Castle Bridge Marina poised to grow as population increases

As such things are measured, Lake Rhodhiss is a small lake, stretching roughly 10 miles from the Huffman Bridge just north of Drexel to the dam at Rhodhiss from which the lake takes its name.

But that smallness doesn’t bother Castle Bridge Marina owner Larry Davis one bit. In fact, in his eyes, its size is one of the lake’s main selling points.

“It’s a small lake, but it’s a quiet lake,” Davis said, speaking while sitting at a table outside the marina’s small store and looking out over the lake as it stretches westward on a sun-splashed late May afternoon.

“That means the lake is not as crowded, not as noisy as some of the other lakes in this part of North Carolina,” he continued. “It’s a lake that allows you to relax, fish, enjoy the water, and take in some really pretty scenery.”

Indeed, Lake Rhodhiss is home to bald eagles, great blue herons, and osprey as well as to beaver and otter. Deer, turkey, and the occasional black bear can be spotted along its forested shoreline.

The marina is just off Castle Bridge on Connelly Springs Road on the Caldwell County side of the lake. Thanks to satellite annexation, however, it is a part of the town of Rutherford College. 

Dressed in work pants and a work shirt emblazoned with the “Castle Bridge Marina” logo, Davis is a native of Georgia who first got a taste of life on the water when he served in the Navy back during the 1960s.

When that service was completed, he moved to Charlotte where he was a successful businessman for nearly five decades. He purchased a home on Lake Rhodhiss back in 2007, hoping he could semi-retire and spend most of his time there.

“We’d come up here for the weekends,” Davis recalled, “but I never did get to semi-retire. My wife, Peggy, is from Burke County, so it was sort of like coming home for her.”

After selling his business in 2020, Davis and his wife began living on the lake full time. He quickly learned, however, that there was no place on the lake to buy gas, have a boat rental slip, or pick up supplies for a day on the water.

The life-long entrepreneur saw an opportunity and purchased the site in October of 2020, but it was not an opportunity easily achieved.

“This place was an absolute disaster when we first bought it,” Davis said, noting that the site had sat abandoned for years. “It has been quite the job to clean it up, get it functional, and make it attractive once again.”

Davis and his grandson, Jeremy Poston, are the marina’s only full-time employees. Wife Peggy helps out at times, as does daughter Windy Franklin. “It is strictly a family business,” Davis said, “and we’re proud of that.”

What They Offer

The marina season usually runs from early spring to early autumn, Davis said, noting that business drops off substantially after Labor Day.

The marina’s hours are noon to 6 p.m. on Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays.

As Davis noted, the marina is the only spot on Lake Rhodhiss to buy gas at a dockside pump.

Short and long-term boat slips are available for rental and boat owners have access to their vessels at all times. The marina currently has 24 boat slips, a number Davis hopes to double in the next two years.

The marina has several Bennington pontoon boats available for rental on a full-day or half-day basis. Each boat has a capacity for 10 passengers and is equipped with a 115-horsepower Yamaha engine.

Full-day rentals for the pontoon boats are $399 while half-day rentals are $259. The boats are pre-filled with a full tank of gas before they launch.

A person must be at least 26 years old to rent a pontoon boat. Children under the age of 13 are required to wear life jackets at all times.

Standard or fishing kayaks are available at $70 per day or $40 per half day. Life jackets must be worn at all times and are furnished with the kayaks.

The marina also has three small cabins that are available for rental at $125 per night with a two-night minimum. The cabins include linens and towels.

The small store on the marina grounds offers ice, soft drinks, ice cream, snacks, fishing, and boating supplies, as well as souvenir hats and T-shirts.

The Future

Davis speaks enthusiastically about the growth of the business he would like to see in the next few years.

He would like to build a small brewery and a restaurant on the site, with the restaurant offering waterfront dining.

A small wading beach for children and a miniature golf course are also on the drawing board.

“New homes are being built along the lake every day,” Davis said. “It is becoming more popular. And I’d like to upgrade what I offer to appeal to the new folks who are coming here.”

All of those plans are on hold for the moment, however, due to the uncertainty over when, or if, the existing Castle Bridge will be replaced by the N.C. Department of Transportation. 

“They’ve said they will have to take some of my property when a new bridge is built,” Davis said, “but they don’t know when that will be.”

In the meantime, Davis will enjoy offering the services he can and meeting with his customers who rapidly become his friends.

“That is the great part about this business,” he said. “The people you meet. You sit out here very long, and you’ll hear some great stories. That’s what I enjoy.”

Bill Poteat, who loved sitting in the sun and swapping stories with Davis, is editor emeritus of The Paper. He may be reached at 828-445-8595 or via email at bill@thepaper.media.