[RollerBee]

Does anyone know what year the original wavepool opened? I heard 81,82, and 83. I know Boomerang Bay opened in 1989 as RipTide Reef, and the wavepool was named Tide Water Bay at that point. And that before that, it was Ocean Island. I also understand that at one point, there was a separate entry to the wavepool. Anyone, know anything about that?

[KenB]

I want to say it opened in 1982. There was definitely a separate gate for it, as you could buy tickets and season passes for either Ocean Isle, Carowinds, or a combo ticket / pass that included both. There was parking that you entered from Carowinds Blvd. over by Thunder Road, probably what became the employee parking and now the new wave pool.

From the "dry" park, you entered near White Lightnin'. I'm thinking you went on a wooden ramp that actually went over White Lightnin's track somewhere between the station and the loop, somewhat similar to the old exit to Scooby Doo that went over the track - but my memory is fuzzy on that - it may have gone under WL. I do recall wristbands being involved somehow as well when going from Carowinds to Ocean Isle.

[bgwfreak]

You didn't cross over White Lightnin, I think you might have walked under it around it.

I rode WL, and know for sure that the walkway wasn't over the top of the track.

[KenB]

I really don't remember anything over the track when riding WL either, but remember some sort of ramp / stairs you went up going to the wave pool.

This doesn't really clear it up, but look at the picture at the top-right of this 1983 brochure. There's a fence of some sort to the right of WL's loop, with people standing there looking at the wave pool - and they're definitely much higher than the wave pool. I'm pretty sure that's part of the ramp you used to get to the waterpark.

Now, how did you get to that point? Perhaps you went under WL, like Scooby Doo's new exit, and the stairs / ramp I'm remembering is from when you came up on the other side. Or maybe you went under the back spike and around? It was so long ago I honestly can't remember the details. Hopefully one of the other old-timers will remember something.....

Those brochures on that site are quite interesting - there's others for Carowinds from 1987,1990,1999 and 2007. The first thing that jumps out at you is the prices on the older ones, but also if you look at the calendars you notice something else that's changed. Back then, Carowinds was closed on Fridays except July 4th weekend. I also notice that the 1983 and 1987 brochures made the place seem far more appealing than the 1990 one - which would've been after they removed White Lightnin' and had let Thunder Road go to it's natural color scheme.

[bgwfreak]

It seems to me (and the other Ken can probably confirm) but it seems like when you went into the queue you went under the back spike, then to get ot Ocean Isle you went under the front launch section.

But that was 20 years ago.

[RollerBee]

I didn't visit Carowinds until 1991 or 1992, so White Lightnin' was long gone. I am pretty sure it was 92, as I remember a car ride where Vortex is(Speedway/Carolina Turnpike).
Anyways, I have only found one photo of White Lightnin' with something over the track.

Source: Carowinds.com
However, photos on RCDB show nothing of this. Personally I find it odd that they would have anything over the launch track. My mother rode White Lightnin' long before I was born. However, I don't trust anything she says, because she claims White Lightnin was removed when Cyclone opened. Which I know to be false. By the way, was White Lightnin over water? I have heard both ways.

[Jay]

Those brochures on that site are quite interesting - there's others for Carowinds from 1987,1990,1999 and 2007. The first thing that jumps out at you is the prices on the older ones, but also if you look at the calendars you notice something else that's changed. Back then, Carowinds was closed on Fridays except July 4th weekend. I also notice that the 1983 and 1987 brochures made the place seem far more appealing than the 1990 one - which would've been after they removed White Lightnin' and had let Thunder Road go to it's natural color scheme.

Completely off topic but how awesome would it be if we could get a collection of maps and brochures throughout the history of the park. Sounds like a interesting weekend project ...

[swampfox43]

The wave pool opened in 1982 according to my brochure. When the wave pool first opened you could only enter directly from the walkway that went over White Lightnin' (according to the brochure). A few years later they added another entrance from the parking lot. Note that in 1986, they had a separate $5.95 entrance fee for the wave pool if you entered from the parking lot. If you enter from the White Lightnin' entrance, you had to pay just $3.00.

Here are some scans from a 1982 map and a 1986 map showing the wave pool entrances.

[bgwfreak]

At some point toward the end did they take the walkway down? I really don't remember riding it and riding through that walkway.

[swampfox43]

^OK, I think I have solved the mystery. If you look closely in this photo below, I drew an arrow where the walkway to the wave pool actually goes under White Lightnin'. I can't imagine a cartoon map getting that wrong. Cost wise, it makes more sense to go under anyway.

[KenB]

^ I'm about 99% sure that's just a pic from before the wave pool was built - you should see some sign of the wave pool area from that angle, but you don't.

The pic Rollernut posted from Carowinds.com clearly shows a structure over the track. If you look real hard in the upper-right corner of the wave pool pic from the '83 brochure I posted earlier, you can see this structure as well. It's at the very right edge, somewhat obscured by the tree. I didn't notice it earlier, but when I saw the other pic I knew what to look for. You can see where the stairs are coming down from where it crosses over the track, to meet the pathway that's near WL's loop that's more clearly seen. Why they built a platform over the ride, I dunno, but I'd say it's clear that it really was there. The cartoon maps would seem to be correct, as well as my memory.

[bgwfreak]

It's funny what you forget over the years. I really don't recall it being there, but then again I didn't pluck up the courage to ride the coaster until very near it's run at Carowinds so it might have been gone by then.

[Dukeis#1]

This is a very small pic from a brochure that I scanned at a high DPI, however you can clearly see the bridge over the track:

[swampfox43]

No doubt, there is a bridge over the track. For some reason, my brain just doesn't remember it. I do wonder if it remained there up until White Lightnin's final season in 1988. It's sometimes hard to pinpoint the years of some of these photos.

[bgwfreak]

regardless...I miss the old girl. That would be my 2nd favorite coaster in the park if it was still here.