By now, almost all of the high-performance catamarans and V-bottoms that descended on Central Missouri for the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout and Super Cat Fest are gone, headed back on trailers to places as far away as California and New York. Given that the folks hauling those boats are still a long way from home, we wish them all safe travels.

Thanks to its abundant natural beauty, it’s not hard to understand why the Lake of the Ozarks is so popular—even when there’s just one boat in sight (click image to enlarge). Photo courtesy/copyright Jay Nichols/Naples Image

With one weekend left in the 2015 boating season, which despite that September and October are two of the finest months of the year in most parts of the country shuts down after Labor Day weekend, the local Lake of the Ozarks scene is getting back to normal. From Captain Ron’s to Performance Boat Center things have quieted down, at least until Labor Day weekend’s last hurrah.

As happens every year, the hardware and action on and off the water stole the show last weekend. But now that the circus has rolled out of town, so to speak, the lake takes center stage once more. And what a glorious stage it is.

Related story: Coverage of the 2015 Lake of the Ozarks Shootout