Download the July 2023 Newsletter as a PDF here.
Musings from the Rock
From the Birch Rock Newsletter “Birch Bark Spring ’23”
It’s spring at last, Birch Rockers, and Opening Day is approaching fast! This edition of The Birch Bark is devoted to three of our finest gentlemen. We pay tribute to the one and only Rich Deering ’73, who celebrates 50 years at BRC this season. We honor Erik Joelsson ’99, newly appointed Assistant Director, for his 25 stellar years at Birch Rock. And with deep sorrow, we announce the passing of our beloved Toby Brewster, ’60s, S’80s, P’10s, at his home in Concord, NH after a long illness.
McWain Loons Since 2006
Written by Nancy Hanger
In 2006, a loon laid an egg on Damons’ dock. Too much rain had eliminated the few places available for nesting. Damons called Bill and me, and the floating nest began with helpful supplies from the Muziks and the Plates.
Bill and I were fortunate to have such a great view of the nest. We saw them mate on the nest (they can only do so on solid ground). We saw an egg being laid. We watched them sit through pouring rain and being attacked by black flies. We watched them take turns sitting on the nest or calling for the other mate when it was late for its shift (you can’t tell them apart).
We watched them get low in the water when folks would get too close. (I, the evil witch, would yell at the encroachers.) When there were two chicks, we watched the chicks fight for dominance even before they left the nest. The adults fought an eagle in the water to protect a chick.
Some years there were two chicks; some years one, and some years none. There were unfertilized eggs. There was an egg cracked open by a raven. An egg was accidentally kicked into the water, followed by a plaintive call from the adult. One June was so cold and rainy that neither egg hatched. It is stressful to have eagles in the trees above you and the snapping turtle lounging on the rock not far away. Loons will look for a new site if they have had low success, which ours have had these past few years. He has tried to persuade her to get into the nest. He has done it often. She just swims by.
Lucky for us, there will be new loon tenders next year. My daughter and her husband, Lisa and Scott Fraley, have helped me put in the nest these past few years. It was their last act on the pond before they moved to Arizona. The new “nesters” are Leah and Walker Roberts, with help from Mary Martin and Peter Sevcik. The nest will be down closer to the dam.
The loon is the first bird in the bird books. The Call of the Loon is one of the most iconic. When I first came to McWain Pond in 1967, there weren’t any loons. Getting rid of DDT and lead sinkers has brought them back. In these past seventeen years, seventeen chicks have fledged from the nest. That’s a good thing.
Song of the Hummingbirds
Written by Bill and Julie Cook
One of our greatest pleasures here at McWain Pond is the return of the hummingbirds around the first week of May. With our feeders ready for another season, filled with homemade nectar, we await their return from their migration from Central America! A singular bird seems always to arrive first to kind of “check things out,” and soon after, many others follow. Their antics keep us happily entertained through the summer! If you are interested in learning more, there are many books and resources on everything “hummingbird.” Truly a source of enjoyment for us.
Let’s All Donate to a Great Cause as We Enjoy One of the Best Firework Displays in the State of Maine!
Written by Bruce Whichard
We have had an exceptionally wet spring. Let’s hope that the sun shines soon, indicating that summer is close by. Hopefully, the lake temperature will get a bit warmer before July 4th.
Hoping that July 4th is a nice sunny day, the Traditional Commodore Bob Hanger Boat Parade will set out promptly at 4:00 pm. Boats of all types are invited to rendezvous off the Point at the Cottages at McWain Point at about 3:45 pm. The past few years we have had a huge turnout, both by boats joining in the slow circle of Lake McWain and the many land owners on their docks waving American flags, blowing horns and ringing bells as the flotilla motors by. It is a special treat to navigate past Birch Rock Camp and Camp Waziyata and see their docks lined with campers from all over the globe. But, as Commodore Bob Hanger stated, “either rain or shine,” he hopes that at least one boat will always continue the tradition he and his wife started over 50 years ago.
July 4th will come to an explosive close starting at 9:15 pm when Matt G. Pyrotechnics, along with Jared W., put on an impressive aerial delight of beautiful fireworks out over Lake McWain. ALL the fireworks are donated for you to enjoy by Matt G. Pyrotechnics. The Whichard family does collect donations, and, as in the past, 100 % of these donations are turned over to the Waterford Congregation Church for “friends in need.” Last year, donors gave slightly more than $3,500.
Come on, neighbors, let us set a FIREWORKS DONATION GOAL of $4,000 for the summer of 2023! Donations are ALWAYS accepted. Checks may be made out to:
Arlene Whichard
(Fireworks donation)
Arlene Whichard, PO Box 13, Waterford ME 04088
McWain Pond LEA Testing Results for 2022
From The Lakes Environmental Association Website
Water Quality: 2022
The average Secchi disk reading for 2022 was 6.3 meters, which falls into the moderately clear range. This value is higher (less clear) than the historic average of 7.0 meters.
Total phosphorus was low in 2022. The average value for surface samples was 4.2 parts per billion (ppb), which is below the threshold of concern of 10 ppb. These low levels of phosphorus usually mean that algal growth will be low, which is good for water clarity and dissolved oxygen levels.
Chlorophyll was also low in 2022. The average value for surface samples was 2.6 ppb. This is below the threshold of concern, and well within the range for Maine lakes. The relatively low levels of chlorophyll reflect the low phosphorus levels and mean that water clarity was not affected by algal growth.
Dissolved oxygen (DO) is important for fish and other aquatic organisms and for preventing the internal recycling of phosphorus from lake bottom sediments. In 2022, DO levels were generally good throughout most of the summer, with some decline noted at the bottom of the water column late in the season. This pattern is typical of lakes in the area.
Temperature readings showed typical seasonal variations. Surface temperatures increased steadily through the summer, peaking in July and August, while bottom temperatures remained cooler.
2022 Water-testing summary
McWain Pond’s surface water chlorophyll (ppb), phosphorus (ppb), and Secchi depth (meters) data comparison Colored areas represent the long-term range of values, from minimum to maximum. Area thickness indicates frequency of measurements at that value. Area thickness increases as more measurements are reported at that value. The vertical black line represents the long-term average value. The large red dot represents 2022’s average value. The small red dots represent individual readings taken in 2022.
2022 Average vs. Long-Term Average
- Clarity: McWain Pond’s 2022 average water clarity was within the ‘moderately clear’ range. McWain Pond’s long-term clarity trend is stable, indicating neither deeper nor
shallower Secchi readings over time. - Chlorophyll: McWain Pond’s 2022 average chlorophyll concentration was within the ‘moderate’ range. McWain Pond’s long-term chlorophyll trend is decreasing, indicating that there is less chlorophyll in the water over time.
- Phosphorous: McWain Pond’s 2022 average phosphorus concentration was within the ‘moderate’ range. Deep water phosphorus values were not significantly above surface water phosphorus values indicating that phosphorus recycling was not an issue for McWain Pond in 2022. McWain Pond’s long-term total phosphorus trend is decreasing, indicating less phosphorus in the water over time. 2022 average vs. long-term average
McWain Pond Project
After a very successful volunteer-based survey of erosion sources within the Watershed, an implementation plan aimed at correcting the identified problems began. The project worked on numerous residential sites within the watershed and larger-scale conservation practices were also installed on Whiting Avenue, Camp McWain and Mill Hill Road.
Watershed Soils
2 percent of soils in the watershed are type A soils. Type A soils tend to be well drained sands, loams, and gravels. When vegetation is removed and the soil is exposed they can be susceptible to erosion. Because they are often coarse with ample pore space, there is low runoff potential and water will not usually pool on them. These soils can be good places to site leach fields or infiltrate stormwater from a home or residence.
3 percent of soils in the watershed are type B soils. B soils have moderate infiltration rates and fine to moderate texture and soil size. They are usually made up silts and
loams. Although not as well drained as A soils, they can also be good places to site leach fields and infiltrate stormwater.
71 percent of soils in the watershed are type C soils. C soils have low infiltration rates and typically have a layer that impedes the movement of water. These soils are made of sands, clays, and loams and are one of the most common soil types in western Maine.
2 percent of soils in the watershed are type D soils. D soils have a high runoff potential and very low infiltration rates. Soils with a high water table, clay or other impervious layer
near the surface are typically D soils. These soils are often associated with wetlands.
8 percent of soils in the watershed are type C/D solid. C/D soils are a mix of these two soil types. They have fairly high runoff potential and low infiltration rates and often pool water.
The remaining 15 percent of the watershed is taken up by the pond.
McWain Pond Plant Survey Results
Description of Survey Area:
Approximately 473 acres, with a maximum depth of 42 feet but mostly between 15-25 feet throughout. Rocky sections in the northern area (orange on attached picture) are too shallow for boats. No public access to the pond, (although a priority for Maine Department of IF&W for smelt and other fishing), has allowed McWain to remain clean (divers noted much less trash along the bottom from where they usually dive). It should be stated that the lack of public access is a major factor in remaining invasive-free, as there are many places for invasive plants to take hold, but currently McWain has a healthy and diverse population of native aquatic plants. Substrate is sandy silt with rocks and boulders in the northern area, rocky along the purple surveyed area moving to leafy detritus in the southern end. Limited boat traffic.
Survey Methods:
Snorkel, sea sled and boat survey
Dominant Species:
Spatterdock, pickerelweed and pondweed in very shallow sections. Fern pondweed, pipewort, burreed, bladderwort, native milfoil and common waterweed throughout. Along the northern purple marked area are more sections of dense patches of native milfoil but is not concerning. Also noted were crayfish and smallmouth bass.
Invasives found? GPS coordinates, management plan:
None
Orange section was rocky and shallow and snorkeled while the purple and green areas were surveyed via sea sled. Most notable were the more dense patches of native milfoil in the northern sections of the purple line, midway up the western shore. Otherwise a healthy and diverse population of native plants mixed all together. We want to stress that the patches of native milfoil are not a concern, but notable for future surveys.
In Memoriam: William Tobias Brewster
William Tobias Brewster passed away peacefully with his family surrounding him at his home on March 16, 2023. Toby will be deeply missed, and forever in our hearts.
Toby was born in Worcester, Massachusetts to Carol (Whitham) Brewster and Seward ‘Pat’ Brewster on May 27, 1961. The family soon moved to Manchester, Maine where Toby enjoyed his childhood, outdoor adventures, and happy memories with his brothers, Ben and Seth, in the woods, fields, streams, and lakes of Maine.
Toby graduated from Deerfield Academy, Dartmouth College (where he met his wife Becca), and Harvard Graduate School of Education.
After college, he found his true vocation – to work with young people – a calling seeded by his family’s devotion to Birch Rock Camp, a community and place he loved as a camper, counselor, director, and longtime Board member.
His 35 years of work in education, the majority spent at St. Paul’s School in Concord, NH, included teaching, admission and financial aid, college counseling, advising, and coaching. His greatest professional joys came through the students he taught, athletes he cheered on, and colleagues with whom he worked. One of his favorite classes to teach was “In Tune with Nature,” co-taught with his colleague and dear friend Rick Pacelli. While Rick unfolded the scientific understanding of ecosystems for their students, Toby brought out the poet in each. As a teacher, Toby aimed to listen more than talk.
A beloved husband, father, brother, teacher, coach, and friend, Toby touched many lives with his kindness, patience, and steady sense of purpose and contentment. His greatest of joys was his family whom he loved dearly. He embraced time around the table with friends sharing a meal and being outdoors and active. He was an athlete who led with sportsmanship, a swimmer, biker, runner, and skier. He was also an avid reader and enjoyed connecting with others through books.
He leaves his wife Becca (Glimp) Brewster and their four sons Will, Eli, Peter, and Seth; his brother and best friend Seth; his sisters- and brother-in-law Emily, Ted, and Sally (and Michael); his mother-in-law Gigi; his nieces and nephews Ben (and Becky), Hannah (and Emin), Tory, Kiki, Adrienne, Emily, Michael, Charlie, and Trent; his aunts, uncles, and cousins; his extended family, and many dear friends.
Toby often expressed a deep appreciation for the care he received. The family wishes to echo his gratitude for the compassionate support of his doctors, the team of medical workers on Concord Hospital’s PCU 3-East Wing, the Granite VNA teams, family members, friends, and caregivers.
In Memoriam: Paul L. Krinsky
Paul L. Krinsky, age 94 of Waterford, passed away on Saturday June 17, 2023, at the Hospice House in Auburn. He was born November 9, 1928, in Brooklyn, New York, a son of the late Nathan and Hilda (Rosengard) Krinsky.
Paul attended James Madison High School, City College of New York and was a member of the first graduating class of the US Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point in 1950.
After a combined eight years in the merchant marines and the US Navy, he spent his career back at Kings Point, ultimately serving as its Superintendent from 1987 until his retirement in 1993.
Upon retirement, Paul and his wife Audrey moved to Waterford, Maine where they became enthusiastic members of that great community. After Audrey passed away in 1999, Paul spent over twenty wonderful years with Anita Brause, splitting their time between Maine and New York City.
He is survived by his sons Ross Krinsky and his wife Kirstin and David Krinsky and his wife Lori; his partner Anita Brause, her daughters Debra Brause (Mike Dieffenbach) and Caryn Brause (Steve Breslow); and his cherished grandchildren Pete, Dan, Lucy, Nate, Alyssa, William, Ben, and Dahlia.
In Memoriam: John Leslie
John Leslie was a seasonal resident of Lake McWain for over forty years. John and his wife, Susan, were first introduced to Lake McWain and Waterford by John’s brother and sister-in-law, Peter and Kay Leslie. Beginning in 1964, they became regular visitors to Waterford. In 1980, John and Susan bought their own place on Lake McWain, and John took great joy in spending time on the lake until his death in 2020 at 87.
Susan, their three sons, Michael, John, and Bill, and their families continue to enjoy life on the lake, mainly when the boys’ Aunt Kay and their cousins, Martha Leslie Long and Patrick Leslie, and their families are around.
John was born in Coral Gables, Florida, in 1933 and grew up in San Francisco, California, and Scarsdale, New York. John and Susan would later return to Scarsdale to raise their family. After graduating from Phillips Exeter Academy in 1952 and Princeton University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering in 1956, John proudly served in the U.S. Army, rising to the rank of Captain.
Upon leaving the Army, John joined the Minuteman missile project team at the Hercules Powder Company and helped design the fuel for the missile’s third stage. John attended Columbia Business School, graduating with an MBA in 1961. After business school, he went to work for Standard Oil of New Jersey/ESSO, first in New York City and then in Tokyo, Japan. John left ESSO in 1968 to join the newly formed Penntech Papers as Treasurer and served as its President and Chief Executive Officer until his retirement in 1991.
In retirement, John and Susan relocated to Santa Fe, New Mexico, where they enjoyed eighteen years of adventures while still spending every summer and fall in Waterford. In 2010, they moved back to the East Coast to be near family, settling in Exeter, New Hampshire. John was an avid fisherman, hunter, golfer, and sailor, enjoying outdoor activities his entire life.
In Memoriam: Peter Leslie
Peter was born in San Francisco and raised in Scarsdale, NY. Following graduation from Princeton University, he became an international investment banker and lived and worked in Brazil, the Bahamas, and New York City. His first visit to Waterford was in 1958 to visit Kay Scribner (who would later become his wife). Fifty-three years ago the couple engaged Prentiss Kimball of Waterford to build their “camp” on McWain Pond.
Peter enthusiastically enjoyed all that McWain had to offer… boating (canoe, sail, paddle, kayak) in the summer; ice skating, hockey, ice boating in the winter; and nature, wildlife, and hiking adventures year-round.
“When we arrived on the pond in 1997, Peter was one of the first people I met. His great love for the lake was inspirational and his commitment to caring for it was one of the important reasons I became involved in the association. In meeting after meeting, Peter created consensus without ever exerting pressure. He led with common sense and congeniality, never with divisiveness. His leadership led to the important Watershed Survey, completed in 2007, that gave us a way forward for preserving the health of the lake. His wisdom, energy and good humor are irreplaceable.”
He became a trustee AND President of the McWain Pond Association in 2002, served as president through 2007, and was still a trustee at the time of his death.
The Peter Leslie Sailing Lesson
Written by Peter Sevcik
In 2009 when we purchased a Sunfish sailboat, I became a struggling sailor. Peter Leslie volunteered to teach me how to sail a Sunfish. We met in the middle of McWain Pond in our respective boats. He came alongside and yelled, “Follow me and do what I do.” This was coaching by direct example.
He kept a modest distance so I could see all his moves. Sometimes he would yell, “Move your body forward” or “Tighten the mainsheet.” Suddenly he would disappear. I thought the lesson was over. But within a few seconds, he would reappear on my other side. He was so skilled he could sail circles around me!
Once I got the hang of it, we sailed all over the lake side-by-side like synchronized swimmers. It was exhilarating! It was the one sailing lesson that lasted me to this day. I thank Peter for his generosity, patience, and kindness.
In Memoriam: Henry Plate
Henry Plate, a long-time resident of McWain Pond, passed away on August 30, 2022. He was 96. While he is often remembered crisscrossing the fields on one of his tractors, McWain Pond also holds many happy memories for him.
He first visited McWain Pond in the summers of 1938 and 1939 as a camper at Camp Waganaki, where early-morning swims were the first of several swim sessions each day (“always nude except on Sunday when there might be visitors in the grove”), and they’d go boating after dinner.
His parents bought what is now known as The Plate Farm in 1940, and he set about building the road to the lake and clearing a beach area. In 1947, he made a red rowboat by hand, using plans he found in a magazine, and he built (and later expanded) the first two wooden docks and floats. He proposed to Mom on the shores of McWain, and, after decades as vacation- and summer residents, they moved to Waterford year-round almost five decades later.
He’d take Karen and me camping by the lake in his old canvas “pup tent,” and we’d go fishing on the mist-covered, ripple-free pond the following day, armed with a can of fresh-dug worms for the fish and cellophane-wrapped chocolate donuts for us.
In later years, he resumed his Waganaki tradition of early-morning swims, taking his kids and his grandkids (along with any unsuspecting guests who couldn’t come up with a good excuse) along for the plunge. If you listen carefully, you may still hear the echoes of his “bwub-bwub-bwub” as he tipped back into the perfectly still early-morning waters of McWain Pond. He enjoyed breaking his records for his earliest and latest (Thanksgiving Day) swims of the season.
A summer afternoon wasn’t complete for Dad without a nap on the dock while pretending to read his newspaper, followed by a glass of Jack Daniels as the setting sun cast a sparkling path from the dock to the western hills. We are so fortunate to have McWain Pond and the surrounding woods and fields as a backdrop to so many of our memories with Dad.
In Memoriam: Martha Strout
On March 23, 2023, Martha Strout departed this world almost two years to the day after her husband, Ronald Strout, passed away. Martha was the yin to Ron’s yang, and an amazing mother to their three children, Aaron, John and Heather Strout, as well as to their respective spouses, Melanie, Larrissa and Lee. She was also a loving grandmother, dear friend, and dedicated member of her church in Maine.
She was a kind and gentle person, particularly when it came to her eight grandchildren, Olivia (23), Ben (21), Audrey (15), Owen (16), Sophia (14), Ella (10), Calvin (9) and Ohlen (7). Martha was patient to a fault whether it was reading a book, taking the kids on trips to Alaska, playing board games, acting out scenes from Star Wars, building sandcastles and visiting regularly, even after they had moved to distant places like Washington, DC, Austin, TX and northern California. She was the “Grammy” that everyone in life deserves.
Martha was born in Windham, ME and was the daughter of Jean and George Keef. The oldest of six, she shared a particularly close bond with sister Karen, and four brothers Dan, Ed, Bill and David. They grew up in a farmhouse across the field from her maternal grandparents, Helen and Ross Donahue.
In 1963, life for Martha and the Keef family changed profoundly when Norwegian exchange student, Inger Myrsted, joined them for her senior year of high school. Not only did Inger become a sister and daughter to the family but she spurred a thirst for adventure and travel in Martha and Ron. The bond increased when Inger married one of Ron’s best friends, John Riley, making the two couples inseparable for the rest of their lives.
The experience of welcoming Inger into the Keef family early on also inspired Martha and Ron to become hosts for several foreign exchange students. Martha and Ron stayed particularly close with students, Maria Barros and Andrea Marasco. Martha also loved to travel and enjoyed visiting new places to learn about history and culture. She was also a great travel companion because she was always along for the adventure. Martha and Ron were also fortunate to spend a year in Belgium which offered the opportunity to travel to many other European countries and to share their little apartment with family and friends wanting to see Europe.
In 1976, Martha and Ron moved from Windham to Melrose, MA, raising their three children there before relocating to Ormond Beach, Fla. in 1986. They returned to Boston in 1992 for several years before moving to what would be the couple’s dream house in Nahant, MA in 2002. Martha loved the ocean and would take walks most mornings with Ron or her local friends. Martha also loved spending time at the couple’s cabin in Maine, where she found serenity in the woods and next to the lake.
In life, Martha often shied from the limelight, but was always unfailingly supportive of anyone needing love, encouragement or assistance. Her steadfast faith and calm demeanor provided much comfort to family, friends, and those who contacted her for support. She served in many capacities in the various churches she and Ron belonged to.
Martha was not a laugh out loud person, but when she did it was infectious. She was also a voracious reader and loved to learn new things. She was an exceptionally good listener and genuinely curious about others, always asking thoughtful questions and actively listening. Like her parents, she derived great joy from nature and was always a strong advocate for the environment and wildlife, consistently supporting global organizations like Oxfam and The Nature Conservancy.
In Memoriam: Joe Urell
Joseph Urell (78) died on March 8, 2023 in Oxford, Ohio. From West Islip, NY, he went to SUNY Oneonta and graduated in 1966. He and his wife Barb (who predeceased him in 2018) moved to Oxford where Joe earned an MS in Geography and a PhD from the University of Cincinnati.
He was a member of the Miami University community for thirty-five years as a professor of social geography, Assistant and then Dean of Arts and Science, and ending his career in 2004 as Acting VP of Academic Affairs and Provost.
He and Barb built their Maine home in 1998 and loved their summers here. They both volunteered at the Waterford breakfasts until Barb’s health brought that to an end.
Joe is survived by two sons, Brian and Peter and four grandchildren.
