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.
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Figure 1 – Griffith Lake Entrance
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| Figure 2 – Griffith Lake Boat Ramp |
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Figure 3 – Griffith Lake
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Figure 4 – Griffith Lake
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This pond 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, bulkhead 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 bulkhead 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.
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Figure 5 – Griffith Lake
Spatterdock
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Figure 6 – Griffith
Lake Spatterdock Coverage
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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 5 and Figure 6) which can impede access to certain areas where the growth is especially thick.
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Figure 7 – Griffith Lake Fallen Branches
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Figure 8 – Griffith Lake Dam
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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). 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.
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Figure 9 – Griffith Lake Looking Southwest
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Figure 10 – Turtle
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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
