Magician

This morning we drove to Table Rock Lake…

Table Rock Lake is an artificial lake or reservoir in the Ozarks of southwestern Missouri and northwestern Arkansas in the United States. Designed, built and operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the lake is impounded by Table Rock Dam, which was constructed from 1954 to 1958 on the White River.

The lake is a popular attraction for the city of Branson, Missouri, and the nearby town of Shell Knob, Missouri. There are several commercial marinas along the lake, and Table Rock State Park is located on the east side, both north and south of Table Rock Dam. Downstream from the dam, the Missouri Department of Conservation operates a fish hatchery, which is used to stock trout in Lake Taneycomo, which begins immediately downstream from the Table Rock Dam. The cold water discharged from the dam creates a trout fishing environment in the lake.

We are here to enjoy a lunch show on the Showboat Branson Bell…

The original plan, of course, was to have a cruise around the lake, whilst enjoying lunch and a show… However, the weather was not encouraging, so the boat never left the dock.

(Apparently river boats do not like 40 mph winds… On December 11, 2010, due to high winds that had come up suddenly, the Showboat Branson Belle ran aground while cruising on Table Rock Lake. The incident stranded 567 passengers and 76 crew members overnight.)

Showboat Branson Belle is a riverboat—more specifically, a showboat—on Table Rock Lake near Branson, Missouri. The lake is landlocked by the Table Rock Dam on one side and the Beaver Lake Dam on the other side. Being a showboat, it hosts lunch and dinner shows throughout the year.

The boat was constructed at its port at White River Landing and was launched on August 12, 1994. The boat was launched into Table Rock Lake at a speed of 14 knots (16 mph) on launching rails lubricated with two tons of bananas. The bananas were used for lubrication because they were biodegradable and would not have polluted Table Rock Lake as grease would have. The boat is claimed by its owner to be the largest ship on a landlocked lake in the United States. According to the plaque on the dock, the boat weighs 2,500,000 lbs.

So we waited to board…

Once on board, we walked around and explored the boat…

While the showboat looks like a typical excursion riverboat, it really is a 2,100 seat theater and a large kitchen…

The showboat is powered by a diesel-electric power plant, much like modern train locomotives. It is actually propelled by the twin stern wheels…

One giant smokestack…

Two giant smokestacks…

Now, back to the show…

But first! Our lunch was served – pork, chicken, mashed potatoes and green beans… What is it with these Southerners? The good news is that the food was WAY better than at the Whodunnit Hoedown…