About BJ's COVE

There have been a few constants in my life. A love of boating, water, music, and Mr. Shambo.  It started as a little girl, 60 years ago, going to the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri on summer weekends. My parents docked our 28’ wooden Chris Craft cabin cruiser at the Millstone Lodge, left 4 little girls tucked in their bunks, then climbed the stairs up to the Lounge to drink and dance until the wee hours!

My first jukebox experience was at the Lake at 9 years old playing “These Boots Are Made for Walking” at some old BBQ joint.  Dad let us play it 4 times! He always took us to a safe, private cove and I helped drop the anchor.  Music played constantly on the portable radio.  Loretta Lynn and Johnny Cash for sure, but Dad’s favorites were Hank Williams and Ernest Tubb.  I can still hear him laughing and singing Hey Good Lookin’, Whatcha Got Cookin’!  The other constants during the winter months were The Ed Sullivan Show and This is Tom Jones (who I still love). There were piano lessons taught by Mom and playing trombone in school! But getting a record player and hanging out in the record store were the best! 

I graduated high school a year early, started community college, then found myself working in an office in Atlanta at the age of 17. This is where I met Mr. Shambo – age 28!  By the time I turned 18, we were an item. Our boating life began in a canoe on a lake at Stone Mountain Park and that’s all I’m going to say about that! One weekend I talked him into driving to Lake Lanier north of Atlanta to walk the docks at a marina.  My entire boating experience had been on wooden cruisers.  That afternoon, I saw my first fiberglass SeaRay boat and was blown away.  Mr. Shambo (against financial advice) bought a new Sundancer shortly thereafter and our boating life together began!

There was a bench seat at the helm, and inside was an 8-track player. We had three tapes – The Doobie Brothers, Natalie Cole, and Jimmy Buffett.  During this period, we befriended the top morning DJ in Atlanta, saw Saturday Night Fever, jumped into the disco scene with both feet, and never looked back. Then came Urban Cowboy! Oh, what fun!!!

From then on, for some 46 years, we were never without a body of water, be it salt or fresh, owned more boats than I can remember, and accumulated the music that is the soundtrack of our lives.  We have lived all over the world and all over the United States. At every location, whether Ocean, Inland Waterway, Gulf, Lake, or Bay, Mr. Shambo always found a safe, private, peaceful location for us to toss the anchor, relax, play some great music, and enjoy cocktail hour!   In every single instance, he named it “BJ’s Cove”! 

So, I invite you now to join us in BJ’s Cove for some great, really great, ONLY GREAT music!  Drop your anchor, mix a drink, put your feet up, relax, and enjoy!  You’re always welcome in BJ’s Cove!