Page 56 - Discover Summer 2020
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L
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The “Little” People
Th
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One of my favorite authors and story are adventure, physical and mental well being,
characters are Theodor Seuss Geisel (Dr. Seuss) and a little peace and harmony with the beauty of
and his protective little creature, “The Lorax”. the lake. Some are even scholastic and collegiate
When the Lorax has seen enough of the athletes.
devastation of the forests, he gets up on a tree
If you watch, social distancing has the
stump and commands, “I am the Lorax, and I
Little People popping out all over the lake now,
speak for the trees!” Well neighbors and guests,
starting long before the traditional watercraft
as your Water Safety Council (WSC), we are
season that spans from Memorial Day to Labor
compelled to speak for the human-powered small
Day. They are out in canoes, kayaks, rowing shells,
craft and the swimmers: the “Little self-propelled
and skiffs. The elusive wet-suited paddle boarder
People”, who create no wakes as they navigate
has even been spotted. Most follow one another,
the little places of Smith Mountain Lake (SML).
like little ducks....six feet apart of course! Yes,
After the previous year’s incident reports, as well
even those young people at the end of the whip
as the trends over the past two years, we need to
being towed behind power craft, they count as
“talk”. So pull up a soap box while I climb up on a
Little People too.
stump.
In order to gauge the presence of local
Who are these “Little People” anyway?
small craft, we conducted a site-survey of 100
They come in all ages and skill levels, from 5 to
docks. We found that there are more human-
95 years young. Many are youths experiencing
powered craft visible than powered craft, by a
their first tastes of freedom and Command at Sea.
factor of nearly two to one. In sheer numbers, the
Little People couldn’t care less about the price of
Little People win!
gas, for they provide their own power. Their goals
54 Discover Smith Mountain Lake SUMMER 2020