The State of Schroon Lake 2020

Many folks we’ve spoken to over the summer have commented how busy Schroon and Paradox Lakes have been this season.

On some weekends we’ve witnessed day long water craft induced wakes on Schroon. To get a spot at Dog Beach arrive early. The Dock Street boat trailer lot fills up quickly, with the Town Hall parking lot absorbing the overflow. The Schroon Lake Marina has moved a ton of inventory, according to co-owner Craig Kennedy. And we’ve seen a lot more smiling faces  on stand up paddle boards, kayaks and canoes than in previous years.  Maybe this is  due to the pandemic, with folks staying local.

The fact is our lakes and gorgeous Schroon town beach continue to be a huge draw, and the number one attraction pulling in tourists dollars to our local towns. And the reason our lakes are  so popular are the pristine waters, the result of three  organizations working together. Volunteers from The Paradox Lake Association, The East Shore Schroon Lake Association and The Schroon Lake Association (SLA)  are tireless in their efforts to protect our bodies of water.

Filmmaker and Lake Steward Christian Gratto

Recently the Schroon Lake Association hosted a virtual  educational presentation on the state of the lake, hosted by SLA president Marg Granger.

You can watch the presentation above by clicking the video above or click here.

Mark reminds us of the origins of why the SLA was formed in 1911. That’s when the government planned to turn Schroon, Paradox, the hamlet of Adirondack, Horicon and Severance into a gigantic reservoir. Citizens fought hard and won to stop the plan. Years later the fight continues. The enemies today are invasive species and pollutants getting into the lake.

Even during this pandemic, the work of the SLA continues: water sampling, stewards manning boat launches and boat washing stations, the mapping of the lake bottom to detect areas of invasives and monitoring sand and silt levels washing into the lake from the Schroon River.

The video is well worth watching. Christian Gratto did a fine job editing multiple interview and graphic elements. He also makes a cameo talking about his duties as a lake steward at the Schroon Lake Boat Launch

Paradox Lake Steward Wilden Bruce

You’ll also hear from several experts and volunteers, including Neil Chippendale, who gives a very informative and easy to understand demo on the technology used to “bottom map”  Schroon Lake.  Paradox Lake steward Wilden Bruce talks about boat inspections and two milfoil harvesters from the Invasive Solutions Dive Company explain why they remove this invasive by hand. You’ll come away with a greater understanding of just how important our lake associations are to the well-being of Paradox and Schroon Lakes.

Neil Chippendale demonstrates technology used to “bottom map” Schroon Lake

The SLA  is always looking for volunteers. If you don’t have the time, your donations will go a long way to help preserve our lake for generations to come.

Check out these SLA links for information on  Volunteers, new Members, and their  Fundraising activities. Please visit these pages to see what YOU can do to help!

Experts from the Invasive Solutions Dive Company are interviewed by SLA’s Roger Friedman

Pontooning on our Adirondack Lakes

The first boat we ever captained on Schroon Lake was a pontoon -- the year was 2006 and a young Craig Kennedy who had just purchased a stake in Schroon Lake Marina -- was our instructor.  For experienced pontooners you know there’s not much to learn. “Just stay away from the left side of Word of Life Island,” Craig told us. Back then the pontoon boats came with a tube – the case no more.

Thus began our love affair with pontoons, which we rented with regularity, until buying a Sea Ray 180,  to appease the lust for speed and water sports demanded by teenage sons.

As anyone who has ever taken a ride on a pontoon boat knows, t’s the equivalent of taking out your living room into the middle of the lake.

 Along with a bunch of coolers full of food and drink (and even a barbecue if you wanna get really fancy schmancy!) where you and up to as many friends the boat will safely hold, spend the day jumping into the lake, and having a terrific party!

So, with summer ever so close, we wanted to get all you pontoon boat fans into the mood with the above video, from the band Little Big Town. You can read the lyrics, here.

Schroon’s Spring Spruce Up

Under brilliant blue skies and glorious sunny days Spring Fever is gripping Schroon Lake. From landscaping at the Town Golf course, to repairs to the Town Floating docks, there are signs everywhere that Schroon is getting ready early for the season.

The changes at the Golf Course include getting rid of an eyesore patch of a wooded, weedy area behind the barn, Supervisor Mike Marnell told us.

Repairs are planned for the Town tennis courts and they will be ready well in advance of the summer.

Town crews are also making repairs to the town docks and replacing some floats.

“We might have a couple in by this weekend,” Marnell said.

Meanwhile, down at Schroon Lake Marina, Craig Kennedy and his crew have taken advantage of this spectacular week of weather to put in their own floating docks. This time last year rising water in our Spring Floods of 2011 made that task impossible.

In the days ahead a large concrete slab is expected to be lifted into place to extend their boat ramp, currentl;y out of commission.

Are you sprucing up for Spring? Taking the boat out this weekend? Tell us in comments.