Lake Life In Extreme Drought
Arriving back at camp our four days in September was bittersweet. The sweet was we adore being there and the autumn colors had started. The bitter was the lake had receded a noticeable 2 plus foot leaving the water around the docks either gone completely or just inches high.
Many of the residents had removed their boats from the lake entirely because the water is so shallow. In July when I fell off the dock in this very spot the water was easily above my thighs, now it was just covering my feet. Our last visit there was no sand beach which annoyed me at the time. In order to get into the water you had to walk into it straight from the edge of the tree line but not now. The photo shows how far the lake has and continues to shrink due to severe drought.
On the plus side I got the beach I had hoped for on our first trip. The water is only accessible now to canoes and even that was not easy. In order for our canoe to not hit bottom getting in it we had to push it out a long way. Have you ever tried to climb into a canoe while it’s afloat?, now imagine being fluffy (an extra 60 pounds) and age 63. All I could visualize while attempting the unsuccessful act was the recent whale in the local news that breached and sunk a boat by landing on it.
Arriving in town felt like going home. With the car still packed full of gear we stopped to get four days of food from two small shops in town. The area isn’t touristy but gets busy summer, and being it’s now off season it was easier getting around finding what we needed. I don’t know about you but when we go to camp we cook our own meals and eat healthy, we don’t buy take out like many. We grabbed the basics for dinners and bottled water. I'm guessing from the hoses going to and from the camps the lake water IS the only water to drink.
Another change we noticed since last July were the food prices had increased by a lot. My expat husband has lived here decades but he still loves to cook and find food from his origins. This day we purchased ingredients to make a favorite dish of meat and mashed potato, his other favorite is baked beans. The British ones have a tomato sauce base, unlike the American ones made with molasses. While pawing through the shelves I came across a made in Canada oddity of baked beans made with root beer, have you ever heard of it? I like baked beans and I like root beer so how bad could they be right? To date I haven't opened it yet.
The owners of the cabins are always warm and welcoming, they leave you a note on slate by your door on arriving and it’s a sweet touch. I hope they are here in 2026. The property of 4 cabins and a 4 unit motel has been in their family since 1963 and has been for sale for over two million dollars the last year. On this visit we were literally the only guests, so we had the entire property and the toys (paddle boards, kayaks, etc) all to ourselves.
I don’t need to go on about much more of the trip as I’ve blogged a prior one, but I will share some autumn views in the area. By day four the fall foliage was noticeably changed, as did the weather. Our first night was cold and followed by frost in the morning. The day we prepared to leave the weather had turned warm and humid and fog layered the nearby mountain across the lake making it look both beautiful and ominous.
There isn’t a lot to do outdoors while at camp but fish, go out on a canoe ride, enjoy the quiet scenery, or nature hike and take photographs. We are both at a stage in our life that those activities and the quiet suits us just fine. The less human interaction the better. The fact we have little to no modern internet or cell access at camp makes the time away a better experience. We are both of a generation that grew up and remember life before digital everything and for that we are grateful. Honestly we both agree we could get by without mobile phones and internet just fine.
On our 3rd afternoon we were indoors and heard a noisy commotion erupt on the lake. Loons were calling, resident chipmunks were barking alarm sounds, and up above in the thick pine tree tops we heard a large raptor squawking loudly. As I hurried out I grabbed my camera and zoom lens to better see in the distance, and my hub went jogging towards the waterfront for better view.
It wasn't long before we saw what had caused the warnings from the wildlife. A juvenile bald eagle was flying and pursuing his parents who were doing all they could to get away from its insistent begging for food. The presence of three eagles had spooked every prey animal in the area.
In our excitement to run outside we both took a tumble of sorts. My hub pulled his knee tripping over tree roots and I slid on the thick carpet of pine needles, adding to the stupid-fest. Later indoors we sat and compared our newest old people bruises of which we both now get easily. At least we didn’t break anything. When others tell you people slow down with age don’t believe it, we aren’t there at all yet. They must mean much older right?
No matter the over 60 age, the only new constant in my morning routine is a cup of strong coffee followed by a Metamucil chaser. That’s the only part of my life where a slow down is relevant, enough said. In my trial and error of the product with the artificial sweetener or with real sugar version the latter tastes much better, you’re welcome!
The best part of a holiday (vacation) is the day we arrive, and the least is leaving and returning to work and the rat race that is life. The majority of the colorful autumn foliage had arrived the end of our trip and the drive back home and is currently working its way down to our region here in south New Hampshire. Much of the photos I took can be found on our Instagram, the link is in the left side of my blog and in closing I will add a couple here.
When we booked this trip months ago we had hoped the area would be popping with color, but it wasn’t the case once there. If we are able to return next fall we will be sure to wait until October. A lot can happen between now and a year later. We are still actively looking to buy a home, next weekend we have an open house to attend and are keeping our fingers crossed. I never knew house hunting could be such a long tedious stressful process.
Writing this entry was also challenging. Returning home my computer decided it didn’t recognize me and has locked me out. In order to complete this post and its media I was forced to use my phone which slowed everything down to a crawl. On a positive note at least I was able to get this far, life is good!
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