A Reminder

 It's Holiday Time! Christmas is almost here and then we'll be getting set for a New Year, with lots of interesting stuff going on, no doubt. We love the holidays, but there is also the very serious undertone of concern over problems here at Joe's Pond. We have been watching closely (and actively participating in discussions) about whether wake boats may be eventually banned here. I think it's safe to say that a large majority of people around the pond would like to see them gone. Here is a reminder message from David Kidney (North Shore Road):

Friends,

The hearing on our petition to prohibit wake sports on Joe's Pond went great.  Every speaker, and we had a good number,  supported our petition.  Thank you to all who spoke.  You all were terrific.

It is time for the final push.  Written comments are due by December 23rd.  the more we have supporting our petition the better.  So, please write a comment and get your spouse, kids, and friends write one.  Send it to anr.wsmdlakes@vermont.gov     Make sure you put "Wakesports" and "Joe's Pond" in the subject line.

I submitted my comments today.  A copy is attached.   Please do not be intimidated by the length of my comments.    If anything, mine are way too long.  The more typical comment would be a paragraph or two.  Anything to let the ANR know that you support prohibiting wake sports on Joe's Pond.   If you have had negative dealings with wake sports, (while on the water in your vessel or swimming, to your shoreline, to your dock, or ...) make sure to include these experiences.

A number of you have sent me the comments that you have already submitted.   Thank you for doing so.  Now I'd ask you to encourage others to do likewise.

I know we are all busy with the Holidays.  But here is our chance to do something good for our beloved Joe's Pond.   

Thank You,

DavidDavid Kidney Comments On Petition to Prohibit Wakesports on Joe's Pond

So take a few minutes to write a letter expressing your concerns (whichever way you lean). It doesn't matter if you live on the pond, visit occasionally, or have warm feeling from having spent time here in the past - if you have any connection at all to Joe's Pond and appreciate it's charm, please consider voicing an opinion. To relative outsiders, it may not seem that important, but for those of us here, having wake boats banned would mean waterfronts will be less damaged, the pond's bottom won't be continually churned to spread contaminants, people will be safe swimming, canoeing, fishing, or kayaking, the buoys Jamie Dimick puts in place each summer will be less likely to be knocked off their mark or their chains broken, he will not have to watch out for super wakes when he's trying to set the buoys from the pontoon boat, and we might even be able to launch our wooden inboard again. It has been about three summers since that has been in the water because it got battered from being tossed by the wakes when it was tied up in our boathouse. 

It is important for as many people as possible to weigh in with personal stories, complaints, or comments. It may help secure a real "gift" for the health of our lake and peace of mind when in or on the water here - a change in law so that wake boats are no longer allowed here. 

Right now we have a very "Christmasy Joe's Pond" - completely frozen over, and already there have been an ice fisherman out on the ice, a hang glider, cross-country skiers, and even a skater on the ice yesterday before we had another three inches of snow overnight. They are all living dangerously, I think, but this happens every year. People get out there way before some of us watching from shore feel it's safe. With the warm weather swings and few very cold dips in temperature, there can't be much ice out there.

Today has been in the low to mid-twenties and quite windy. I was outside briefly this morning to shovel off the deck and measure the snow. The mail didn't come until late this afternoon and I decided I would leave it in the mailbox until tomorrow. The temperature began going down at about noontime and is now 17 degrees now. I expect it will be in the single digits overnight. We had some very welcome sunshine today, but boy, that wind! Since I started writing here tonight, the temperature has dropped about 4 degrees - and still heading downward.

I'm busy with the few preparations for Christmas I still do. Everything seems to take longer now than it did ten years ago. I have totally missed the deadline for getting mail out, so my holiday greetings will be emails to friends and family this year. Sometimes that happens - my excuse is that it was an unusually short period between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year.  I'm definitely not as good at scheduling my time as I used to be. Things like lunches with friends, runs into town for appointments or whatever (and more frequent nap times when at home), have seriously interfered with getting things done in a timely fashion. It's a good thing I'm not responsible for hosting the family Christmas Eve gathering - I probably wouldn't be ready until New Year's Eve!

Stay warm, healthy, and safe. Be happy.