SQUAM LAKE - AKA - ON GOLDEN POND

Wednesday, October 2

Last week we watched the movie On Golden Pond.  Today we took a two-hour cruise on Squam Lake - the real name for Golden Pond.  Beautiful flowers lined the street by the boatlaunch.

We loaded two large pontoon boats and had a narrated tour of this beautiful lake.  There are 30 named islands and numerous smaller islands on the lake.  Most of the islands have a house on them.  

They don't have electricity on the islands and they are not allowed to have gas or oil on the island.  Most have generators that operate on propane, but one has solar and geo-thermal power.  Sewage is collected in tanks that are pumed out periodically.  The Squam Lake Conservation Society tries to buy all land around the lake as it becomes available so that it can be put into a trust and never built on again.  There are no commercial building on or around the lake.

The foliage around the lake and on the islands was outstanding.  

The reds were particularly vibrant and beautiful.  We saw several loons, but they disappeared before we got too close.  

Loons live primarily on the water and are excellent swimmers.  They can dive to 300 feet and stay under water for 3 minutes.  They usually lay 2 eggs per season on the shore close to the lake.  Predators get 3 of every 4 eggs laid, so only 1 chick survives every two years.  

Squam Lake covers 6800 acres and has an average depth of 32 feet.  At its deepest it is 90 feet deep.  We toured the part of the lake where the movie, On Golden Pond, was filmed.  Our guide told us that the water in that part of the lake is too shallow for a boat to motor in.  Consequently, for the movie they pulled the boat on underwater cables.

      The setting for On Golden Pond - all grown over.

       Purgatory Cove

Also, Purgatory Cove, the area where Normanand Billy were shipwrecked, has many fewer rocks and is only 2-3 feet deep.  To keep from drowning they simply needed to stand up rather than swim to that big rock.  

One of the islands hosted a summer camp back in the late 1800's.  After the camp closed some of its former campers got control of the island and established an island church.  The outdoor sanctuary consists of stone benches, a large birch cross and a granite stone for a pulpit.  Every Sunday in July and August church services are held on the island.  Docks for 50-75 boats line one side of the island and our tour guide said it is packed every Sunday. 

Following our boat tour we all went to Walter's Basin for lunch.  

The restaurant is named for the rainbow trout that Norman and Billy caught in the movie.  Lunch was excellent and everyone seemed to enjoy it very much.

After lunch we went across the street to the Squam Lakes Natural Science Center.  

A long winding trail in the woods led us to several different venues where we learned about animals indigenous to the area and how they live.  Additionally, they had displays that explained how everything from earthworms to bats to mice and many other creatures influence our environment.  

The bobcats and  mountain lions were particularly active, but the river otters and black bears only wanted to sleep.  The whole trail, about 3/4 of a mile, was well kept and very pleasant.  It was a good way to work off our lunch in a very beautiful place.

Tonight we have another LEO - Let's Eat Out - followed by a travel briefing and a movie about Alaska.  It has been a very full and fun day.  Tomorrow is a trip to the Castle in the Clouds.  Don't know what that is, but I guess I'll find out.  Until then, Happy Trails!