Archive for March, 2009
Keeping Maine Lakes and Lakefront Clean and Milfoil-Free
March 31st, 2009 categories: Lake Community News
The ongoing battle being fought against invasive plant species as well as the increased scrutiny on lakeside erosion runoff has gone a long way in keeping our beautiful lakes and ponds clean, clear, and milfoil-free. But the battle being waged is one that will probably never be won.
Those who fight this battle in the most direct sense are, at best, hoping for a draw and know that only willpower and persistence will hold the line against degraded water quality and milfoil infestation.
The quality of the water in area lakes and ponds is significantly impacted by the amount of erosion control going on around its perimeter. Soil erosion that runs off into a lake or pond adds the nutrient phosphorus to the water which acts as a natural fertilizer in the water and encourages algae growth. Algae blooms on warm summer days are not dangerous, but they do affect the quality and clarity of the water. Anything that can be done by lakefront landowners to divert water runoff away from the lake and into vegetated areas is the primary and first line of defense against phosphorus runoff.
There are many ongoing efforts by lake association volunteers to monitor the condition of private roads and driveways to lakefront properties to make sure storm water runoff is being diverted in an appropriate manner. In some cases, there is even local money available to repair poorly designed roads so that water runoff is handled more effectively.
If you’re a lakefront property owner, check to see where water on your property is going and contact your local lake association to find out what you can do to be a good steward of the lake.
As far as milfoil is concerned, the challenge is big and ongoing. It seems that progress is being made in finding effective ways to remove it, but for every place there has been success, there are others that show new growth or just can’t be addressed because of lack of manpower or money or both.
Again, grassroots action has gone a long way to holding the line against milfoil infestation and the local Lakes Environmental Association has played a major role in developing and implementing effective techniques to get rid of the stuff. But more has to be done.
Here is an article that reports on the recent 10th annual milfoil summit held recently in Lewiston: Summit’s Focus: Containing, Waging War on Invasive, Destructive Milfoil.
Here are links to two YouTube film clips that talk about the local efforts in the Sebago Lake area in dealing with the milfoil problem.
What’s So Bad About Milfoil- Part 1
What’s So Bad About Milfoil- Part 2
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Poland, Maine Abounds in Clear Views and Clean Lakes
March 24th, 2009 categories: Sebago Lakes Region
The town of Poland sits quietly astride Route 26, about a half hour north of Portland and 10 minutes north of the Gray turnpike exit. The southeastern shore of the clean and clear Thompson Lake belongs to Poland, as well as the smaller Tripp Lake and the three gems – Upper Range, Middle Range, and Lower Range Ponds.
Poland is also home to that elevated piece of land called Megquier Hill which divides Tripp Lake from Thompson Lake and provides wonderful, elevated views of the surrounding countryside. A road trip to the area should always include a drive up Megquier Hill Road.
Here are the current lakefront property listings in the town of Poland:
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Buying a Maine Lakefront Vacation Home can be Perfectly Divine
March 18th, 2009 categories: Observations and Commentary
Recently I worked with a buyer “from away” who had their heart set on a particular property here in the lake region. The place was a real charmer. Rough-hewn exterior, wraparound porch, with sunsets and wide water views of the lake, and a warm pine interior. It was a place that “spoke to them”.
The buyer, after giving the place the once over, was actually giggling with delight. “I know I shouldn’t say this to you but I love this place“. Her husband was equally thrilled but, thankfully, held off on the giggling. “Tom, lets get together tommorow at your office and write up an offer”. I was excited for them.
On Sunday afternoon we got together at my office. Although thrilled with the place they still did not want to pay too much. The offer we made was not insultingly low but not a full price offer either. We gave the seller until 5:00 pm on Monday to respond. I was very confident that, worst case, we would be getting a counter offer from the seller.
On Monday at 4:45 pm I received a call from the seller’s agent. He informed me that our offer was rejected and another offer had been accepted! I couldn’t believe it. It’s the dead of winter! Who looks at property on Mondays? The deal was dead.
I, then, had the unenviable task of calling the buyer.
As I dialed the phone number I was almost hoping to get the answering machine. But instead the buyer picked up and said “Hi Tom, we’ve been waiting for your call”.
I told her the bad news. There was the silence of shock coming from the other end of the line. I nervously began to apologize saying that maybe I should should have advised them better. Maybe I should have recommended a full price offer. Maybe this and maybe that. I began rambling on, speculating about how this might have happened .
Finally, she said “Tom, it’s not your fault. It just wasn’t meant to be.” Then she added, “God must have a better property in mind for us.”
She said it with such serenity and grace. There was not a trace in her voice of the bitter dissapointment she had most certainly felt only minutes before.
At that moment all 6’ foot 5’ of me felt about 2 inches tall. Somewhere over the course of time I had forgotten what the holy sisters at St. Mary’s School in South Boston had taught me over 50 years ago.
True believers in God are innoculated with a vaccine that protects them from life’s daily dissapointments, disasters and debacles. Shame on me for forgetting that.
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Gray-New Gloucester Offers Convenient Lakefront, Clean Lakes and Ponds
March 17th, 2009 categories: Sebago Lakes Region
The towns of Gray and New Gloucester are lovely rural Maine towns that serve as bedroom communities for both Portland and Lewiston.Gray is a stop on the Maine Turnpike, just 15 miles north of Portland. New Gloucester has a village center comprised of early 19th century buildings that say a lot about this community’s sense of history and preserving the past.
Lakes and ponds found in these towns are Little Sebago Lake, Sabbathday Lake, Crystal Lake, Notched Pond, and a little piece of Upper Range Pond.
Little Sebago is the largest and most popular. Sabbathday, Crystal, and Upper Range are smaller, but still have very good water quality and are great for all water recreation. Notched Pond is small and shallow, but provides an entry level for waterfront buyers with smaller pocketbooks.
Here are the current lakefront listings for Gray and New Gloucester:
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LEA Site a Boon to Maine Lakefront Owners and Vacationers
March 12th, 2009 categories: Sebago Lakes Region
Vacationers and lakefront owners who own porperty in southwestern Maine should be aware of the great amount of information provided online by the Lakes Environmenal Association, headquartered in Bridgton, Maine.
They have recently published their 2008 Water Testing Report on 37 Maine Lakes and Ponds in the region. This is invaluable information for anyone who cares about the health and well-being of our area lakes and ponds.
The LEA tests for and monitors such lake attributes as water clarity, chlorophyll content, and phosphorus levels. They have been doing this testing for a number of years and so can offer insights on how well our lakes and ponds are doing. In addition to just giving the test results, they also write a summary for each of the 37 lakes and ponds, giving their appraisal of the health of that water body.
Also of interest is an update on the milfoil irradication in the Songo River and the outlet of Brandy Pond. The progress has been very good, but questions remain about ongoing funding for these irradication projects.
Just click on www.mainelakes.org and go directly to the home page of the Lakes Environmental Association to find all this great information and much, much more. Once there, make sure you bookmark it for future reference. I think you’ll find it’s a site you will check in on often.
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Standish, Maine is Ideally Situated for Lakefront Vacation Home Buyers
March 9th, 2009 categories: Sebago Lakes Region
The town of Standish anchors the southern end of Sebago Lake and also encompasses two smaller bodies of water, Watchic Lake and Bonny Eagle Pond. If you can imagine the bottom third of Sebago Lake sitting in a coffee cup with the cup coming up both the east and west shores that would approximate the Standish boundaries. The west side is the quieter side and the east side is closer to North Windham and Portland.
Standish has a population of over 9,000 and is the home to St. Joseph’s College. It also has two public libraries, a public boat launch on Sebago Lake and a public beach on Watchic Lake provided by the local Kiwanis. It’s just a half hour to Portland and the turnpike – a very desireable geographic location.
Property listings here run the gamut and are highly desirable because of their proximity to Boston and points south. Here are the current lakefront listings for Standish:
Lakefront Properties For Sale in Standish, Maine
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Lakefront Properties Attractive in Denmark, Maine
March 5th, 2009 categories: Sebago Lakes Region
Denmark is a small, but attractive village located in the southwestern hills of Maine, close by the New Hampshire border. Over 1000 people call Denmark home, but the summer population swells considerably with the vacationers who come to visit the many clean ponds in Denmark and enjoy a slower and more relaxing pace of life.
Denmark attracts vacationers in winter as well as summer as it is close by the Shawnee Peak ski area, is criss-crossed by abundant snowmobile trails, and provides ample opportunities for cross country skiing.
For those interested in the lakefront real estate market, click on the green box above for the current lakefront listings for Denmark:
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Bridgton, Maine: Vacation Destination Hits the Big “Times”
March 2nd, 2009 categories: Observations and Commentary
We locals know all about Bridgton – a second home in the summer for vacationers for years, home to several beautiful lakes and ponds, a refurbished downtown, active in the winter with skiing and snowmobiling, and sporting such amenities as a wonderful hospital, two grocery stores, and a new cafe in town across from the more established women’s clothing and home furnishings store, Craftworks.
Imagine our surprise, however, and pleasure to find this wonderful small town profiled in Friday’s New York Times! It was a complimentary article too, saying many nice things about the area and quoting several residents and non-residents alike waxing on about all things Bridgton.
The major thrust of the article was about the outdoor recreational activities enjoyed here both in summer and winter. Bridgton is very much a four season kind of place and that point is driven home in this article. We already knew that – and hope the Times article will give a few more people a clue, too!
Read the full NY Times article here.
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Maine Lakefront Summers Recalled in Mid-Winter Reverie
March 1st, 2009 categories: Observations and Commentary
Acclaimed Maine author Richard Russo described Maine as a serious place masquerading as a summer paradise. How perfect a description.Mainers must put up with a lot to live and work here – a high cost of living, high taxes, a paucity of good paying jobs and long, harsh winters of often mythic proportions.
Myriad summer visitors to Maine’s lake regions leave with a wonderful feeling about Maine. What a place! They recall loons calling to their mates from across the pond, moonlight shimmering on a cobalt blue lake, forests of cathedral pines, spruce and hemlock filled with mushrooms, berries and strange things like fiddleheads, fishers, and moose. And how about the new family of mergansers skipping across the surface of the lake? Magical? Yes.
However, after getting hit with another snow storm of 25 inches of snow this past Sunday it’s almost hard to remember those gorgeous summer days. I say “almost” because even when the Maine winter is at the height of it’s fury, when voluminous amounts of snow and ice are being heaped upon us, I can still remember the summer.
Experiencing summer in Maine is like that first girl friend that you never quite got over.
It’s almost like God made this deal with Mainers:
“If you live through Maine winters, I will reward you with the most gorgeous of summers that I can create.”The less divine locals put it another way, “If you can’t take the wintah, you don’t deserve the summah”.
Strangely enough, the skiers and snowmobilers tell me that Maine is a winter paradise, too. I guess if snow, ice and freezing temperatures is what one seeks, that is probably so.
But for me, I eagerly and patiently await the return of the loons.
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Tom - MrLakefront
