Families in the Woods
This week is the first week of summer vacation for most schools in the area, and families with kids are beginning to show up everywhere. Almost all of the summer camps and sporting camps are back to a normal schedule.
It is good to see our friends from away returning. These camps are not only very important to the local economy, but often bring visitors from all over the country who learn the joys of living near a lake in Maine.
Many later come back to settle here in their retirement. There are many former Camp Kennebec alumni around Salmon Lake, Pine Island alumni and Runoia alumnae around Great Pound, Manitou and Matoaka alums around East Pond, and Snow Pond Center for the Arts alumni everywhere.
This is also true of former visitors to Bear Springs Camp, Alden Camps. Whisperwood, Castle Island, Wheeler Camps, and other family camps in the watershed. Residents of Taconnet have been playing tennis with the same “kids” for decades. Camp Tracy on McGrath Pond provides opportunities for disadvantaged youth and Pine Tree Camp on North Pond is in its 80th year of providing camping opportunities for youth with various disabilities.
A UMO study estimates youth summer camps alone generate about $323 million direct and indirect economic benefits in Maine, annually. These summer camps and sporting camps have been part of our watershed communities for over a century in some cases and continue to play a significant role in providing both financial and in-kind service to protect water quality throughout the watershed. These camps continue to expand their family-oriented activities and most provide “guest night” opportunities to experience some of their American Plan dining. They all have great cooks, and I encourage you to take advantage of these opportunities and learn more about their operations.
Last week, I went for a hike at French Mountain and met the Creamer family from Fairfield, just finishing their hike between rain showers. Zach is a local contractor who is completing a house for a 7 Lakes member on East Pond and was taking the family on a family hike at their recommendation. He was hiking with his wife Adrianna and their three children: Delylah (age 16), Mildred (age 2), and Zach Jr. (age 4). He said there was just enough rain to keep the mosquitoes down during their hike. They were very enthusiastic about the 7 Lakes trails and said they plan to hike more of them more often.
Over Memorial Day Weekend, my friend Don Kowalsky on Great Pond had his kids and grandkids in town for a bit of fishing. He sent me a picture of Grandson Connor stalking sunfish in the boathouse. He also included a couple of pictures of nice brown trout caught by his son Timothy and his daughter Kaitlin Balestriere, ably assisted by her son Matteo. Don has been “taking them outside” for years and they are all “hooked on fishing,” including hunting and foraging for wild plants and mushrooms.
The trout fishing has been slow for the past month as the water warms. Once the surface water temperature gets above 70°, the trout will tend to stay in the cooler water below the thermocline, currently about 25 feet down. I have still been catching some nice rainbows trolling streamer flies or small spoons just off the bottom in areas 20 to 25 feet deep. The bass are off their beds and feeding on alewives, as are the pike. The sunfish are still spawning in the shallows and provide a lot of action for youngsters just learning to fish.
Check the 7LA website and Facebook page for upcoming events. Our Thursday afternoon, 3 to 4 p.m., Chewonki presentations began on June 24. We will also be offering Invasive Plant Workshops and Junior Ranger training on Sunday mornings during the Farmers’ Market. Check with Sally (495‑6039) in the gallery if you are interested in signing up.
I encourage everyone to take advantage of the wealth of recreational opportunities this area offers. Do like they used to in “the good old days” and take a kid fishing, or on a hike, or paddling in a canoe. It’s how memories are made. Or take a parent, so they can become a kid again.
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