Every Lake
Lake Waccamaw
An elliptical Carolina bay lake with a town of the same name on its shore.
- 25 ft · first step
- 51 ft
- 76 ft
- 101 ft
- 127 ft
- 152 ft · bottom
About Lake Waccamaw
Lake Waccamaw sits inside one of North Carolina's Carolina bays, a shallow, oval depression cut into the coastal plain of Columbus County. Geologists still debate how the bays formed, with theories ranging from ancient wind and wave action to meteor strikes, but this one holds water year-round and drains into the Waccamaw River. Lake Waccamaw State Park was established in 1976 along the northern and eastern shore, protecting limestone bluffs that neutralize the lake's naturally acidic water, an unusual trait among Carolina bay lakes.
The town of Lake Waccamaw sits along the southeastern shore and gives the lake its name. The water supports species found nowhere else, including the Waccamaw killifish and Waccamaw darter, drawing researchers alongside anglers after largemouth bass and crappie. Waterfront is a mix of small cabins, seasonal cottages, and year-round homes, with the state park offering public swimming, camping, and boat access on the opposite shore. It functions as a local recreation lake for Columbus County rather than a large-scale resort destination.
- 2 shore towns named, with a star on each
- 77 roads engraved around the shore, 6 of them labeled
- 6 depth layers, each step engraved with its depth in feet
- Compass rose, title block with coordinates, max depth and area; keyhole hanger on the back
Turn it in your hands
Live 3D of the actual cut files — drag to orbit, pinch to zoom. Every road you see is engraved on the real thing.
Viewer not showing? Open it full screen.
Lake Waccamaw depth chart, in wood
This is a Lake Waccamaw depth chart you can hang: 6 stacked layers of birch, each one a depth contour — 25 ft, 51 ft, 76 ft, 101 ft, 127 ft and deeper, down to the deepest hole at about 152 ft. The lake covers about 13.8 square miles, and 77 shore roads are engraved around it. The shape of the bottom is the real one from published soundings, so anglers recognise their drop-offs and points.
A Lake Waccamaw map for the wall — or a gift
Most of these go to a cabin wall, a lake house entry, or a home office; a lot are gifts — the family that has been on Lake Waccamaw for three generations, the retirement move, the first boat. The 12-inch is the desk-and-shelf size; the 24- and 30-inch boards read across a room. Add a line under the title and star your place on the shore, and it becomes the map of your Lake Waccamaw.
Lake Waccamaw map — the details
How big is the map?
Four sizes: 12, 17, 24 and 30 inches on the long side, from $149. Every size is cut from the same depth data of Lake Waccamaw; the bigger boards carry more shoreline roads and place names.
Is it made from real depth data?
Yes. Lake Waccamaw is cut layer by layer from published bathymetric soundings — each layer of birch is a depth contour, so the shape of the bottom is the real one, not decorative.
Can I add my own place on it?
Yes. At checkout you can add a line under the title (a family name, a cabin name, a year) and star the spot on the shore that matters to you.
How long does it take?
Made to order in Waterford, Pennsylvania and shipped in 7–10 days; shipping is free in the lower 48.
Can you make a lake that isn't listed?
Any lake in the United States — we hold depth data for 104,419 of them. Search for yours; if it isn't built yet we build it when you order.
- 6 depth layers down to 152 ft
- 13.8 square miles of water
- 77 shore roads engraved, 6 named
- Title block, compass rose and depth markers
- Birch plywood, keyhole hanger, made in Waterford, PA
