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Sea Kayak Trips Bulletin Board
Amazing clarity
Posted By: Pete W.P.
Date: Saturday, 27 November 1999, at 9:44 a.m.
Hi folks,
Thought I'd pass on this information regarding a literally "crystaline" lake in New York. Most lakes as you know have visibility often hovering around 5', this lake Im going to mention tho seriously has to have something on the order of 20', maybe more than that. Its called lake Minnewaska and its about 8 miles west of New Paltz [aprox. 15 miles from Poughkepsie due west]. It needs a little explaining because this is one unique body of water......
First off, the lake itself as I am told has an unusual mineral content which affects the Ph to the point fish life is DRASTICALLY reduced. Infact, I only saw mudpuppys!!! Wether or not its too alkaline or acidic I just dont know. The upshot is tho that you dont want to bring a fly rod here. That aside, everything else around an in the lake appears normal.
The water itself, is weirdly clear. Even seen from a distance [on a sunny day anyway] has this funky peacock green glow about it. Mind you , dont let the color "green" put you off here. This water is remarkably clear. The one day i was actually diving in it with full SCUBA showed just how prisitine this water was. Other divers underwater were seen easily at an easy 20' away . The sight was uncanny because New England lakes generally lose all visibility recognition at about 5' to 10' TOPS - atleast in my experience. Levitating in this kind of clarity was a rewarding experience. That said, I have to imagine "levitating" ones kayak across it would give one the same impression. The play of light across the rocks down below is tack sharp at depths that quickly fizz out on any other lake.
The so called Rangers here are profoundly anal so call first. One example of their absurd nitpicking oddly enough involved a kayaker. Across this entire body of water theres this one lone kid in a relatively short yellow kayak [12'?]. He's a good 600 yards outhere and low and behold there this park ranger just standing there occaisionally waiving his arms at the kid . Honest he was there a good 45 minutes just waiting for the kid to see him flailing his arm. My wife and I were a little bothered by the guys insistence on bugging this paddeler. Hes a dot on the lake, isnt there anything more pressing to do as a Ranger. WELLL finally the paddler turns around and treks all the way to the Ranger. And it was quite a hall . As it turned out,it was just a kid... maybe 14 -15.
After acting like "Joe Official" with the poor kid he gets in the KIDS kayak and paddles off to the Ranger station clear across the lake. You could only do this to a kid and the Ranger knew it. As it turns out that poor kid now is standing on the shore as mindlessly as the Ranger did while he's off joy paddeling in his craft. I never found out with ceratainty what was so damned important to bother the kid with. I kind of gathered he didnt pay a kayak fee or some nonsense. Based on this experience some things became glairingly clear about THIS Ranger...
His job isnt too taxing He's got all day to do nothing and he'd love to include you in it. He probably makes about $6.00 an hour.
The Ranger guy aside, this is a remarkable body of water with Quarry clarity.
Pete
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