by Liz Wagner, Park Naturalist
Sixteen hundred people cured their cabin fever by braving the weather for a day in the outdoors last Saturday at Grafton Lakes State Park.
Fishing Contest[private]Fishermen began registering at 5:30 in the morning, with winds gusting up to 23 miles per hour
pushing the wind chill below zero. In spite of the cold the Park still hosted 200 participants in the ice fishing contest. The longest fish of the day, a 23½ inch chain pickerel from Long Pond, was caught by 13 year old Leif-Tayler Marsh. The adult first place winners were James Litchfield with a 22¾ inch chain pickerel, Zach Henry with a 22½ inch trout and Mike Cookingham with a 12 5/8 inch yellow perch. The Park gave out over $1,500 worth of cash and prizes donated from local sponsors.
Crowds began rolling in late in the morning for the Winter Festival as the winds died down. Visitors explored some of the Park’s trails for the first time on snowshoes. Children rode sleds down a slope into some plastic bowling pins on the snow bowling hill, an activity where the line was active for most of the day. The Northland Newfoundland Club brought a few furry friends for sled rides on the beach, thrilling tykes and photo-taking parents. Indian Creek Farm’s carriage rides, pulled by impressive Percheron horses, were enjoyed by hundreds of visitors throughout the day. Other outdoor activities included an animal tracking outing, a geocache treasure hunt, and primitive firemaking skills.
Polar Plunge
The Seventh Annual Polar Plunge had 30 participants this year and included a surprise bonus for the event’s donation recipient, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. A fisherman offered an extra $20 to everyone who dove completely under the water. This brought in $340 in bonus donations for the foundation and a big boost in the number of hollers and cheers in the audience.
Crowds warmed up indoors and met a red tailed hawk, a boa constrictor and a weasel brought in by different animal presenters. Exhibits included local high school senior Cullen O’Brian’s presentation on “Trout in the Classroom,” which he has begun this year at the Berlin High School with the support of the local Trout Unlimited chapter. Patrons could “Adopt A Trout” for $5 and sponsor the program, which is raising fish in a tank at the high school to educate local children about trout and the health of New York’s watersheds. Other regional organizations included the Rensselaer Plateau Alliance, the Dyken Pond Environmental Center, the Grafton Community Library, the Taconic Hiking Club and the Rensslear Land Trust.
The Friends of Grafton Lake State Park co-sponsored the event, providing volunteers and funds to aid its success. The Park would also like to thank the Grafton Rescue Squad and Volunteer Fire Department for their emergency response support at the event.[/private]