Truesdale Lake

June 26, 2022
by rob
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Summer 2022 Sunfish Sailing Kickoff Weekend Coming Up

Dear Truesdale Sunfish Sailors and Aspiring Sailors,

Truesdale Lake Sunfish race buoys are out — and the course is ready to go. All we need are sailors!

The typical Truesdale Sunfish Fleet #27 season consists of a 10-week series over the summer and a special one-time race “The President’s Cup” on Labor Day Monday (weather permitting).

We run two races every Sunday starting at 1:30pm from the start of summer through Labor day (Sunday, Jul 3 – Sunday, Sept 4, 2022).

“Preseason” practices were in June to give everyone a chance for a shakedown cruise.

We score the two races and add up only the best 10 races for each sailor, dropping their lowest point races. This means you don’t need to race every week to be competitive, and if you improve during the season your early scores don’t count.

These races are strictly for local fun and challenge — very low pressure. We don’t report results anywhere but here. Beginners and kids welcome and encouraged — and they usually pick it up pretty quickly.

The races starting line is off the dock of 43 Truesdale Lake Drive which is just north of the southernmost island on the lake (aka “Pirate Island”). Look for the pair of blue and white buoys that make the start line. And check the sailing race buoy chart at the bottom of this post.

More information about the series, rules, and scoring is available on the Truesdale Lake website: http://truesdalelake.com/boats/sunfish-fleet-27/

The Truesdale Sunfish Fleet #27 is one of the oldest in the world. The Sunfish was designed and developed by Alcort, Inc. not far from here in Waterbury, CT.

Truesdale Lake was one of the early lakes that the Sunfish design was tested on before going into production in the mid-1950s. The fleet numbers are sequentially handed out, so #27 is a very old fleet number designation. Current fleet numbers for new sunfish fleets are in the 800+ range now.

Check some Sunfish history in this article: Sunfish at sixty: Most popular boat ever still keeps them busy at Portsmouth plant.

Please pass this on to anyone you think might be interested in joining us.

Many of our regular sailors have extra boats and can lend one out if given enough lead time to get it rigged and ready.

We can also help with beginning sailors pre-race. Please get in touch before race day — and come a bit early to see the start area.

Hope to hear from you or see you out there!

— Ira Sanchick, Sunfish Fleet #27 Commodore

Ira setting up the northernmost buoy (just south of the dam).

June 22, 2022
by rob
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Lake Treatment – June 28, 2022

To ensure the lake is in great shape for the upcoming holiday weekend, our lake management company, The Pond & Lake Connection (thepondconnection.com) will treat the lake for weeds and algae as needed on Tuesday June 28th.

Weather permitting, the lake will be treated with Nautique (https://sepro.com/aquatics/nautique) and there is a 24hr restriction for irrigation if you use lake water on your plants or lawn. No other usage restriction. It is okay to swim and it is okay to irrigate by Wednesday night.

Thanks!

Truesdale Lake Management Committee
http://truesdalelake.com/lake-management

June 15, 2022
by rob
Comments Off on Moonlight Regatta Photos

Moonlight Regatta Photos

We had well over 25 boats out on the lake lighting up the night under the nearly full moon Saturday, June 11th on Truesdale Lake. (The June full moon is nicknamed the “Strawberry Moon” which fit the strawberry shortcake cupcakes served mid-lake!)

Thanks to Lisa Capobianco for organizing and setting up the summer kickoff BBQ at the TEA beach on Truesdale Lake Drive. Many new faces joined in with old-timers at this annual party.

The weather was great and the clouds parted in time for the moon to show up and boaters and floaters to shove off from the launch.

Check out the photos below to get a flavor of what it was like.

Next nearly full moon on a weekend is Saturday, July 9th (the July full moon is Wednesday, July 13th, the “Buck Moon”). Weather permitting we can do a 2022 encore!

May 26, 2022
by rob
Comments Off on Beach Cleanup Thank You

Beach Cleanup Thank You

Place: TEA Beach; Date: Saturday, May 21st; Reason: Pre-Opening Clean up Day

Thanks to two dozen volunteers, the TEA’s annual Clean up Day went well and was very a productive event.

In one sunny morning we were able to:

move a 7 yards of sand from the lower parking lot to the beach
rake the new sand and remove weeds/branches from the waterfront
clean out and reorganize the shed
string and install a beautiful brand-new set of buoys and ropes
return the swim raft off shore.

Don’t just take my word for it. Walk, ride or drive by. It looks fantastic and is ready from summer fun.

Thank you: Lisa, Bill, Ira & Laura, Kathleen & Matt, Andrea & her son, John & Maria, Peggy, Jane, Susan, Flavio, Bob & Ellen, Elizabeth & Phil, Charlotte & Catherine, Ciorsdan, Rob & Naomi, anyone else we forgot????

If you missed the spring clean-up, there’s always more to do during the summer. If you see something out of place best thing to do is get it done — or ask for help if its a bigger job. There are also plenty of other volunteer opportunities during the summer and beyond! Let us know at tea@truesdalelake.com.

May 24, 2022
by rob
Comments Off on Lake Treatment – May 26, 2022

Lake Treatment – May 26, 2022

Our lake management company, The Pond & Lake Connection (thepondconnection.com) will treat the lake for weeds and algae as needed on Thursday May 26th.

Weather permitting, the lake will be treated with Nautique (https://sepro.com/aquatics/nautique) and there is a 24hr restriction for irrigation if you use lake water on your plants or lawn. No other usage restriction. It is okay to swim and it is okay to irrigate by Friday night.

Thanks!

Truesdale Lake Management Committee
http://truesdalelake.com/lake-management

May 3, 2022
by rob
Comments Off on Let’s Talk Lakes – Conference & CSLAP training

Let’s Talk Lakes – Conference & CSLAP training

June 3, 2022; 9am – 2pm • Sedgewood Club, Kent, NY

8:30 registration & networking CSLAP Training 2-4pm

Meeting set up in partnership with Cornell Cooperative Extension, the New York Federation of Lake Associations (NYSFOLA), Town of Kent, Putnam County Dept of Health, and Putnam County Soil & Water Conservation.

Registration only, no walk-ins: https://putnam.cce.cornell.edu/events

Registration closes May 25th.

A Lively and Informative Program for Lake Enthusiasts in the Lower Hudson Valley

Who should attend?

Lake advisory board & lake association members
People who live on or care about lakes
NYSFOLA members & volunteers Program Focus
- Learn how to decrease nutrient pollution
- Help protect our lakes and water quality
- Learn evidence-based, best management practices
- Network with other lake enthusiasts
- Gain aquatic weed identification skills

Attend an optional training for CSLAP Volunteers

Light breakfast and Lunch will be provided. Cost to attend $10/per person.

For more information including Agenda, Speaker lineup, and Registration please visit the following link or SCAN QR code with a cell phone camera.

If you have any questions or special needs please contact Cornell Cooperative Extension (845) 278-6738 or email putnam@cornell.edu

April 29, 2022
by rob
Comments Off on TEA Beach Cleanup – May 21

TEA Beach Cleanup – May 21

The annual pre-season beach cleanup and beautification at the Truesdale Estates Association beach on Truesdale Lake Drive is set for Saturday, May 21 from 9am-12noon.

Let us know if you can come out!

We will be putting out the swimming dock, stringing new buoys on new swim ropes, raking the sand out, cleaning any winter damage, gardening, and generally making the beach ready for the summer. Depending on availability we may be doing some repairs to the dock on the property.

Even if you can only come for an hour or so it will help out the overall effort! Many hands make light work. Bring rake, shovel, and any other tools you think will be useful.

Please RSVP to Lisa Capobianco at tahoe524@aol.com or tea@truesdalelake.com.

Thanks!

April 15, 2022
by rob
Comments Off on Canada Goose Control 2022

Canada Goose Control 2022

We have resumed actively oiling goose eggs on the three big islands of Lake Truesdale for spring 2022. We do this to control the population of Resident Canada Geese on the lake.

We have checked the three islands of the lake as of today and we have found a total of nine nests between the three islands and have begun oiling and addling and marking the eggs. We will continue to monitor the islands through the spring and act as needed since new nesting pairs show up throughout the spring season.

Egg oiling requires a permit from the Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) which we have obtained. Truesdale Estates Association has renewed its FWS RCGR (Resident Canada Goose Registration) permit #13757A and currently there are six residents who are named on the permit.

This is a FREE program for our lake. The only cost is the time given by the volunteers.

We can add anyone from the lake community who is interested in helping! See below for more info.

Nesting pair of Canada geese stand guard at their nest on Pirate Island on April 15, 2022.

The program on Truesdale Lake started in 2008 and has been very successful in controlling the population of resident Canadian Geese on the lake. The number of geese was in the hundreds in the early and mid-2000s and the oiling program has been successful in reducing these to several dozen in the past 10 years.

In 2019 the program did not have anyone oiling the eggs and the resident geese population shot back up into the 70-80 range – and possibly more. In 2020 we resumed the FWS program and there was only one resident family of Canada Geese on the lake for the summer. (There are frequently transient geese but they usually do not stay long.)

If you are interested in helping out, please contact us via email at lake@truesdalelake.com or via our Contact Form. The process is not too difficult and training is easy. We would need to add your name to our FWS permit before you can be involved with the oiling program.

What is egg oiling?

Egg oiling is a long-term strategy that reduces the number of resident Canada Geese on Truesdale and other lakes through 1.) physical intervention and 2.) behavior changes.

Physical Intervention

The physical intervention is the actual oiling of the eggs after mating has occurred but before the eggs have developed embryos. In our lake this typically takes place in late March or early April and can be pinpointed by observing the mating ritual of the local geese couples and finding their island nests about a week later.

Oiling works best with a crew of two or three working together. One person finds the nests, one person keeps the geese away from the nest, and one person oils the eggs. It is possible to do this with one person if they bring along two umbrellas to shield the activity over the nests.

Oiled eggs are marked with sharpies to keep track of which ones have been treated. Records are kept for the number and location of the nests and the number of eggs in each nest as a requirement of permission from the Fish & Wildlife Service.

Behavior Change

The behavior change for the geese is the most important long term consequence of oiling the eggs.

We oil the eggs rather than simply break them because if the eggs are broken the goose simply lays more eggs. However, if the eggs are oiled, the development of the egg is stopped by preventing oxygen flow into the egg. This prevents the egg from hatching.

Since the geese do not know this, they sit on the eggs for the 5-6 weeks it takes for hatching. When the oiled eggs do not hatch, the geese view it as a “failed nesting.”

Resident Geese bad; Migratory Geese good

After a successful nesting which results in hatched eggs, the adult geese shed their flight feathers and take up residence with their new goslings on the lake for the entire summer and fall. We cannot chase them away.

This is NOT the outcome we want.

It is important to get all of the eggs and all nests oiled – or as many that are found. If there are enough goslings in a flock, even other members of the flock who may have had failed nestings will stick around and lose their flight feathers to support the new parents in the flock as “aunts” and “uncles.” This creates a large resident flock for the entire summer.

In a failed nesting with no goslings hatched, the adults keep their flight feathers, take off, and head further north for the summer. They do not have the time to lay more eggs and have the goslings fledge and fly before the end of the season. They are bachelors and bachelorettes.

This is the outcome we want.

These geese who fly away after a failed nesting also do not develop a preference for returning to Lake Truesdale next summer. They resume being Migratory Canada Geese (good) rather than Resident Canada Geese (bad).

Keeping the geese migratory means the problem is reduced both in the current year and in subsequent years.

Other geese will find and take up residence on Truesdale if we stop oiling the eggs, so we must keep up the program to head off more future residents.

We will also always have transient migratory geese — you can tell these geese since they are willing and able to fly away and visit other lakes since they do not have goslings to protect.

Oiling Results

Last year, the crew of egg oilers has oiled over 100 eggs between the three islands. This prevented the hatching of those eggs and has interrupted the resident behavior of those goose parents. The aim was to not have them return for 2022 — and the numbers are down from 2021 to 2022 so far. But there is a lot of spring season left.

To be successful, there has to be an initial oiling treatment and several follow up oiling treatments. Timing is the key to successful outcomes. New couples appeared and new nests were created after our first and second trips to the islands. Each island ultimately required 4-5 trips. We have done two so far for 2022

Summary: Egg oiling has made a huge difference in controlling the resident goose population on Lake Truesdale.

When we first moved here in 1999, we would arrive home to 60-80 geese/goslings on our lawn. There was easily double or triple that number on the lake. Lawns were covered in goose droppings. The beaches were favorite spots for goose gatherings. I have photos (deep in the archive) that I can dig up in case you think I am egg-agerating.

We have gotten it much more under control relative to those days — but we can always do better. Will you step up to help? We can always use more volunteers! Thanks everyone for your help and support.

March 8, 2022
by rob
Comments Off on Spring 2022 TEA Membership Meeting: Mon, April 4

Spring 2022 TEA Membership Meeting: Mon, April 4

Spring 2022 Membership Meeting April 4th @ Horse & Hound

The TEA Annual Spring Membership Meeting is planned for Monday, April 4, 2022 at the Horse & Hound at 94 Spring Street. We also plan to have a laptop/camera at the meeting broadcasting over Zoom for TEA members interested in watching remotely.

Meeting will begin at 7:00 p.m. Note: This meeting is for TEA Members only.

Email tea@truesdalelake.com to RSVP for in-person. If you want the Zoom Broadcast Link ask for it when you RSVP.

If you are new to the TEA or you want to update us on your information, please fill out the TEA Resident Questionnaire. Thanks!

Agenda
➡ President and other Officer reports
➡ Treasurer:

Final FY2021-2022 Budget vs. Actual review
Proposed Budget for 2022-23 Fiscal Year (& Vote*)

➡ Beach Report / Lake Committee update
➡ Upcoming meeting schedule for coming year.

The TEA Officer roles are two year terms. At the end of 2022 the terms end and we need to get them filled for the 2023-2024 term. WE NEED SOME NEW BOARD MEMBERS! a lot of the same people are taking on the board and officer roles, some for many years. Fresh eyes and fresh energy is needed and valued. If you are new to the community and want to help, there are lots of ways to pitch in.

Current TEA Officers for 2021-22:

President (Rob Cummings) – organizes & runs meetings, in charge of recruiting next president and officers. Can sign checks.

Vice President (Howard Citron) – runs meetings when President can’t attend. Fills in other roles as needed. Can sign checks.

Treasurer (Mike Vellensky) – deposits checks, writes checks, tracks and reports on income/expense and bank balances. Tax filing 990.

Recording Secretary (Wendy Daniels) – Takes meeting minutes, sends drafts to board and membership attendees post-meeting.

Corresponding Secretary (Michael Jackson) – Receives and replies to association correspondence.

Sergeant-at-Arms (Kay Jex) – guards the door (or virtual door)

Formal roles for Officers are in the TEA Bylaws here:

TEA Bylaws

At-large Board members (7-9 members needed) attend 4 standing meetings per year. Current board members are: Lisa Capobianco (Beach Chairperson), Glenn Capobianco, Harron Appleman, Melissa Scarlatto, Tom Houlihan, Ira Sanchick, Kathleen Ward Gallagher, Carol Gamez, Debbie Fink.

Standing Association Meetings are on the following schedule:
-TEA Membership Meetings (entire membership invited 2x/year):
—First Monday of April (April 4, 2022, Spring Membership Meeting)
—First Monday of November (Nov 7, 2022, Fall Membership Meeting)
-TEA Board Meetings (board members only):
—First Monday of March (March 6, 2023)
—First Monday of October (Oct 3, 2022)
Special Meetings can be called for association business.

Critical positions that don’t have to be board members:

Beach Chairperson – Hire and train lifeguards, coordinate beach clean-up, monitor beach conditions, keep an eye on beach things like electricity and trash service. Lots more! A lot of overlap with the Social Chairperson.

Social Chairperson – Plan and get volunteers for any social events – primarily the Summer Kickoff BBQ the second weekend in June. Some events can be at our beach while others we can coordinate with TLPOA. This position is all about fun!

Volunteer Opportunities & Committees:

Beach Clean-up Day – the Saturday before Memorial Day Weekend (May) each year. Lots of sand spreading, weed cleanup, general maintenance, and straightening up the beach getting ready for the first official weekend of summer on Memorial Day Weekend.

Floats and Dock installation, management, and winterizing – 2-3 people needed – at the beginning of the season, usually on Beach Clean-up Day, volunteers put out the floats and swim dock. 2-3 people. At the end of the season, this group pulls in the floats and winterizes & secures the swim dock

Lake Management Committee Member – be the TEA liaison to TLPOA Lake Manager John Gusmano and Pond & Lake Connection (James Gorman, main contact). Participate in email communications and bring any concerns to the TEA & TEA Board. More info: http://truesdalelake.com/lake-management/

CSLAP Testing Member (1 person needed) – We are looking to rejoin the New York State Federation of Lake Associations “Citizens Statewide Lake Assessment Program” which uses trained volunteers to sample the water conditions of Truesdale Lake and hundreds of other NY State Lakes. More info is at: https://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/81576.html

Resident Canada Geese Registration and Egg Control program volunteers (2-3 people needed to go out to the islands in March and April) – Each year we get permits from the United States Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) to oil and addle eggs in the nests of Resident Canada geese. 20+ years ago there were hundreds of Canada geese that would take up permanent residence on Truesdale Lake for the summer. This causes unhealthy conditions in the lake and on lawns. More information at truesdalelake.com/goose

Truesdale Lake Dock Committee (TLDC) – We have a joint TEA/TLPOA/Vreeland/Lake Shore Drive committee that accepts applications for new and renovated docks. The TLDC process is designed to help the homeowner comply with our requirements and the Town of Lewisboro’s regulations..

Truesdale Fishing Committee – fishing guidelines and signage around Truesdale Lake. Fishing information here: http://truesdalelake.com/lake-management/fishing/

Ad-hoc Building Committee – We built two boat racks at the TEA beach. These racks have 2 spots available for TEA members. If you are interested in a spot on the rack, the season rental is $100. If you are interested in helping build another one at the TEA Gilbert/Lake Shore property let us know. Other projects of the Building Committee in 2022 will include the new shed installation including a proposed tiki bar.

Landscaping committee – anyone with ideas to beautify our already lovely beach let us know. We have ornamental grasses along the boat launch fence side. Always looking for additional ideas to make it look good.

In 2022 we are looking to replace or repair the following items at the beach:

Boat Launch Dock bridge
Swim ropes and floats
Storage Shed

Anything else you can think of? Let us know…

Some helpful links for lake residents new and old:

TEA Map and Other TEA Resources Online
Map available at the website here: http://www.truesdalelake.com/tea

For residents new to the lake, download the TEA Welcome and Information Packet from this location as well.

*If you are interested in volunteering for the TEA board or a specific activity, please email tea@truesdalelake.com or fill out this questionnaire.

Contact Information

Truesdale Estates Association
PO Box 363
South Salem, NY 10590
tea@truesdalelake.com

*if you are not current with your TEA dues, you cannot vote until your dues are brought current.

moonlightregatta #truesdalelake #laketruesdale #summerbbq #openhouse

Let us know if you can come out!

What is egg oiling?

Physical Intervention

Behavior Change

Resident Geese bad; Migratory Geese good

Oiling Results

Contact Information