We headed to the Promised Land for our September exploration of 3-mile long Tripp Pond in Poland. This optimistic name, given to the area by early settlers, refers to the fertile farm country surrounding the northern end of the pond.
The eastern side of the pond is flanked by Route 11 and a long line of cottages. The western shoreline and northern end of the pond feature long stretches of unbroken forest and hidden marshes.
We put in at the Poland Town Beach at the southern end of the pond and paddled across to the western shoreline and started following it north. Many trees leaned far out over the water. We enjoyed paddling under them, with many warnings of “duck” going from bow to stern. One warning was the real thing, as two startled red-breasted mergansers scurried out from behind a rock.
Most of the leaves were still in their green stage, except for a large ash tree leaning out over the water. Its leaves were turning a delicate red hue, accentuated against a canopy of green oak leaves above the ash.
At the far end of a line of cottages you will see an impressive glacial erratic boulder at water’s edge. It is huge. Beyond the cottages paddle into a cove on the left. A private campground ends the development. Follow the winding channel of Meadow Brook up into a secluded marsh, awash in the autumnal golden browns of marsh grasses and sweet ferns. Although late in the season, we found three fragrant water lilies nestled in the shallows. A quarter-mile up from the pond a beaver dam halted our progress. On the way back a chattering kingfisher led us out through the mats of pickerelweed.
Back out on the pond you will come to another large boulder near a solitary cottage. It is shaped like a pyramid. In the calm water the reflections from various angles were mesmerizing; looking like a butterfly on the wing. We kept repositioning our canoe to create different angles and color patterns in the water. Both camera shutters were busy.
Further up the pond you paddle by a sandy beach. This golden expanse of sand has provided memorable dash-and-splash summer joy since 1911 for girls attending Tripp Lake Camp.
Near the north end of the pond another channel leads into a larger marsh. This is the outlet of the pond, flowing a few miles north into the Little Androscoggin River. As you paddle up the channel you will encounter a slight current. Pipe-cleaner -like trees dotted the marsh, casting artistic reflections onto the water. The red berries of winterberry lined the shoreline, interspersed with the white of calico asters. We suddenly came to a wall of alders spanning the channel, with ribbons of water flowing through them. It was time to turn around and paddle the half-mile back to the pond. It was hard to leave. The solitude and sense of peace was magical.
As you emerge back out into open water follow the shoreline to the first cottage along the eastern shoreline. It is a classic Maine summer cottage; weathered red paint with white window trim. A sign identifies it as Hurricane House, with the year 1939 inscribed under it. What was the story here? 1938 had seen one of the most devastating storms to ever hit New England; the 1938 Hurricane. Three statistics from that storm stand out; 700 deaths, 2 billion trees destroyed, 3,300 boats lost or destroyed.
Every paddler loves benefiting from good timing. A northerly breeze had sprung up, and it pushed us easily down the pond back to our starting point. Looking over to the brilliant green campus of Tripp Lake Camp and up at the verdant farm fields peering down over the pond we could see why early settlers had called this area the Promised Land. Passing by the only island on the pond we veered into our put-in spot. The four hours had gone by in a flash.
Consult the DeLorme Maine Atlas & Gazetteer (map No. 4) for help in getting to the Poland Public Beach on Route 11 on the southeastern corner of the pond. You can park on the side of the road adjacent to the black metal fence, and put your canoe in at the sandy beach.
Michael Perry is the former director of the L.L.Bean Outdoor Discovery Schools, and founder of Dreams Unlimited, specializing in inspiring outdoor slide programs for civic groups, businesses, and schools. Contact: michaelj_perry@comcast.net
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Publish date : 2024-09-14 21:00:00
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