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Savoring Summer at Sandy Pond in Freedom

August 18, 2009 - FREEDOM -- Usually the perfect summer day occurs sometime in August. The recipe goes something like this: brilliant sunshine, light caressing breeze, low humidity, fair weather cumulous clouds dotting the sky. What makes the day truly perfect is where you get to spend it, and one of the best places to bask in the glory of summer is Sandy Pond in Freedom.

Covering 430 acres, it may sound small but there are enough coves and backwater marshes to keep you dipping paddles for hours. We recently spent a Saturday afternoon paddling and swimming to our hearts' content. The shoreline is undeveloped except for a few cottages on the northern end adjacent to the boat launch and a few cottages hidden down along the southwestern shoreline.

As you pull out of the secluded cove at the launch site and enter the main thoroughfare, you will see to the south three 400-foot wind turbines on a distant ridge. They are part of the Beaver Ridge Wind Power project that began operation last November. There has been much local controversy about this project relating to noise and shadows for folks living near the ridge. Regardless of one's feelings about wind power, the towers are impressive structures as viewed from such a peaceful and secluded setting as Sandy Pond.

Along the shoreline grow mats of pickerelweed and marsh grasses. The pickerelweed was in full bloom, with flower stalks that looked very much like purple bottle brushes. In some of the more secluded pockets you will find the distinctive arrow-shaped leaves of arrowhead, sporting showy white flowers. The shoreline is lined with a mixture of hardwoods and evergreens.

Despite the name, there are no sandy beaches on the pond, although you can get out in many spots to take a swim by pulling your canoe up into the woods and wading in.

The two islands near the northern end of the pond provide the best spots for relaxing in the sun and for swimming. The southerly island is densely overgrown with trees and shrubs. The best bet is to land next to a conspicuous boulder on the southern end and swim from there. You will enjoy outstanding views down the lake to Beaver Ridge.

The northerly island offers an even better option for landing and swimming. Look for an obvious man-made opening in the waterside brush on the southern end and pull in there. The trees have created an open forest floor carpeted with evergreen needles, perfect for putting down a blanket and relaxing, listening to the call of loons and the song of the wind in the treetops.

At the far end of the lake there is a beautiful larch swamp on the left. The larch, or tamarack, is one of our favorite northern trees. We love the soft, delicate needles and the light green color of the tree.

Two large coves punctuate the western side of the lake. We were amazed at the activity of fish rising and voraciously snatching insects from the surface — and we mean large fish, judging by the impressive sounds and ripples.

The bounty of organic matter has created extensive floating islands of vegetation. We found many pitcher plants rising a foot into the air, conspicuous with their unique large, green, button-like heads. Flashes of pink swamp roses stood out against the rich weave of greens at water's edge.

Red-winged blackbirds chortled as we slowly followed along the shoreline through mats of yellow pond lilies, fragrant white water lilies and pickerelweed. Along the forested portions of these coves, many kingfishers noisily announced our approach and flew from tree to tree just ahead of us. During our three hours on the pond we also saw a number of spotted sandpipers flitting from rock to rock.

Once back at the launch site it was hard leaving. There is a wonderful timeless 1940s feel to the pond, and to the Freedom area in general. A few local kids came down for a swim, and a few folks were patiently fishing from canoes over to the right.

We sat for 15 minutes on a wooden boardwalk leading over a small outlet dam a few yards west of the parking lot. It was fun listening to snatches of conversations and getting a pulse for this scenic, rural part of central Maine. The drive up from Augusta or down from Bangor is absolutely beautiful, leading through rolling farm country punctuated by sweeping ridges and low hills.

For help in getting to Sandy Pond, consult DeLorme's Maine Atlas and Gazetteer, map 22. Find your way to the Freedom Variety Store on Main Street (Route 137). Turn onto the road diagonally across from the store and head south a few hundred yards to a stop sign. Turn left and pass by the Freedom Fire Department on the right. A few yards beyond the fire department look for the blue State of Maine Boat Launch Site sign on the right. Follow the gravel road in to the pond.

As we arrived a fisherman casting for smallmouth bass near the outlet told us about a bald eagle he had seen an hour before out on the lake. We didn't see it, so we will leave that special experience for your visit.

MICHAEL PERRY / CANOEING 8/16/09 Portland Press Herald


Lakes: Sandy Pond
Regions: Bangor


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