Griffith Lake

One of the many lakes in Delaware that is great for kayaking, canoeing, boating, fishing, or just exploring nature in general is Griffith Lake. Griffith Lake is located west of Milford, DE between Williamsville Road to the North and Griffith Lake Drive to the South (See Figure 3). Access to the lake is off of Williamsville Road approximately one mile from the Milford –Harrington Highway also known as route 14 (See the red circle in Figure 3). To find the entrance when on Williamsville Road, look for the sign seen in Figure 1 which identifies the entrance.

Figure 1 – Griffith Lake Entrance

Figure 2 – Griffith Lake Boat Ramp

This lake is a great place for beginning kayakers because it has a very easy water entry and exit point, fairly shallow water depth in most areas of the lake, and since it is non-tidal there are only minor currents near the dam (See Figure 8) at the North Eastern end of the lake near the boat ramp. The only public entry point is a public access boat ramp (Figure 2) which includes parking for approximately eight (8) vehicles. The water entry is very easy via an improved concrete boat ramp, bulk head to the left of the boat ramp, or the floating dock (Figure 2). The boat ramp is in very good condition and appears to be well maintained. You can walk your kayak down the boat ramp as traction is relatively good. Kayak entry from either the bulk head to the left of the boat ramp or the floating dock is relatively easy. Either of these kayak entries does require good balance and some experience with kayak entry so the overall difficulty is beginner to moderate. Exiting your kayak via the concrete boat ramp, bulk head to the left of the boat ramp, or the floating dock is almost as easy as the entry.

Figure 3 – Griffith Lake (Google Earth, 2016)

Figure 4 – Griffith Lake (Google Maps, 2016)

The shoreline measures approximately just over two (2) miles (see Figure 4) and the total surface water area is recorded as 32.2 acres (Griffith Lake, N.D.). The depth of the pond ranges from a few inches at the edges to six (6) feet at maximum. A small portion of the South western part of the pond is covered with spatterdock or yellow water lilies (See Figure 6 and Figure 6) which can impede access to certain areas where the growth is especially thick.

Figure 5 – Griffith Lake Spatterdock

Figure 6 – Griffith Lake Spatterdock Coverage

At the south western end of the lake is the continuation of the Mispillion River. This is navigable for a distance until fallen branches block your path (See Figure 7).

Figure 7 – Griffith Lake Fallen Branches

Figure 8 – Griffith Lake Dam

To the East of the Griffith Lake is Haven Lake but Haven Lake is not directly accessible due to a dam (see Figure 8) at the Griffith Lake Drive roadway that crosses the waterway. The lake is non-tidal; therefore, there is relatively no current except when you get close to the dam which is not recommended.

This lake is a beautiful location for kayaking, canoeing, boating, fishing, or just exploring nature in general (See Figure 9). You may be able to see turtles sunning themselves along the water’s edge and if you approach quietly, you may be able to get a real close (See Figure 10). You can also expect to see geese from time to time.

Figure 9 – Griffith Lake Looking Southwest

Figure 10 – Turtle

If you are interesting in boating (Boating Safety in Delaware, N.D.), fishing (Recreational Fishing Size, Seasons, and Creel Limits, 2016) or other recreational activities on the water, you may want to review the Delaware regulations ( Rules, Regulations, Laws, Policies, and Guidelines , N.D.) concerning such activities.

Bibliography

Rules, Regulations, Laws, Policies, and Guidelines . (N.D.). Retrieved 2016, from State of Delaware: http://www.dnrec.delaware.gov/Info/Pages/Rules.aspx

Boating Safety in Delaware. (N.D.). Retrieved 2016, from State of Delaware: http://www.dnrec.delaware.gov/fw/Boating/pages/Delaware_Boating_Safety.aspx

Google Earth. (2016). Griffith Lake. (T. Johnson, Ed.) Google Earth.

Google Maps. (2016). Griffith Lake. (T. Johnson, Ed.) Google Maps.

Griffith Lake. (N.D.). Retrieved 2016, from Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control: http://www.dnrec.delaware.gov/fw/Fisheries/Documents/Griffith%20Lake10.pdf

Recreational Fishing Size, Seasons, and Creel Limits. (2016). Retrieved 2016, from State of Delaware: http://www.dnrec.delaware.gov/fw/fisheries/pages/recfishsizeseasoncreel.aspx

Haven Lake

Haven Lake is one of a string of lakes and ponds near Milford, Delaware that are connected to and feeding the Mispillion River. This lake is one of the many lakes in Delaware that is great for kayaking, canoeing, boating, fishing, or just exploring nature in general. Haven Lake is located west of Milford, DE with Williamsville Road to the North and DuPont Boulevard, also known as Route 113, to the East. Access to the lake is off of Williamsville Road approximately one-half mile from the Milford –Harrington Highway also known as route 14 (See the orange circle in Figure 3). To find the entrance when on Williamsville Road, look for the sign seen in Figure 1 which identifies the entrance.

Figure 1 – Haven Lake Entrance

This pond is a good place for beginning kayakers because it has a moderately easy water entry and exit point, fairly shallow water depth in most areas of the lake, and since it is non-tidal there are only minor currents near the dam (See Figure 6) and at the western end of the lake where the Mispillion River connects to Griffith Lake. The only public entry point is a public access boat ramp (Figure 2) which includes parking for approximately eight (8) vehicles (See the red circle in Figure 3).

Figure 2 – Haven Lake Boat Ramp

The water entry is moderately easy via a very basic boat ramp with a concrete pad; however, there are no bulkheads or docks to use for assistance (Figure 2). The boat ramp is in relatively good condition and appears to be well kept. You can walk your kayak down the boat ramp as traction is relatively good. Kayak entry can be made either from the water on the boat ramp or from the lake’s edge. Either of these kayak entries does require good balance and some experience with kayak entry so the overall difficulty is beginner to moderate. Exiting your kayak via the ramp or the lake’s edge is almost as easy as the entry.

Figure 3 – Haven Lake (Google Earth, 2016)

Figure 4 – Haven Lake (Google Maps, 2016)

The shoreline measures approximately just over three (3) miles (see Figure 4) and the total surface water area is recorded as 82.5 acres (Haven lake, 2016). The depth of the pond ranges from a few inches at the edges and down the branches to seven (7) feet two (2) inches at maximum near the dam on the eastern edge of the lake (Figure 6). A small portion of the western part of the pond is covered with spatterdock or yellow water lilies (See Figure 5 and Figure 6) which can impede access to certain areas where the growth is especially thick.

Figure 5 – Haven Lake Spatterdock

Figure 6 – Haven Lake Spatterdock Coverage

 

There are two branches to the western part of the lake: the Lednum Branch and the Johnson Branch along with the continuation of the Mispillion River; and there is one branch towards the south-eastern part of the lake which is Bowman Branch. All of these are too shallow to be navigable. (See Figure 4).

Figure 7 – Haven Lake Dam

To the East of the Haven Lake is Silver Lake but Silver Lake is not directly accessible due to a dam (see Figure 7) at the Route 113 roadway that crosses the waterway. Due to the dam on the Eastern side of the lake, the lake is non-tidal; and, therefore, there is relatively no current except when you get close to the dam which is not recommended.

Figure 8 – Haven Lake Looking West

This lake is a beautiful location for kayaking, canoeing, boating, fishing, or just exploring nature in general (See Figure 10). If you want to explore nature you can expect to see turtles sunning themselves along the water’s edge and if you approach quietly and slowly you might be able to get a real close look (See Figure 8 and Figure 9). You can also expect to see Geese from time to time and if you are there during the right time of year you might see the whole family (See Figure 12). And, if you are lucky, you might catch sight of a Bald Eagle (Figure 11). They can sometimes be difficult to spot; but, during the right time of day, when they are hunting, you might have a better chance of spotting one.

Figure 9 – Two Turtles	Figure 10 – One Turtle
Figure 11 – A Goose, Gander, and their Goslings	Figure 12 – Bald Eagle

If you are interesting in boating (Boating Safety in Delaware, N.D.), fishing (Recreational Fishing Size, Seasons, and Creel Limits, 2016) or other recreational activities on the water, you may want to review the Delaware regulations ( Rules, Regulations, Laws, Policies, and Guidelines , N.D.) concerning such activities.

Bibliography

Rules, Regulations, Laws, Policies, and Guidelines . (N.D.). Retrieved 2016, from State of Delaware: http://www.dnrec.delaware.gov/Info/Pages/Rules.aspx

Boating Safety in Delaware. (N.D.). Retrieved 2016, from State of Delaware: http://www.dnrec.delaware.gov/fw/Boating/pages/Delaware_Boating_Safety.aspx

Google Earth. (2016). Haven Lake. (T. Johnson, Ed.) Google Earth.

Google Maps. (2016). Haven Lake. (T. Johnson, Ed.) Google Maps.

Haven lake. (2016). Retrieved May 29, 2016, from Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control: http://www.dnrec.delaware.gov/fw/Fisheries/Documents/Haven%20Lake11.pdf

Recreational Fishing Size, Seasons, and Creel Limits. (2016). Retrieved 2016, from State of Delaware: http://www.dnrec.delaware.gov/fw/fisheries/pages/recfishsizeseasoncreel.aspx

Coursey Pond

One of the many ponds in Delaware that is great for kayaking, canoeing, boating, fishing, or just exploring nature in general is Coursey Pond. Coursey Pond is located South West of Frederica, DE and South East of Felton, DE along Canterbury Road which is also known as Route 15. This pond is a great place for beginning kayakers because it has fairly east water entry and exit points, fairly shallow water depth, and since it is non-tidal there are no real currents.

Figure 1 – Coursey Pond

Figure 2 – Coursey Pond Boat Ramp

The main entry point is a public access boat ramp which includes parking for approximately eight (8) vehicles. The water entry is relatively easy via an improved boat ramp with a concrete pad with bulk heads on both sides (See Figure 2). The boat ramp is in relatively good condition and appears to be well kept. You can walk your kayak down the boat ramp as traction is relatively good. Kayak entry can be made either from the water on the boat ramp or from the bulk head. Either of these kayak entries does require good balance and some experience with kayak entry so the overall difficulty is beginner to moderate. Exiting your kayak via the ramp or the bulk head is just as easy as the entry. There may be duck or goose feces around the boat ramp and bulk head area so you may want to watch your step.

The shoreline measures approximately four (4) miles (see Figure 3) and the total surface water area is recorded as 58.1 acres (Coursey Pond, N.D.). The depth of the pond ranges from a few inches at the edges and down the branches to four (4) feet at maximum in the central areas. The average or mean depth is around two (2) feet (Coursey Pond, N.D.). A large portion of the pond is covered with spatterdock or yellow water lilies which can impede access to certain areas where the growth is especially thick.

Figure 3 – Coursey Pond (Google Earth, 2016)

Figure 4 – Coursey Pond (Google Maps, 2016)

The Spring Branch which is located at the Northwest corner of Coursey Pond is accessible for a short distance until the water depth and foliage prevent passage (See Figure 4). The unnamed branch located in the lower left of Figure 4 is technically considered the Murderkill River and ties into Killen’s Pond to the South West. This portion of the pond is accessible but may be limited at certain times of the year due to foliage or water depth in general. Crossing from the Murderkill River located here to Killen’s pond is impossible due to a damn (see Figure 5) at the roadway that crosses the waterway. At the Eastern edge of Coursey Pond is another damn (see Figure 5) at Coursey Pond road that prevents water access to the Murderkill River on the other side. Due to the dam on the Eastern side of the pond the pond is non-tidal; and, therefore, there is relatively no current except when you get close to the dam which is not recommended.

Figure 5 – Coursey Pond Dam at Canterbury Road

Figure 6 – Killen’s Pond Damn at Killen’s Pond Road

Water entry from the western side of the pond at the Killen’s Pond dam would be extremely difficult due to the guard rail, and the steep, rocky decline (see Figure 7 and Figure 8). In addition, parking in this area is controlled by the Killen’s Pond state park, requires a fee, and the available space is somewhat limited as you can see in Figure 8. Lastly, there are several trees that have fallen in the river just beyond the potential river entry which block easy access to the river beyond (see Figure 9 and Figure 10).

Figure 7 – Killen’s Pond Road, Murderkill River Access	Figure 8 – Killen’s Pond Road, Murderkill River Guardrail
Figure 9 – Murderkill River Blockage	Figure 10 – Murderkill River Blockage Closeup

The entire Coursey Pond area is a beautiful location for kayaking, canoeing, boating, fishing, or just exploring nature in general. There are plenty of small nooks and crannies to explore as well as the Spring Branch at the Northwest end of the pond and the Murderkill River at the Southwest end of the pond. If you are interesting in boating or fishing you may want to review the Delaware regulations concerning such activities.

Bibliography

Coursey Pond. (N.D.). Retrieved March 27, 2016, from Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control : http://www.dnrec.delaware.gov/fw/Fisheries/Documents/FWCourseyPond.pdf

Google Earth. (2016). Coursey Pond. (T. Johnson, Ed.) Google Earth.

Google Maps. (2016). Coursey Pond. (T. Johnson, Ed.)