we have been going to this particular rock quarry for 9 or 10 years- no one seems to remember exactly. each time we go, i am always, always taken aback by its beauty.
granite is underneath all of athens, and therefore the granite industry is a big one, especially in neighboring elbert and oglethorpe counties. we have family friends who quarry and we have granite around our yards, fashioning paths. i remember swimming in quarries throughout high school, a different one each summer.
our friends purchased this one and cleaned it up. divers surveyed it for hazards and gave it the all-clear. now, families gather here and get refreshed in the cool waters, or sit in the sun on the warm granite. the owners, in true deep DIY spirit, have fashioned an outdoor kitchen and a huge tarped shade area. we have eaten some of the yummiest food here, cooked over a fire or in the kitchen.
we are happy that our children get to roam here...and learn about the tiny flowers and mosses and piney woods, climb the rocks, and enjoy swimming with each other in one of Nature's prettiest spots.
thank you.
words and photographs by rinne allen.