Sebago Lake Trip
A recent Heat Wave and some days off also made me think that a trip away in the boat would be a good idea. Inland New England this time of year is a great place to visit. There are a number of large lakes for which the Ranger 21 would be perfect for doing several overnights on including Lake Winnipesaukee, Lake George and Sebago Lake in Maine. I decided to try the latter and make it a weekday because I heard that the lake can be quite busy. Sebago Lake is located approximately 20 miles north west of Portland Maine. It is fairly reasonably accessible and is in a populous area. The lake is enormous and is 14 miles long, 45 square miles in area and has over a hundred miles of Shoreline.It is the second largest lake in Maine and in some areas is over 300 feet deep.There are a number of public boat ramp access areas and I picked one on the Eastern Shore in Jordan Bay where there is a boat ramp that allows for overnight parking. There is also a large state park where you can launch and stay overnight as well as a campground nearby. This might be a better option for people that don't want to stay on their boat overnight but still want to spend the day on the lake. There are a number of marinas in the area that also offer parking with overnight Storage for your trailer in car.
The first thing you realize once you get out on Lake Sebago is that it is very populated. The large shoreline Is close to a metropolitan area almost every square inch of shoreline is either State Park or residential. The homes range from small minor cabins to incredibly large estates. The nice thing about this as you travel to shoreline there's always something to look at. The downside is that there are very few places for you to get out of the boat and go ashore. Having packed several days supplies I set out from Jordan Bay and spent the first night in Witch Cove which is in the northern end of the lake. It's adjacent to a state park in there's a semi-public beach there too. This being midweek the Lake was mostly empty with a little bit of recreational traffic. If you're planning on going up you should realize that on weekends there is an incredible amount of boat traffic along with jet skis and other recreational boats. I was fortunate for the whole week to only encounter a few boats. I almost had the lake to myself.
The second and third days of the trip were spent exploring the lake. I anchored out both nights and enjoy the views. It was really really hot and I ended up stopping frequently to take swims to cool off. It really is a great lake to have a boat on and there are so many different parts of the lake to experience. Frye Island is located in the middle of the lake and has a number of seasonal houses on it with a ferry that connects it. There's a small General Store and restaurant on the island where you can dock up and get supplies and something to eat. There is also the Crooked River which connects Sebago to Long Lake and has a lock in the middle. It's a terrific trips that takes you up to another gorgeous Lake with plenty of boating. The town of Naples is located in the middle of Long Lake at the causeway and has the number of Dock & Dine restaurants where you can get something to eat. There are also a number of marinas on this Lake where I'm sure you could launch.
The southern end of the lake is part of the regional water Protection District and the shoreline here is protected as is the water. Swimming or any contact with the water is prohibited within several miles of the south end of the lake and it's strictly enforced by Patrol boats. It's still a great place and there is a excellent boat launch at the South End of the lake .The lake is a really great place to go especially with the ranger 21. overall I spent three days on the lake enjoying the scenery and the views.
There are few downfalls if you choose to go. There are several Public access boat launches on the lake however once you're on the water the ability to stop in certain areas is pretty Limited. There are plenty of places to Anchor for the night. Also be aware that this is a very busy lake with boat traffic especially on the weekends. The ability to restock even for ice or small supplies is limited to one store on Frye Island. Finally it is enormously Long Lake and the weather can really kick up. I did hit some significant wind and weaves one day and the lake showed that it can be dangerous. Careful watching the weather is important while out on the lake however it is really a great place to boat. I really enjoyed my time on Sebago I plan on going back again soon.