DANBURY – The CPBN Media Lab traveled to Candlewood Lake to spend a day on the water with Mark Chanski, a DEEP officer and tour guide for this segment of Outdoor Enthusiast. After a quick lesson on lifejackets and water safety, the team headed out to explore Connecticut’s largest lake.
Candlewood Lake is a man-made lake created in 1928 by the Connecticut Light and Power Company. It averages 40 feet deep, covers 8.4 square miles, and spans 5 towns in Connecticut. When the valley for the lake was cleared, 35 families were evicted by eminent domain. Foundations, roads, and bridges from those farms can still be explored underwater.
Up on the surface, kayakers enjoyed the outdoors, a bright yellow plane practiced landing on the lake, and kids jumped from Chicken Rock, a 25 foot boulder protruding over the water. Other visitors took part in a fishing competition, and spent time at Down the Hatch, a restaurant right on the water.
Although the lake was pleasant and calm that day, Chanski told the team not to be fooled by a false sense of security. “When it’s busy, it can actually get very rough. At times it’s been rougher than times I’ve been out on Long Island Sound,” he said.
The Media lab team spent six hours touring the lake and meeting the locals and visitors. Jonathan Press, a kayaker from Sherman, CT, was out on Candlewood that day to “get a little exercise and some sun.” The interns met another visitor; pilot Tony Debany, when he landed his seaplane on the lake. “This is good clean fun,” said Debany.
Candlewood Lake was full of visitors enjoying a sunny and warm August day. After a long day on the water, the Media Lab Interns were able to see what life was like on the lake.
-Kirsten Preskenis