I did post this location before, but worth re-posting.
Body of Water: Little Sebago Lake, North Windham, ME [Maine Gazetteer Map 5, C2.5]
Directions (From Portland, ME): Take Rt. 302 North into North Windham. Pass through the shopping area of Windham, with two lanes going in each direction. After last light before 302 narrows into one lane, turn right onto Angler's Rd. (Adirt road across from Whites Bridge Rd.) Follow the signs to the boat landing. The road is where that SUV is coming out, right before Thatchers Restaruant. You will turn onto a dirt road and will be on that road for a couple of miles. Stay on the main road and follow boat launch signs.
Boat Launch: Public Boat Launch, concrete. Room for bigger boats to launch.
Parking: Free. Decent sized parking lot with spaces designed for vehicles hauling trailers. They ask trailer-less vehicles park along the side of the parking area to leave room for the vehicles with trailers. There is often a volunteer there on duty, to inspect boats as they come and go, looking for milfoil.
Wildlife: Ducks, loons, and maybe a bald eagle
Notes: This is a great spot for people who like the wider, more open areas. Lots of area to explore. If it is windy, it can get pretty choppy. Today it was really hot with a bit of a breeze. There were times the paddling was hard because I was paddling into the wind, but worth it to beat the heat. I also would recommend wearing your bathing suit and take a rope to secure your kayak to shore while you take a dip. I found a few places that were crystal clear with a sandy bottom or small rocks on the bottom, perfect for swimming. There are many islands to explore. A great place for a hot day paddle!
I wasn't on the lake long when I came upon this loon. This is the first loon I have gotten close to this year. I came upon a few during my paddle today.
This lake is called Little Sebago, but it is not little! Lots of paddling to be had!
There are lots of areas of the lake to explore, many islands and coves.
This shot is a little goofy, but it was taken just as the loon was going for a dive.
It resurfaced and decided to do a little preening.
So beautiful! (Yes that is my life vest on my kayak not on me... I do recommend wearing one, especially if you are inexperienced.)
I love the sparking water in this shot.
I got to see the bald eagle, but didn't get a great picture, but he was soaring, a lot of fun to watch.
This is one of the places I went in swimming. The bottom was pretty sandy... and pulling my kayak up on shore was easy.
A nest...
It was a hazy day... and the clouds were beautiful...
Again, this is a great spot if you want to swim in between some paddle time... lots of shoreline that is uninhabited.
Enjoy!
Had a good 10 mile paddle here yesterday. Started off a bit weird, as the only parking spot was a trailer spot. The older volunteer guy (I'll call him Gomer) freaked out a bit on me and wanted me to park just north of the "No Parking" sign up against the trees. I mentioned that there should be signs, or parking spots painted there, if they want us to know where to park. Anyway, I didn't get a ticket, but it was not a great start to the day trying to have a conversation with him. Anyway...
ReplyDeletePaddled up to a buddies camp, slowly enjoying the different coves of the lake. Lots of watercraft activity made it a bit of a challenge and at one point the waves were bouncing at me from all directions, as a band of, "Hells Angels on Jet Skis" stormed by. Saw many loons today, they say there are some 30 or so on the lake and sometimes they all band together.
I paddled all the way up to the northern most cove and a new one for me, found an, "underwater geocache" between two rock islands. It was quite comical to see me swim out, secure the cache underwater, figure out how to unhook it and pull it up, etc. A fisherman nearby had no clue what the heck I was doing, but glanced at me off and on with a concerned look on his face.
I stopped on a fairly small island a ways up on my return voyage. This same spot, on the way up, a lady was sitting under an umbrella and I figured it was her island, as near a newly placed dock, it said, "Private Property." Turns out, they were just hanging out there all day and had no idea about the sign. I stretched my legs on the sand bar there and took a swim. Several boats pulled up, so kind of a common occurrence on this island, but use your discretion.
Overall, a nice paddle, had to battle the wind a bit in the cove where the launch was both heading up and heading back. Another good day on the water...