I arrived at Mansfield Hollow Lake (aka Naugesatuck Lake) in northeast CT just before noontime and found a very mellow place from which to launch...plenty of room and very few people.
The 450 acre lake was created by the US Army Corps of Engineers back in 1950 when they built a dam on the Natchaug River above Willimantic as a flood-control measure. Two tributaries to the Natchaug, the Mount Hope River and Fenton River, saw their original confluence at the Turnip Meadow permanently flooded (beyond my bow in photo)...
My goal was to explore the lake and a bit of its three contributing rivers using this chart found online...
My exploration of the Mount Hope ended rather quickly after only about 100 yards...
This was disappointing as I thought from looking at the chart it would allow further upriver passage than the Fenton. Here I was glad to be wrong as the Fenton welcomed my passage under Route 89...
After about half a mile shallow conditions ended my ascent and I returned to the lake passing what I believe to be flowering honeysuckle...
Paddling to the south and into a pleasant breeze I passed under Bassett Bridge and entered the southern half of the lake where the dam across the Natchaug River stands...
Reaching the lake's southeast corner I began heading up the Natchaug not sure how far I might get...
A small and shady eddy provided a good spot to land and take in this view back downstream...
With the afternoon slipping away it was time to head back to Bassett Bridge and drive west on Rt. 66 to where my tent would soon be pitched at Markham Meadows Campground in East Hampton.
Trash recovered while out on the water...
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