June 19, 2007
Yesterday, I kayaked the southern portion of Norway Lake (Lake Pennesseewassee). Today I will try to explore the rest of this 922 acre lake. Here's a Delorme map showing both yesterday's track and today's track. As you can see, I've pretty well covered this lake.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I put my kayak in at the public boat launch.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Off I go.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
It's hard to tell, but that's an island just to the left of the middle of the picture below.
There are several islands in the northern section of the lake. They are all privately owned with houses on them. I'll be going by them later.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Here's a couple lake homes.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I paddled my way into a small inlet or cove. (I'm not sure of the right term. Anyone know?)
In the northern end of the small cove I found a jet sky. This must be a fun way to get around!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Time to paddle my way out of the cove.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Is this where Batman and Robin keep the Bat Boat?
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I went by a woman who was playing fetch in the water with her three golden retrievers.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Here's a couple birds resting on a large rock.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
There are so many beautiful homes around the lake.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
These ducks were debating on whether to go in the water or not.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I guess this is about as far north as I can go on this lake.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Here's the northern most island on the lake. You can only get to it by boat in the summer or snowmobile in the winter.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Time to head back. I've got a long way to go, and the wind is against me.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I mentioned that all of the islands have homes on them. That's not entirely true. I've claimed a very small island for myself. I pointed my kayak toward Eric's Island and paddled toward it. After about 15 minutes, I was closing in.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I know, it's not much, but it gives me a chance to get out and stretch. My legs and rear end get soar if I sit in a kayak too long. As far as I can tell, this island is uninhabited with no stranded castaways.
I got out and went for a quick swim. I then took advantage of this sunny day by taking a 20 minute nap on the large rock.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Lake Loon
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
More islands ahead
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I think this is the nicest island on the lake.
That's not the house on the left, that's "just" the boat house.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Here's a close up. You can see a little of the house through the trees.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I decided to paddle around the island. You may have noticed a small circle in the map at the beginning of today's entry. That's where I paddled around the island. I saw several ducks on a dock and tried to get a picture. They flew away, but I managed to get one in flight (to the right in the picture below).
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
This guy is taking the quick way back.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Well, that's Norway Lake. The whole lake could be explored in a day. I didn't want to give up one of my hiking Saturdays, so I did it in two evenings.
| 
