The Lake Zoar Annual

I prefer to call it Housatonic 3, counting bodies of water from Long Island Sound. Zoar is above the second dam. The tourist guide thingies call it one of best canoeing spots in Connecticut. It is not. It is not even close.

I put in at the state launch after a circuitous drive. This side of the river is all old two-lane roads that clearly show their origins as old farm/pasture roads/trails. The country drive eases one into the whole experience.

I head up river staying close to the east shore, both for the interest of looking up into the woods and for limiting the length of a possible swim. The water is still pretty cold, but it is good enough to go without my winter drysuit. The weather is idea - cloudy, about 60F and almost no wind.

By June, Zoar will be starting up its annual algae blooms. The water will go cloudy green and in calmer spots, it will stink. The state will put out algae bloom warnings. By August, the whole place will be positively gross. There is just too much near shore development with nice green lawns, and a farm up below the next dam. Too much runoff, too much phosphate, too much shallow water, and not nearly enough water movement. The next reservoir down, which is taking in this reservoirs "stuff", doesn't have the algae blooms. That smaller and narrower reservoir runs enough water through to maintain a noticable current in most places. In fact, I skipped paddling there because I could see from the road that I would have a very tough go for the last mile of paddling upstream.

I head up all the way to the portage trail that leads up past the upper dam, and then return. I keep up my pace, a steady paddle for three hours. I see one Osprey, one Kingfisher, several Common Mergansers. Zoar kind of sucks for wildlife. I don't have to paddle here for another year. Have at it jetski dudes!