SACANDAGA LAKE & BURNT PLACE BROOK paddling

 


Aug 22, 2016 - SACANDAGA LAKE, BURNT PLACE BROOK, MUD LAKE, HATCHERY BROOK from far end of Moffitt Beach State Campground, there is a good launch spot between campsites 247 & 248.  Temp in the 60s.  Crossed SL with a headwind, N end of the lake has much state land, some nice piney shores & sand beaches.  Soon hit a 2' beaver dam on BPB.  1.4 miles along the narrowing brook to Mud Lake, passed an empty osprey nest atop a dead tree, view of Pillsbury Mtn, wood ducks. Went  0.4 miles further on BPB above ML, wide at 1st but narrowed a lot & got shallow.  Back to SL - had to get out for 5 beaver dams & scootched over 8 more small ones.  Up HB, over 1 beaver dam & turned around at a 2nd after going <1 mile winding thru a large vly - lots of gb herons here.  Flowering: buttonbush, virgin's bower, fragrant water lily, yellow pond lily, turtlehead, goldenrod, pitcher plant, cardinal flower, pickerelweed, aster, purple loosestrife.  Couple of loons flew over SL in the morning & heard one call later in the day.  Very light motorboat traffic on SL.  9.2 miles, 5.2 hours.


Oct 12, 2003 - MOFFITT BEACH CAMPGROUND in Speculator - many sites occupied (mostly with RV's) in the popular W end of the campground but we manage to bag an excellent "tent only" site on a point jutting out onto SACANDAGA LAKE. Much of the southern half of Sacandaga Lake is developed but the northern half has much state land with attractive piney shores - some motorboat traffic (I would avoid summer visits). We paddle to the NW of Sacandaga Lake & into BURNT PLACE BROOK which is wide & deep then narrows before reaching MUD LAKE (a few beaverdams have to be lifted over), a pretty widening of the brook with much boggy shoreline, a seldom-used campsite can be found on the SW shore. An unmarked trail comes in from the NE where a couple of rowboats are stashed. Continued upstream on the brook for about another half mile with good views of Pillsbury Mt. to the N. Beaverdams come rapidly & test one's determination to continue. Occasionally pushed thru waht looked like bur-reeds. Stopped next to a vly which may have been a beaverpond at one time - moose tracks found on an old beaverdam. Hear an ATV or something to the E - this land is designated "Wild Forest". On way back stopped at a nice backcountry campsite with sand beach at N end of Sacandaga - couple of loons on the lake. Fall foliage a little past peak but still good color. 6 miles, 5 hrs.

Sep 9, 2002 - Lake Pleasant & Sacandaga Lake kayaking from Speculator. Put-in by the Rt.30 bridge over the outlet (Sacandaga River), paddled S & into Cherry Brook, could go half mile before it got too shallow, would think you could go further in times of higher water. Forgot my drinking water & had to return to put-in. Hot & hardly a breeze. A PWC & couple of motorboats - would not paddle here on a weekend or any time in July & August. Never quite get away from road noise. Followed the less-developed S shore then cut across (spot a loon) to the channel which leads to Sacandaga Lake. Water gets very shallow & I scrape the sandy bottom. 100' from the lake it gets too shallow to float me so I line the kayak the rest of the way. Stop at point at end of state campground - very few people camping - got quiet for a while & I relax on a picnic table. N half of lake is relatively undeveloped. A PWC & motorboats finally disturb me & I head back - wind has picked up & I drop the skeg to hold my course easier in a beam (from the side) wind - a pair of vultures low overhead (what are they thinking?) as I line thru the shallows. See 4 deer & a heron. Takes only 1.25 hrs. to return helped by a tailwind on Lake Pleasant - can see Chimney & Puffer Mtns. in the distance. Swim at the sandy town beach. Drive over to bridge over Cherry Brook & cook up some dinner while watching the sun set. Biting flies bad later in day. 13 miles, 5.2 hrs. Impex Susquehanna , a 16'6" fiberglass touring kayak, is a fine all-around boat, tracks & turns well, predictable handling, good speed, pretty to look at. Anyone with anything above a size 11 foot might have trouble with fit, tho.


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