Lake Utopia
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Lake Utopia is located in eastern Charlotte County,
New Brunswick New Brunswick is a Provinces and Territories of Canada, province of Canada, bordering Quebec to the north, Nova Scotia to the east, the Gulf of Saint Lawrence to the northeast, the Bay of Fundy to the southeast, and the U.S. state of Maine to ...
. The southern shore of the
lake A lake is often a naturally occurring, relatively large and fixed body of water on or near the Earth's surface. It is localized in a basin or interconnected basins surrounded by dry land. Lakes lie completely on land and are separate from ...
is one kilometre northeast of the town of
St. George Saint George (;Geʽez: ጊዮርጊስ, , ka, გიორგი, , , died 23 April 303), also George of Lydda, was an early Christian martyr who is venerated as a saint in Christianity. According to holy tradition, he was a soldier in the ...
. The lake is connected to the
Magaguadavic River The Magaguadavic River ( ; ) is a historic Canada, Canadian river located in the province of New Brunswick. The name "Magaguadavic" is a Maliseet / Passamaquoddy term that is believed to translate into "River of Eels". Description With a meander l ...
by the second deepest natural canal in the world. Lake Utopia is approximately 7 kilometres long and between 0.8 and 2.8 kilometres in width. The lake level varies throughout the year, as more or less water is allowed through a
hydroelectric Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is Electricity generation, electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies 15% of the world's electricity, almost 4,210 TWh in 2023, which is more than all other Renewable energ ...
dam A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use, aqua ...
on the Magaguadavic River in St. George. The lake is surrounded by mixed
Acadian The Acadians (; , ) are an ethnic group descended from the French who settled in the New France colony of Acadia during the 17th and 18th centuries. Today, most descendants of Acadians live in either the Northern American region of Acadia, ...
forest and its shoreline has been traditionally dotted by both rustic camps and large summer homes however over the last decade an increase in year-round home development has occurred. The lake has six islands which are privately owned and situated with seasonal cottages. During the winter months, much of the lake completely freezes. Lake Utopia is a popular eastern Charlotte County recreation destination among year-round residents and cottage-goers for swimming, boating and fishing. Fish in the lake include
smallmouth bass The smallmouth bass (''Micropterus dolomieu'') is a species of freshwater fish in the Centrarchidae, sunfish family (biology), family (Centrarchidae) of the order (biology), order Centrarchiformes. It is the type species of its genus ''Micropterus ...
,
trout Trout (: trout) is a generic common name for numerous species of carnivorous freshwater ray-finned fishes belonging to the genera '' Oncorhynchus'', ''Salmo'' and ''Salvelinus'', all of which are members of the subfamily Salmoninae in the ...
,
perch Perch is a common name for freshwater fish from the genus ''Perca'', which belongs to the family Percidae of the large order Perciformes. The name comes from , meaning the type species of this genus, the European perch (''P. fluviatilis'') ...
and river eels. On the western side of the lake is Canal Beach. Canal Beach is the major swimming destination on the lake's western shore. Its natural sand occupies a 0.5 kilometre stretch of shoreline. The beach/park is maintained and operated by the Town of St. George, and is open from the first weekend of June to weekend after Labour Day. Despite being a public beach, there is no lifeguard on duty. Canal Beach is equipped with a beach volleyball court, playground, seasonal canteen, washrooms and changing rooms. Immediately north of Canal Beach is the natural canal that connects the lake to the Magaguadavic River. Further north, still on the western shore of the lake, is Grey Mountain. Much of the northern area of the lake's western shore is untouched with only a few cottages. On the northern shore of the lake was a smaller, less popular swimming location called "Scout's Beach" (also traditionally called "Frauley's Beach"). During the 1940s-1960s, a
Scouts Canada Scouts Canada is a Canadian Scouting association that provides programs for young people ages 5 to 26. It aims "to help develop well-rounded youth, better prepared for success in the world." Scouts Canada, in affiliation with the French-language ...
camp was built on the north shore of the lake. The camp was later owned and maintained by Connors Bros. Ltd. After the decline of its operation, Scout's Beach became known locally as a "party spot" and was host to two or three large gatherings every summer during the 1970s-1980s. In the early 2000s, the land was sold by Connors Bros. Ltd. to a private developer and a number of homes were constructed, including a very large private estate. The beach area is now private, restricted to public use. On the lake's eastern shore, near a spot locally known as "the Bluff", during the early 1900s, "Bryn Derwyn", a summer hotel which was later a summer camp for boys operated until it burned in June 1918. The boys camp continued through the 1920s. During the 1960s, local company Connors Bros. Ltd., who owned much of the eastern shore at that time, operated a public beach. The beach was a popular spot with concession stands and amusement rides. Much of the lake's eastern shore is developed with both cottages and year-round homes, and connected via Route 785.


Islands

Lake Utopia is home to six (6) islands. Situated north to south, the islands are: * Duck Island * Long Island * Small Island * Big Island * Spruce Island * Cannonball Island All of the islands are privately owned and have seasonal cottages. Located in the southern part of the lake, "Cannonball Island" was used as bombing practice by the nearby former Pennfield Ridge Air Station during the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. In addition to island, there are several rock ledges in the lake. A pair of ledges located in the central section of the lake, along the western shore, are called "The Butterballs". Another rock ledge is located approximately 330 meters to the west of Big Island. Depending upon the water level of the lake, this ledge may be submerged and be a hazard to boaters unfamiliar with navigating the lake.


Old Ned

Local legend says the lake is inhabited by a
sea monster Sea monsters are beings from folklore believed to dwell in the sea and are often imagined to be of immense size. Marine monsters can take many forms, including sea dragons, sea serpents, or tentacled beasts. They can be slimy and scaly and are of ...
known as "Old Ned". The story goes that long ago two
Maliseet The Wolastoqiyik, (, also known as the Maliseet or Malecite () are an Algonquian-speaking First Nation of the Wabanaki Confederacy. They are the Indigenous people of the Wolastoq ( Saint John River) valley and its tributaries. Their terri ...
Natives were canoeing on the lake when suddenly the monster appeared and chased them from one end to the other. It has a decidedly long and bulky
cetacean Cetacea (; , ) is an infraorder of aquatic mammals belonging to the order Artiodactyla that includes whales, dolphins and porpoises. Key characteristics are their fully aquatic lifestyle, streamlined body shape, often large size and exclusively c ...
appearance, and is described as a toothless herbivore,Charlotte County Community Futures Inc, Stories from the Fog's Inn, 1990. Illustrated by Art McKay and may be representative of an unknown group of animals that travel back and forth between Lake Utopia and the Atlantic Ocean. On July 28 1908, the crew of the schooner ''Madagasca'' reported they had seen a sea serpent in the Bay of Fundy near
Cutler, Maine Cutler is a New England town, town in Washington County, Maine, Washington County, Maine, United States. The town was named after Joseph Cutler, an early settler, who hailed from Newburyport, Massachusetts. The population was 524 at the 2020 Un ...
which is presumed to be related. It has drawn the attention of many writers.http://ia902904.us.archive.org/6/items/handbookofmountd01deco/handbookofmountd01deco.pdf


See also

* List of lakes of New Brunswick
The Lake Utopia Preservation Association


References

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Utopia (New Brunswick), Lake Lakes of New Brunswick Landforms of Charlotte County, New Brunswick Tourist attractions in Charlotte County, New Brunswick