We are the luckiest. Not only does Skylemar have the greatest guys in the whole wide world, but we also have Trickey Pond.
Designated by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) as “highest water quality”, Trickey Pond is considered to be a gem out of the 6,000 bodies of water in the State. A couple of miles long and half mile across, Trickey Pond has exceptional clarity. You can see all the way down 40 feet. In fact, it’s so clean that it's the water we filter and drink.
No one knows for sure where the name “Trickey” actually comes from. Some say there was at one time a General Trickey (which makes sense because of the odd spelling) who the pond was named for. Others say it has to do with the tricky sounds of the loons, and maybe the first mapmaker wasn’t such a good speller.
Trickey doesn’t feed into other bodies of water, so it’s typically quiet and serene. Those with big boats go elsewhere. The lake is primarily enjoyed by Skylemar, some homeowners, a campground and occasional fishermen. The fishing is awesome with plenty of land-locked salmon and smallmouth bass. There’s also trout, splake, smelt and perch too.
To campers and staff, Trickey Pond is the favorite place for playing on the inflatables, swimming, fishing, snorkeling, skiing, tubing, paddleboarding, kayaking, canoeing, sailing, wakesurfing, splashing and playing by the beach. There’s no place better, especially on a very hot day.
To us, Trickey Pond is our responsibility. Not only do Peter, Joel and the entire waterfront staff have the duty to keep all safe in the water, but we also have the responsibility to keep the lake as healthy as possible for our neighbors as well. We’re committed to doing the best we can environmentally, so in addition to a mile of tree-lined shores, at the beach we’ve added erosion control mulch, water-bars and numerous plantings.
We’re proud that those across and down the lake are our friends, and we strive to be good, dependable neighbors. It makes us smile to hear that they know when it’s time to wake or go to sleep because of our bugles, and sometimes they forget to eat lunch after the camp season ends when there are no reminders.
Also important for keeping our lake in top-notch shape is the Trickey Pond Environmental Protection Association (TPEPA). This organization staffs boat inspectors at the boat launch to make sure that invasive species don't enter the lake. They sponsor studies and advise all of us on best practices. If you are able to help support this non-profit, please CLICK HERE (www.trickeypond.org).
Today was a sweltering hot Trickey Pond kind of day. It also was a Wacky Water Wednesday in the afternoon. While some were at the lake, others were up top playing water games and getting wet by the garden hose. No matter what toys they come out with, a regular old hose is still the most fun. The refreshing snack was a Lemon Stick... a soft, porous candy cane that goes into a lemon. The stick then becomes a straw, making the lemon juice and peppermint a tasty combo.
The biggest kids, our counselors, probably had the most fun spraying and getting sprayed. When they have fun, the kids have even more.
