RECENT heavy rains might have caused despair across Ballarat and much of the state, but Lake Learmonth is reaping the rewards.The lake is almost full and its rejuvenation has provided a new haven for those looking to test out their sea legs.Downpours of rain over the last two months have given water levels a massive boost and the lake is now the fullest it has been for almost 15 years.Lake Learmonth Advisory Committee chairman Fon Ryan said the latest boost came when 25mm of rain was recorded on February 19. The lake is now 62 centimetres below full and, at its deepest point, is 1.9 metres in depth.Mr Ryan said people had flocked to the water of Lake Learmonth and numbers had grown even more with the closure of Lake Burrumbeet due to a blue-green algae outbreak.“There certainly has been a few numbers out lately, especially on the weekend,” he said.Despite windy and choppy conditions on Saturday, cars lined the shore and dozens of boats were out on the water.Speedboats, jet skis and sail boats could all be seen on the water, despite the rough conditions.Mr Ryan said it was now “fingers crossed” that a similar algae outbreak does not strike Lake Learmonth.Lake Learmonth officially dried in 2002 and has not been full since 1997.