Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Stairs or landing for access to our pond?

Any suggestions (or pictures) for easy access into a newly excavated part of my recent pond expansion? I'm trying to incorporate a small swimming hole for the nieces and nephews but the clay is very slippery and the slope of the pond after a couple of feet gets pretty steep.

I'm thinking of some type of stairway that goes into the water with a landing at the bottom (3-4 ft deep) that they can be comfortable on before getting into the deep water. Has anyone else done something like this?
Thanks.

Hey TB...
Is the specified area under water yet?
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We poured our concrete boat launch whilst waiting for the pond to fill. I laugh now to think that it might never even see a boat trailer, but we use it ALL THE TIME for swimming, wading, and taking baths. For an unintended reason, it's one of the best pond decisions I ever made.
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Bill Cody has a pic of a super deluxe poured concrete swim zone.

Yep, already done ... I added some sand for a small beach area in one small area that has a less gradient/slope into the water.


This is the area that is "newly" excavated ... the following is a picture of how steep it is in some of the areas of the new expansion.

This a picture of the other end of the "old" pond to give some idea of what we're trying to do.

Thanks!

Who (whom?) ever graded our pond graded a nice sloping dirt ramp down to the pond. It's gets slippery and muddy. What we did is to buy some cheap outdoor carpeting from Home Depot. We just lay it on the dirt and slightly submerged into the pond. It works great. We've had it there for two years and it still hasn't rotted out. We'll probably have to replace every few years but it works well. Keeps your feet clean and is much less slippery than mud.

If you're talking about building something then I would build a wood ramp not a staircase if at all possible. Needless to say wet stairs are very dangerous.

If you build stairs make them removeable, then paint them with a mixture of paint and dry sand every year or two, that should maintain a tractive surface to hold your feet steady as you climb. This is a good way to use up old paint as well.

See Bill Cody's pic of swimming beach for steep ponds.

Wow, what a cool set up.

Well, of course you could just pour them out of concrete, heh heh. That is a nice deal there, complete with the drain pipe held in place by concrete. I have an idea for he next time I dredge my main pond, that is slicker than butter.