Lake Utopia (New Brunswick) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lake Utopia |
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Lake Utopia from the south, July 7, 2002
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 Lake Utopia
Location in New Brunswick
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| Location | Saint George Parish, Charlotte County, New Brunswick |
| Coordinates | 45°10′11″N 66°47′40″W / 45.16972°N 66.79444°W |
| Basin countries | Canada |
| Max. length | 7 km (4.3 mi) |
| Max. width | 2.8 km (1.7 mi) |
Lake Utopia is a beautiful lake located in eastern Charlotte County, New Brunswick, Canada. It's a popular spot for fun and relaxation.
The lake's southern edge is just one kilometer northeast of the town of St. George. Lake Utopia is connected to the Magaguadavic River by a very deep natural canal. The lake is about 7 kilometers (4.3 miles) long and between 0.8 and 2.8 kilometers (0.5 to 1.7 miles) wide. The amount of water in the lake changes during the year. This is because a hydroelectric dam on the Magaguadavic River in St. George controls the water flow.
The area around the lake is covered by a mixed Acadian forest. For many years, the shoreline had simple camps and large summer homes. More recently, people have started building year-round homes there. The lake has six islands, all privately owned, with seasonal cottages. In winter, much of Lake Utopia completely freezes over.
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Fun on Lake Utopia
Lake Utopia is a favorite place for both local residents and visitors with cottages. People enjoy swimming, boating, and fishing here. You can find different types of fish in the lake, including smallmouth bass, trout, perch, and river eels.
Canal Beach
On the western side of the lake, you'll find Canal Beach. This is the main swimming spot on the western shore. It has a natural sandy area that stretches for about 0.5 kilometers (0.3 miles). The Town of St. George takes care of the beach and park. It's usually open from the first weekend of June until the weekend after Labour Day. Even though it's a public beach, there are no lifeguards on duty. Canal Beach has a beach volleyball court, a playground, a seasonal snack bar, washrooms, and changing rooms.
Just north of Canal Beach is the natural canal that links Lake Utopia to the Magaguadavic River. Further north, on the western shore, is Grey Mountain. Most of the northern part of the lake's western shore is undeveloped, with only a few cottages.
Other Shoreline Spots
On the northern shore, there used to be a smaller swimming area called "Scout's Beach." In the 1940s to 1960s, a Scouts Canada camp was built there. Later, a company called Connors Bros. Ltd. owned and maintained the camp. After the camp closed, Scout's Beach became a local gathering spot in the 1970s and 1980s. In the early 2000s, the land was sold to a private developer. Now, several homes have been built there, including a very large private estate. The beach area is now private and not open to the public.
On the eastern shore, near a spot known as "the Bluff," there was a summer hotel called "Bryn Derwyn" in the early 1900s. It later became a summer camp for boys until it burned down in 1918. The boys' camp continued into the 1920s. In the 1960s, Connors Bros. Ltd., which owned much of the eastern shore, ran a public beach there. This beach was very popular and had concession stands and amusement rides. Today, much of the lake's eastern shore has cottages and year-round homes, connected by Route 785.
Islands of Lake Utopia
Lake Utopia has six islands. From north to south, they are:
- Duck Island
- Long Island
- Small Island
- Big Island
- Spruce Island
- Cannonball Island
All of these islands are privately owned and have seasonal cottages. "Cannonball Island," located in the southern part of the lake, was used for bombing practice by the nearby former Pennfield Ridge Air Station during World War II.
Besides the islands, there are also several rock ledges in the lake. Two ledges in the middle of the lake, along the western shore, are called "The Butterballs." Another rock ledge is about 330 meters (1,080 feet) west of Big Island. Depending on the lake's water level, this ledge might be underwater. This can be a danger for boaters who don't know the lake well.
The Lake Utopia Lake Monster
A local legend says that a mysterious creature, known as the "Lake Utopia Lake Monster," lives in the lake. The story goes that a long time ago, two Maliseet Native people were canoeing on the lake when a monster suddenly appeared and chased them. Since Europeans arrived in the late 1700s, the story has continued. New sightings are reported every few years.
Some researchers, like cryptozoologist Loren Coleman, say locals call this creature "Old Ned." It is described as having a long, bulky body, similar to a whale. Some believe it might be an unknown type of animal that travels between Lake Utopia and the Atlantic Ocean to breed and find food.
Reported Sightings
Here are some of the reported sightings of the Lake Utopia Lake Monster:
- 1867: Sawmill workers claimed to see something 30 feet (9 meters) long and 10 feet (3 meters) wide moving wildly in the lake. Similar reports followed in the next few days.
- 1868: A reporter from the Saint Croix Courier newspaper said he and another person saw the monster.
- 1872: Native people described a scary monster with a large head and bloody jaws following their canoes.
- 1891: William Francis Ganong wrote in his notebook about a monster. A lumberman told him he had seen it 20 years earlier. He described it as "dark red in colour, the part showing above the water was 20 feet long and as big around as a small hogshead; it was much like a large eel."
- 1969: The Saint John Evening Times Globe reported an interview with Mrs. Fred McKillop Sr. She said she saw a huge creature 18 years before. She described it as looking "like a huge black rock. ... It moved up and down the lake, boiling and churning the water, making great waves."
- 1982: Sherman Hatt said he and his family saw a large creature. He described it as looking like "a submarine coming out of the water with spray on both both sides. It was about ten feet (3 meters) long and put me in mind of the back of a whale."
- 1996: Roger and Lois Wilcox were canoeing on the lake when they saw ripples break the calm surface about 100 meters (330 feet) away. The creature was heading toward Cannonball Island, a common spot for monster sightings. Wilcox reported the monster was 40 to 50 feet (12 to 15 meters) long and moved up and down, not side to side.
