The pond less paddled
Small waters satisfy quest to find quiet
By Jeff Nadler, Explorer Correspondent
Bordered by marshes, surrounded by
wooded hills, the Cedar River Flow in
the central Adirondacks had long been
one of our favorite paddling spots, but it often
seemed to be everyone else’s favorite, too.
Tired of the crowds, we decided one weekend
to go to nearby Sprague Pond instead.
We drove down the same dirt road that leads to the Flow,
but this time we stopped at an unmarked pulloff. There
were no other cars. We carried our canoe and gear along a
half-mile path and soon beheld a wild expanse of water,
with two small islands and a rocky spit, nestled in the
wooded hills of the Blue Ridge Wilderness.
Within minutes, we heard the tremolos and wails of loons.
With binoculars, we spotted a pair cruising at the far reaches
of the pond. We started paddling along the water’s edge
and spied a raven flying over the hills, croaking and squawking.
The friendly musical notes of white-throated sparrows
were everywhere. As we paddled into the pond’s only bay,
an osprey dove and hauled out a brook trout in its claws.
When we finally got near the loons, they seemed alarmed,
and the reason soon became apparent: A chick bobbed to the
surface between them. We quickly paddled away to a small
beach to stretch our legs. From the shore, we watched as a
great blue heron glided gracefully to a landing in an adjacent
marsh.
We saw or heard other wildlife that day, including barred
owls, kingfishers and cedar waxwings. After lunch on one
of the islands, we reluctantly paddled back to the path and
returned to our car. Our visit to Sprague Pond had been
brief, but memorable.
Until that day, our usual destinations had been such
well-known lakes as Little Tupper, Lake Lila, the Saranacs
and the ponds of the St. Regis Canoe Area and Fish Creek.
But we became disenchanted as the number of visitors on
these waters continued to grow. During our stays on Lower
Saranac Lake and Follensby Clear Pond, motorboats and
jet skis destroyed the sense of wildness. The motorless
waters we visited were quieter, of course, but they still suffered
from heavy use. At night, we heard voices carrying
over the calm waters rather than the sounds of the forest.
Our visit to Sprague Pond initiated a quest to find quiet,
intimate places that retained a wild character. Poring over
maps and Barbara McMartin’s guidebooks, we learned of
many such waters in the Adirondacks, but most required a
long hike. Since one of our main goals was to photograph
wildlife—requiring us to lug in heavy gear—we narrowed
our search to waters that could be reached by a relatively
short carry. We began exploring small ponds, creeks and
wildlife-rich wetlands that few others visit.
We soon discovered other advantages besides solitude.
On Little Tupper and Lake Lila, we have nervously battled
whitecaps on occasion, and on Forked Lake and Lower
Saranac, we have spent full days marooned watching large
waves pound the shore. The wind is much less of a problem
on smaller waters. And we enjoyed more intimate
views. The larger lakes offer sweeping vistas of mountains
and miles of shoreline, while on small waters, you tend to
focus on close-ups of nature: frogs, turtles, ducks, shoreline
vegetation. At dawn or dusk, the prime time for watching
wildlife, you may see a beaver or otter swimming by.
Sprague Pond was just our introduction to the joys of
intimate waters. Other places we visited include:
Sand Lake. On a busy Labor Day weekend, we
spent time alone here in the Piseco Lake region. A short,
muddy path led to a pristine shoreline where I was greeted
by a pileated woodpecker. Loons began to call and appear
through the morning mist. While paddling, I heard the
babylike whimpers of beavers within a sizable lodge that
was surrounded by insect-eating pitcher plants.
Goose Pond. This beautiful pond in the Pharaoh
Lake Wilderness is popular with hikers, but still worth a
visit. When we went there, we heard ravens croaking near
the summit of Pharaoh Mountain and saw a pair of loons
on the water. Mergansers also can be seen.
Rock Pond. Lake Durant is usually busy with
canoes and fishing boats, thanks to the state campground
on its eastern end. Few paddlers, however, carry over a
footbridge that separates the lake at its western end from
the smaller, wilder Rock Pond. This is another pond with
lots of aquatic vegetation that waterfowl love.
Muller Pond. I visited this pond off a back road in
the Schroon Lake region in the spring. While fending off
the blackflies, I watched as a loon flew in to fish, joining a
great blue heron at the edge of the pond and kingfishers
that were swooping above the water.
Perhaps my most memorable wildlife encounter took
place in a swampy wetland that, as far as I know, doesn’t
even have a name. Few would think about putting in a
canoe here. Paddling toward a stand of dead trees, I saw
that one contained several occupied nests of great blue
herons high up, while the tree-top next-door had an osprey
nest. Adult birds were flying to and from their respective
nests. Suddenly, a midair battle commenced, with an
osprey repeatedly diving at one of the herons.
If you paddle waters like these, be prepared to portage. A
lightweight Kevlar canoe with portage yoke and pads is a
good choice. For solo journeys, backpack canoes are much
lighter than kayaks. (Two Adirondack companies, Hornbeck
Boats and Placid Boatworks, make lightweight craft
that utilize an efficient, double-bladed paddling technique.)
Keep in mind that most wildlife are busiest early and
late in the day. When on remote waters, however, you may
be surprised to see animals such as otter and beaver in midday.
If you enjoy nature photography, you’ll be surprised
how close you can paddle to birds and other wild creatures.
My best shots of moose, loon and heron were all taken
from a slowly moving canoe.
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