Wildlife steals show on lakeshore cruises

Lake Taneycomo cruises from Branson Landing Marina are turning into more than a ritzy ride.

Wildlife along the largely undeveloped 22-mile shoreline is stealing the show.

Guests on the 96-foot luxury yacht and 62-foot paddle wheeler owned by the Gage family that built the $8 million marina adjacent to Branson Landing have observed blue herons, a family of ducks, a huge flock of geese and twin bald eagles.

"We sometimes take for granted the beauty we have here," said Justin Gage, grandson of Fred Stewart, who built the original Lake Queen in the 1950s and operated from Rockaway Beach.

The Gage family rebuilt the Lake Queen paddle wheeler and added the Landing Princess to sail from its marina. The sightseeing cruises began in late 2007.

On a recent trip, Lake Queen captain Robert Hodge took the boat past a large rookery of blue herons, a mother duck paddling upstream with her cluster of chicks in tow and a line of 100 geese swimming.

Heading back to the marina on the 90-minute cruise, someone spotted a young eagle atop a dead tree. Its head feathers weren't yet turned white, but it is notable for its size. Hodge slowed the boat to a crawl so passengers could admire the rare sight of eagles, which remain on the state's endangered list.

The Missouri Department of Conservation has counted more than 150 active bald eagle nests in Missouri. "That's a pretty dramatic comeback," said department spokesman Francis Skalicky. "As recently as 1981, there were no active nests in Missouri. It's a sign nature can heal itself as long as it gets a little help from us."

Branson Landing Cruises General Manager John Boltz said the wildlife creates a buzz among passengers. "It's really something to see raccoons, baby fox, and I've watched two deer playing along shore," he said.

Visiting from Sacramento, Calif., Peg Hunter took in the sights on the water.

"I had forgotten how beautiful it is here," said Hunter, who grew up in Arkansas, but hadn't returned to the area in 50 years. "You never think about all the different shades of green."

Other points of interest visible on the cruise are the Christian summer camp, Kamp Kanukuk, and a stately mansion that is the former home of novelist Janet Dailey.

The Gage family's connection with the lakefront goes back generations. After the White River was dammed, tourists flocked to the area for swimming, fishing and boating.

The Lake Queen came to the Branson lakefront in 1973 on the spot where the new marina stands. The family also owns Gage's Long Creek Marina on Table Rock Lake, developed by Gage's father, the late Steve Gage.

"We'll continue to keep history a focus of everything, to keep that promise of the waterfront, and the simplicity of the water and the wildlife that drew people to the lake to have a great time and still does," Justin Gage said.

Branson Landing Cruises also offers lunch and dinner cruises, and holds corporate events, weddings and private parties on board. A cocktail cruise starts at $11 a ticket and a New Year's Eve Celebration cruise is $77 a ticket, according to www.bransonlandingcruises.com.Kathryn Buckstaff is membership public relations manager of Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce.