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'Pleasant' Apt Name for Pond, Paddle

July 15, 2009 - RICHMOND -- The persistent rains of June helped push water levels to spring-like levels, perfect for exploring serpentine marshes and secluded fens. We recently enjoyed a four-hour exploration of the southern reaches of Pleasant Pond, from Route 197 in Richmond four miles up to Peacock Beach State Park.

Inspection of a topographic map of the area shows a stream flowing north for one mile into the southern end of Upper Pleasant Pond. In reality, due to the rains, that stream is now a wide extension of the pond. As you paddle along the western shoreline, you will spot an old dock that marks the beginning of the actual pond. The marsh grasses, lily pads and pickerelweed mats gradually thin out once you hit the deeper water.

A few hundred yards up on the left, emerald green pastures lead down to the water. A white fence surrounds a horse pasture, giving the whole scene a bit of a Kentucky Bluegrass look. A number of osprey circled over the water.

At the northern end of Upper Pleasant Pond, you have to carry your canoe over the road if you want to venture farther up to Peacock Beach State Park for a picnic. If you and your paddling partner are flexible enough to bend very low, you might be able to squeeze under the bridge on the right side of the causeway.

While portaging over the road we met a college student working for the summer for the Friends of the Cobbossee Watershed organization – www.watershedfriends.com – educating boaters about invasive species in the pond. He told us that a couple of weeks before, he watched a large snapping turtle take two hours to bury her eggs on the side of the road and even showed us his movie of the event on his cell phone. Snapping turtles are the largest freshwater turtles in New England, weighing between 10 and 35 pounds. Females deposit between 25 and 80 eggs each June.

We paddled another mile up to the state park on the eastern side of the lake, just before a large, conspicuous yellow boathouse precariously perched on crumbling blocks. The lifeguard station sat in 3 feet of water. There was no sandy beach this week due to the rains.

A secluded hillside meadow provides a quiet setting amid the woods for picnicking and relaxing. A number of picnic tables and grills dot the shoreline. This small park is a gem and worth the visit by canoe despite the many cottages strung along the shoreline north of Upper Pleasant Pond. Admission to the park is $3 per adult; residents over 65 are admitted free.

For complete wilderness solitude, explore the marsh south of Route 197. The wide waterway gradually narrows to a canoe-width corridor a half-mile to the south. As usual, my wife was 100 percent right on which channels to follow – I usually hit 100 percent on the dead ends. You'll notice many floating mats of vegetation created from freshly cut cattails and mud. These are muskrat platforms, some rising 1 to 2 feet above the water. You also might hear an unusual chorus of high-pitched squeaks as you thread your way along. That will be muskrat families discussing your approach.

Because of the extensive aquatic vegetation, Pleasant Pond is known for its healthy largemouth bass and pickerel fishery. Bringing your fishing outfit will add another few hours of joy to your canoe outing.

For help in getting to Pleasant Pond, consult De-lorme's Maine Atlas and Gazetteer (Map No. 12). The Route 197 put-in spot is easily found, just 1.5 miles west of Exit 43 on I-295.

Pack the cooler full of goodies for a Peacock Beach cookout, or just poke about the wild southern portion of the pond. Or do both.

MICHAEL PERRY / CANOEING, Portland Press Herald, July 12, 2009


Lakes:
Regions: Belgrade, Mid Coast


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