Haven Lake, DE

A canal cut from Haven Lake ran back out to the highway.

 

David and Linda Sockrider are long-time friends from Milford that we hadn’t seen in a few years. The last time we got together was when I took Thistle east for a month-long Chesapeake Cruise. On this trip, I had given Dave a call earlier to let him know we were headed his way, and said we’d keep in touch as we got closer to see if we could paddle together. Today, Dave had a doctor’s appointment, so I took the chance to paddle a couple small lakes barely outside the city of Milford. After getting a few pictures along Front Street, I drove out to Haven Lake to get Buddy and me on the water.

 

How idyllic a scene is this?  Screened gazebo, canoe, and pier, all set for

relaxing outdoor living.  Sweet!

Haven Lake is actually a mill pond formed by an antiquated dam that holds back the source of the Mispillion River. Delaware is peppered with lakes and ponds that are popular fishing destinations. All are under the management of the Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife. You’re likely to catch bass, bluegill, sunfish, crappie, and perch if that‘s your game, but I was just looking to paddle the 83 acre lake. It offered a couple hours of paddling around the 3.4 mile lake.

American Holly can be found almost anywhere in Delaware,

right to the water's edge.

 

As much as 2,000 years ago, Druid priests regarded the holly tree, also called Christ’s Thorn, as a sacred plant that repelled evil spirits. Being highly regarded, it was exchanged as tidings of good will. The holly is prolific throughout Delaware, and was adopted as the State Tree. Beginning in the 1920’s, Delaware led the nation in the export of holly plants and products like staffs, wands, chess pieces, inlay wood, musical instruments, furniture, laminates, etc. Holly has great religious and mystical properties, being associated with consecration, rebirth, holiness, immortality and more. It figures in Celtic, Roman, and Christian festivals, and is commonly used as a Christmas decoration.



Living lawn ornaments.

A beautiful house adorned with decorative woodwork common

to a style of church architecture called Carpenter Gothic, or

Rural Gothic.

(With good reason, many people are interested in the beauty and history of the Chesapeake Bay region.  If you have an interest in reading the cruise posts, check the blog archives for 2011.)