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Published by Mike Williams on Oct 12, 2021 2:16:10 PM

The time has arrived to begin planning for the safety of your boat and engine(s) for the winter. That means, if you don’t plan to boat throughout the year, it is time to winterize your boat and engine(s). Unless you are extra handy, it is a good idea to utilize the services of a marine mechanic from either a reputable independent agency or a boat dealership. Almost all cracked blocks and severe damage to winterized boats are the result of incomplete or inadequate winterization.

If you have inboard or I/O engines in the Grand Lake area, you certainly need to either winterize your boat or add onboard heating and bilge heating systems. I recommend Boat Safe bilge heaters installed by a professional. NEVER use a heater with an open flame. Fiberglass and fire are not a good mixture! Boat Safe bilge heating systems operate on thermostats to ensure that, given normal weather conditions, your engine compartment will remain at temperatures above freezing. Invest in an inexpensive thermometer with a probe to drop in your engine compartment so you can easily check the compartment temperature without uncovering and boarding your boat. Remember, the temperature doesn’t need to be room temperature – just above freezing. There are times of extended periods of severe cold (like last winter) when even bilge heating systems cannot keep up with consistent single-digit temperatures. In that case, don’t take a chance. Winterize!

With inboard or I/O engines, winter boating is not a great idea unless your boat has a generator or is located where someone is available to start your engine(s) periodically if electrical power is out. Otherwise, there is no way to get electrical power to your bilge heaters in the event of a power outage. If you have a generator, be sure someone is watching your boat to start your generator and switch electrical systems to “generator power” in the event of an extensive power outage. If you store your boat in a marina, be sure the management team knows your boat is not winterized. If you keep your boat at a private dock, but do not live at the lake full-time, be sure a friend or neighbor can keep an eye on your boat and the available electrical power supply.

If you have an outboard motor(s), water will drain from the motor once it is out of the water, so no winterization or additional protection is necessary. However, in any vessel, onboard water supplies and/or head facilities should be winterized. Water lines run throughout the vessel and can easily freeze and break in bad weather. If you have a liveaboard-style boat, you may want to keep the water system operational. Utilize a space heater in the cabin with cabinet doors and head compartment doors.

Winter boating on Grand Lake can be a fun and unique experience, but you should NEVER BOAT ALONE in the winter. There are too many possibilities of dangers that may seem insignificant in the summer but could be deadly in the winter (i.e. falling overboard, slipping on icy swim platforms or docks, exposure, etc.). And no matter the size of your boat, boat safely. Please always wear a lifejacket for winter boating – even on the docks!

Winter boating can be a lot of fun, for sure; but it will be a lot more fun if you plan ahead. Be safe.

Grand Lake is Not as Deep as it was – But it’s on Purpose

By Mike Williams

Grand Lake boaters don’t like it much, but the lake is not as deep as it was in the summer. It’s all part of a “rule curve” mandated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and administered by the Grand River Dam Authority. With those governmental technicality explanations out of the way, here’s what it means to people using the lake.

October-April, the targeted Grand Lake elevation is 742’ above sea level. That’s two feet lower than the 744’ target elevation in the summer months. Primarily as an upstream flood protection tool, the elevation is down from October-April each year. That means areas that weren’t shallow during the summer boating months may be dangerously shallow in the Fall-Winter-early Spring months. If that shoreline looks a little closer than it appeared in July, it’s not an illusion.

Be especially careful in areas such as Horse Creek, Elk River, Patricia Island, Bird Island, Governor’s Island – areas that are a little more shallow year-round. If you don’t know where those areas are located, get a Chart Book or a good Grand Lake map that will point them out. Watch the shoreline, too. Since Grand Lake is a man-made lake, the “below shoreline” underwater topography is very similar to the “above shoreline” topography. If there is a flat area above the shoreline, it’s flat underwater, as well – and maybe dangerously shallow during the water months. Conversely, if you are boating next to a bluff, the water is deep. Roll on!

In docks located in shallow coves, there can also be potential problems letting boat lifts all the way down during the winter months. Most boat lifts require 8-feet of depth to drop all the way down and release your boat. If you only had 8-feet of water below your lift in July, you’ll only have 6-feet during the winter – and you may have difficulty getting your boat off the lift. That’s why it is wise to check the water depth BEFORE you commit to a slip where you will utilize a boat lift year-round.

If Mother Nature cooperates, GRDA will begin increasing the Grand Lake elevation back to 744’ May 1. In the meantime, enjoy some of the most beautiful boating weather of the year – but, be careful out there. Just enjoy the main channel and the larger coves. Don’t be worried about marinas and businesses with courtesy docks. They are all plenty deep. There is much year-round boating to enjoy at Grand Lake, but be alert. It is not the same as summer boating.

Handwashing is important these days but notoriously harsh on the skin, often resulting in rough, dry skin. Because there is little fat on the backs of your hands – and the skin there is much thinner – dryness and signs of aging are much more noticeable on your hands than on your face. If you find that your youthful hands are turning dry and cracked, read on for these Eminence Organic Skin Care solutions to reversing their transformation.

Choose Rich Moisturizers For Dry Hand Treatment

When soaping up is a priority, humidity levels are low and heating systems are sucking the moisture from your skin, you’ll want to fight back with Eminence Organics hand care, especially our Mangosteen Replenishing Hand Cream. This luxurious hand cream maintains hydration through multiple handwashings as well as resurfaces and refines the skin with our Lactic Acid Complex. Another effective choice is our Vanilla Mint Hand Cream. The organic shea butter ingredient is an excellent emollient to hydrate dry skin on your hands, with a delicate hint of fresh vanilla and mint. Avocado and rosehip oils also nourish and revitalize the skin for a smooth and youthful look.

Protect Your Hands With Gloves

Gloves are not only a stylish accessory, but they are also an essential step to protecting your paws from drying elements. Make sure you slide on a pair to safeguard against wind and to keep moisture in your skin. Gloves are especially essential for vigorous activities like dishwashing. Avoid oil-stripping dish detergent from drying out your hands and don rubber gloves when cleaning up the kitchen. The last thing you want to suffer now is an uncomfortable case of chapped “dishpan hands.”

Shield Your Skin With SPF

According to the Annals of Internal Medicine, slathering sunscreen on your hands not only protects them from skin cancer and sunburn, but it is also clinically proven to preserve them from signs of aging. In this Australian study, members of the group that used daily sunscreen on areas including the hands showed 24% fewer lines, wrinkles, and coarseness on their skin. To achieve the same effect for your dry hands, we recommend the application of sunscreen on your hands, as needed. A sun care product like Lilikoi Mineral Defense Sport Sunscreen SPF 30 not only blocks harmful UVA and UVB rays, but it also moisturizes your skin and leaves it silky smooth.

Plump Your Skin At Night

At Eminence Organics, one of the best solutions we recommend for dry skin on your hands is a night-time treatment. Monoi Age Corrective Night Body Cream is a fabulous (and fragrant!) way to soothe super dry hands, using shea butter which is high in fatty acids. Argan oil provides extra nourishment, while botanical hyaluronic acid and nutmeg plump the skin and minimize the appearance of lines and wrinkles. We love coating our hands in this rich lotion at night and slipping on a pair of cotton gloves (or clean socks, in a pinch). After eight hours of beauty sleep, you’ll be waking up to hands that are as perfectly moisturized and soft as baby skin.

Pamper With An At-Home Dry Hand Treatment

1. Soak

After filing your polish-free nails, the first step of your organic manicure is to soak your fingertips and soften your cuticles. For our soaking solution, we like to mix one pump of Coconut Milk Cleanser into a bowl of warm water. Leave hands in for at least two to five minutes, so fingertips and cuticles are hydrated and gently cleansed.

2. Exfoliate

Are your hands still feeling a little rough? Buff away any scaly skin with our sugar scrubs. Choosing from three delicious exfoliators – Coconut Sugar Scrub, Blueberry Soy Sugar Scrub, and Cranberry Pomegranate Sugar Scrub – you can remove dead skin cells and replenish moisture. Rinse thoroughly and gently pat dry your silky smooth hands.

3. Moisturize

Our award-winning Apricot Body Oil is the perfect blend of luxury oils to deeply moisturize your nails and cuticles. Massage this fragrant oil into the hands and while it absorbs, use a clean cuticle stick to gently push back your cuticles.

4. Finish

Complete your at-home manicure by smoothing on the Mangosteen Replenishing Hand Cream. One application leaves your hands silky soft, even with multiple handwashing.

         What are your tips for keeping your hands smooth and hydrated?

          Let us know in the comments below or on social media.

Click Here To Shop The Spa at Shangri-La by our Affiliate Link today!

To book an appointment with one of our licensed professionals, try our selection of skin and body care essentials, or speak to us about our specials, give us a call at 918-257-7734 today.

As we roll into the middle of the summer season, we are celebrating our freedom to vacation, spend time with our families and get back to the business of working and growing our work teams into mighty gladiators.

It’s no secret now what we have been creating for the last year at Shangri-La Resort; our vision was to create an Activity Park where business groups and families alike could enjoy themselves 365 days a year without worrying about the Oklahoma weather. 

The Anchor has not fallen short of delivering fun for all ages and groups of people. We have spared no expense in creating an atmosphere that breeds pure excitement. 

This week we have our first WIFFLE Ball Tournament featuring the OKLAHOMA SERIES GAMEDAY!! It’s the Eagles and Wildcats facing off at 8 PM CT for Games 1 & 2 tonight at our Mini Fenway Park, with Game 3 coming tomorrow night.

All are welcome to attend. Or you can Tune into the @MLWWiffleBall Instagram Live at 7:30 PM CT to catch some pregame action. 

I remember as a kid playing WIFFLE Ball in the street, recruiting neighborhood kids, and creating makeshift bases with made-up rules. What we have today is not that. 

It’s surprising to think that WIFFLE Ball, a variation of baseball, would garner such a major following, but these guys have an amazing dedication to this sport. Coming to Shangri-La Resort from Michigan to experience the Mini Fenway Park and play the Oklahoma Series. 

Check out their Youtube Page. It’s impressive! https://www.youtube.com/mlwwiffleball.

According to Wikipedia, WIFFLE Ball is a  Miniature version of baseball that has been played for decades, including stickball, improvised by children, using everything from rolled-up socks to tennis balls. The ball most commonly used in the game was invented by David N. Mullany at his home in Fairfield, Connecticut, in 1953^[2] when he designed a ball that curved easily for his 12-year-old son. It was named when his son and his friends would refer to a strikeout as a “whiff.” 

WIFFLE Ball has been around for a while now, and it is so much fun for all ages. The ball is lighter weight, the bat is lighter weight, and there is no need to worry about not having the agility to participate. It’s for everyone!

WIFFLE Ball is an excellent choice for developing your work teams. The game creates excitement, team involvement, and camaraderie, not to mention strategic thinking.  Since we opened our Mini Fenway Park, people have gravitated to this area of the activity park, curious to see what it looks like and to feel the energy of being under the big lights, playing the game. 

WIFFLE Ball brings out the kid in all of us, and to top off this fun activity, The Anchor Galley offers some of the best Chicago Hot Dogs this side of the Mississippi, adding to the nostalgic feeling of being at the classic “Fenway Park.” 

We really love this part of the Anchor, and we think your work teams will love it also. Our goal with teambuilding at The Anchor is to help you to improve leaders and develop teams. If outdoor WIFFLE Ball is not your thing, we have an array of additional activities inside The Anchor, and we invite you to come and explore Shangri-La Resort or go to shangrilaok.com to learn more.  Schedule a trip to Shangri-La Resort to check us out @ dana.able@shangrilaok.com

Being a Member of Shangri-La Resort is full of excellent benefits. This week Katelin Threet, Membership Director, is sharing a day at the Spa at Shangri-La. Learn more about Member Spa Benefits!!

Suppose you are not a member of Shangri-La. In that case, you might be surprised to find out that Shangri-La Golf Club & Resort is a full-service resort with 27 championship holes and member access to a variety of amenities, including a 119-room hotel with a large resort pool and splash pad, an indoor pool, fitness center, and spa, and three restaurants and bars offering a variety of dining options and recreational activities.

Golfers appreciate the challenge of a Top 5 golf course featuring diverse greens complexes featuring rolling greens and distinctive white sand bunkers. The classic tree-lined layout provides the perfect complement to magnificent lake views visible from all points on the golf course. With 27 holes and five sets of tees on each hole, the course is set up daily to offer all levels of golfers the challenge that suits their game. We offer several membership options that are uniquely designed to appeal to a diverse set of needs for members with various recreational desires.

Fine dining at the Golf Club in the Summit Restaurant and Buffalo Bar is reserved exclusively for our members, their guests, and resort guests. At the resort hotel, all members have access and charging privileges at Doc’s Bar & Grill, offering casual indoor and outdoor dining, and at Eddy’s Lakeside Bar at Shangri-La Marina, offering a light menu with an exceptional lakeside dining deck. Members have charging privileges at all resort venues. Our memberships include privileges for your spouse and dependent children under the age of twenty-five.

      Shangri-La Membership Benefits

       Golf

• Advanced tee times and morning preferences on weekends and holidays
• Use of practice facility including unlimited range balls
• Guest of a member green fee discounts
• Eligibility to play in men’s and ladies’ golf events
• Ability to join private golf cart trail fee program

      Resort

• Charging privileges throughout the resort
• Resort indoor & outdoor pool, splash pad, fitness center, sauna & steam room access
• Private dining for Summit and Buffalo Bar
• Discounts are available on select apparel at the Golf Shop, Room Rates, and services at the Shangri-La Spa
  
   

     Anchor Activity Park

• Charging privileges and access to the facility
• Tennis & Pickleball included
• Discounted rates on simulator bays, arcade & virtual reality games
• No charge for bar games

          For additional information or a membership application, visit www.shangrilaok.com