge, say LCRA officials.
 
“Those are the Sometimes Islands,” said Robert Cullick, a spokesman for the LCRA. “Sometimes they’re there, sometimes they’re not. Right now, it’s fixing to be Sometimes Peninsula.”
 
Google Groups: rec.scuba
Newsgroups: rec.scuba
From: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) (Martin Schuessler)
Date: 1995/08/25
Subject: Re: Wanted: Lake Travis TX info (repost)
 
Several dives around the “Sometimes Islands” in the middle of the lake.
 
QRP-L
Subject:  QRPTTF - Sometimes Island & Last Sighting of Elvis (long)
From:  “Gary R. Hanson”

Date:  Wed, 23 Apr 1997 09:30:28 -0600
Reply-to:  .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Hi Gang,
 
Only a QRPer would consider operating “maritime” mobile from Central Texas, but I’ll be hovering over “Sometimes” Island in the middle of Lake Travis, Texas on my sailboat with a 20 meter rotatable dipole (Frank-G3YCC’s version) and a 40 meter sloper antenna from atop the 26ft mast.
 
Lake Travis is a “small” Texas lake about 15 miles west of Austin and the water level will rise and fall about 30 feet over the course of any given year depending on rain fall and the water release from the dam. When the water level is low, the “sometimes” islands appear and when it’s high, well… they disappear.

The last time we saw the islands in Lake Travis, the spirt of Elvis made an appearance.  In the middle of the island, a LARGE black velvet painting of Elvis, a pair of blude suede shoes, and a sofa all
mysteriously arrived over night and stayed all summer.  Over a few weeks time, the stones on the island re-arranged themselves (?) into a “WE LOVE YOU, ELVIS” message.  It became a popular shrine and boatloads of people would come to have their picture taken with Elvis. The Sometimes Islands are now 25 feet under water, but as far as we now the painting, shoes and sofa are still there.  Is this weird enough?

My plan is to anchor over the island and use the power of Elvis’s spirit to give my RF a 10db boost.  I’ll be signing KJ5VW/mm.  Look for me.

I’m taking my MXM-40, NW20 and WM-20 (SSB at the top of the hour).  Of course, we have a 50% chance of severe thunderstorms predicted for Saturday.  I won’t be sitting under a 26-foot aluminum mast in the middle of the lake during a Texas thunderboomer for very long.

Catch me if you can!

See you Saturday,
 
Gary, KJ5VW