Dear Residents of Oxford Multi Lakes (aka: Stringy Lakes)
I write to you about the October 2012 issue of the Oakland Lakefront magazine’pages 26, 27, and 28 Titled: Weekly Nuisance It speaks of pristine shores back in the 1980s water skiing and a fun rope swing.
Fact: In the 1980s, the zebra mussels were starting to take hold and we had to start wearing water shoes. Fact: The reason kids don’t swim to the rope swing anymore is because the gracious homeowner who provided many years of fun; had to cut the old rotted tree down and which the rope swing was attached to. (A big thank you to the homeowner for the wonderful memories)
It speaks of hoping to get a resident on board to help with weed control. Fact: That resident tried to help two years ago when he had set up a meeting with Aqua Weed, held at Christ the King Church on Tuesday October, 5, 2010 at 7 p.m. Which I would like to thank Christ the King Church for the use of their Family Life Center, I also would like to thank those who distribute flyers and attended the meeting. Approximately 70 residents attended and 47 lake front owners signed the sheet with their contact information and were asked if they could help to please do so.
That resident was offering a service to those around the lake that needed and wanted a quick solution to our weed problem when no one else had an answer, and should not be criticized for what he did.
The article references a paddled boat being rammed into. Fact: It was not and there are eyewitnesses.
When I moved to Squaw Lake in 1965 it truly was pristine. Our beach was sandy and almost weed free and we are on the east shore that catches a lot from prevailing west winds.
There were no zebra mussels then so I didn’t have to wear water shoes. In my 47 years of growing up on Squaw Lake these are the facts as I know them.
One: In 1965 approximately one third of the homes were summer cottages and there were many vacant lots. Folks back then didn’t use fertilizer on their lawns. Two: Boats were moored in the water because you didn’t get scum line on them.
Now folks fertilize their lawns and boats coming through the public laugh have brought zebra mussels and aquatic weeds that we didn’t have before. Oh, some fool brought in Muskies from another lake. Therefore over the years the impact of these above mentioned items have caused the lake to progressively become worse. Yes, we do have seaweed problem and I would like to see residents work together to solve it.
Yvonne Dudley
Oxford