Great Sacandaga Lake, collection point for water in the drainage, is really a reservoir. A reservoir built, ehhhh, around 1930 to hold back the water and prevent flooding on the Hudson River. I think also to augment commercial shipping and keep the salt water below Poughkeepsie during the summer when the flow of the Hudson is at its lowest. The name change to the Great Sacandaga Lake is most likely for aesthetics and to attract tourist.
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| Where outcast pirates go. |
June 8th, near record high temp forecasted to 93F (ok, for some not that hot but humid) a group of us launched from the Northville DEC Boat ramp and paddled south towards the flooded Northampton Campground. The lake is relatively narrow in this stretch but within a few miles it opens up to an area that is six miles across. Here the winds from the west have more to work with and the fetch can create some large waves and whitecaps.
We paddled around a few islands, into and out of the wind, and then headed back north. There were a couple Bald Eagles riding the thermals and the mountains to the west were hazy with pollen.
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| Change in weather, pace picks up. |
Half way back the western clouds started to build and darken with a distant rumble of thunder. The forecast, while hot, did not predict any thunderstorms. However, we were not surprised by the change. The ‘nowcast’ was obviously more accurate. The paced picked up noticeably as we nonchalantly developed alternative plans should the front close us off. Even though I planned the trip the group was comfortable with sharing decisions, see Common Adventure Model in Outdoor Leadership.
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| Ominous Sky |
We stuck to plan B and bypassed the lakeside Pub continuing back to our vehicles. The storm pretty much passed to our south with just a brief down pour to hasten securing boats.
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