The Narrows is a spot on Lake Martin, Alabama, that you are not likely to find on an online map. That’s because it is a geographic feature made by a creek that no longer exists.
If someone asks me where The Narrows is, I give them one of two answers, based on how long they’ve been around the lake. I tell “old lake folks” to remember where the old Veazey’s Marina is, then drive around to the north of the point at the end of Coosa 20, and keep heading north. For new lake folks, my directions are the same, but I call the marina by its current name, Smith Marina, aka where you get that great ice cream.
If you are looking at a map of Lake Martin, look on the northwest side of the lake. Find Willow Point. Then look a couple of miles to the northwest.
Oakachoy Creek used to flow through that spot before Lake Martin was built. It joined up with Parker Creek right at the site of present day Smith Marina. On my “neighborhoods” page I classify all of these as Parker Creek, although once you get north of the Narrows it is Oakachoy. If you would like to see a live list of all waterfront homes and lots in Parker Creek and Oakachoy Creek, please check out this page.
When I was growing up, one of my friends family owned a cabin that was on the Oakachoy Creek section of Lake Martin. This was in the days without cell phones, much less smartphones. When giving directions by boat in those days, they would always tell potential guests to “go through the Narrows.”
Don’t let its name fool you, there is plenty of room for several boats to go through the Narrows. It is plenty deep, also. If you have never been there, I recommend taking a boat trip to Oakachoy Creek. It is one of the many beautiful nooks of Lake Martin.