Long Pond Paddle

Fuz and I went for a paddle this morning...the weather outlook was pretty grim, but it looked as though we could sneak in under the radar...since it was just the 2 of us, we decided to do a trip that other people weren't as likely to want to do...Long Pond is a beautiful pond, but the DEC moved the parking lot back from the pond to reduce traffic, which has worked nicely...most people just don't want to carry their boats 1/2 mile over mixed terrain to go boating...we both have light canoes from Hornbeck Boats, and the walk was not enough to intimidate us...much...


We put in and immediately saw a pair of adult loons with a tiny baby between them...there is a narrow river connecting Long Pond to Pink Pond, an even tiner and more remote pond...the river is choked with fallen logs and the occasional beaver dam, but we got through with only minimal scraping, and enjoyed the tiny pond for a moment, until the deer-flies attacked en masse, and we decided to get back to Long Pond...


We had a great time paddling and talking and exploring the pond...ours were the only boats on the water, the carry and the oncoming thunderheads probably worked in our favor in keeping the pond uncrowded...


We paddled hard and fast, not from being in any particular hurry (at first), but simply because we both enjoy paddling, and often spend a lot of time waiting for other, slower, paddlers while on a trip...as the trip wore on, we kept up, and eventually increased our pace, because the sky was darkening, the wind was increasing, and we started to feel some raindrops falling on us...


When a particularly dark series of clouds slid across the sky over our heads, we debated making a run for it, but decided instead to enjoy a quick lunch to refuel and stretch a bit before sprinting for the end of the pond...the break was welcome, although we could hear the wind whipping the leaves and needles overhead with increasing fervor...

We launched again, this time to a steady light rain, and growing waves pushed by a tailwind...we made great time down the pond (Long Pond isn't just a clever name...the pond is actually really long), with more and more rain falling all the time...we got out of the water just as the heavens opened, and both Fuz and I wore our lightweight boats as hats for the slippery walk back to the car, keeping mostly dry(ish) until it came time to load them on the roof, at which point we both got as wet as if we had gone swimming...