“I’ve got a friend, who’s been there through it all.”
- Maggie Rogers, I’ve Got a Friend
My husband and I were sitting around the table with friends having dinner to celebrate a birthday, and we were talking in detail about a recent somewhat embarrassing medical procedure one of our friends had. Our voices were loud, and we were laughing to the point of tears. The person serving us looked at us surprised at our vulnerability, subject matter, and honesty with each other and said, “Wow, I can tell you all have known each other for a long time!” It struck me because we were so comfortable with each other we just dove deep right away, and that comfort level doesn’t just happen out of the blue.
You know when you’ve been friends so long that your memories are intertwined? We’ve been there to visit each other in the hospital after giving birth. We’ve been there at the funerals of each other’s loved ones. We know and have discussed in detail each other’s love languages. My friend’s husband likes acts of service; my husband is a gift-giver. We’ve been friends so long that my friends know and love my husband’s mannerisms just like I do.
I feel like this is the same as when we know and love a particular lake for a long time. Whether it’s your home, cabin, or vacation spot, we get to know one lake and over time learn its quirks, qualities, and personality. We love this lake like a friend or family member.
People that have known a lake for a decade or more can often observe trends in the lake. In my line of work I often hear that the lake is more green than it used to be, or they’ve noticed the changes since zebra mussels invaded, or there are plants in places where they never used to be. Twenty years ago the cabins and boats were smaller.
You know what your lake is like with the northwest wind – where it will be calm and where it will be choppy. On Detroit Lake we tuck up on the Big Detroit side of the sandbar to swim and recreate. You know where the ice might be thinner in the winter due to an inlet coming in; you know what kind of fish you can catch and where to find them. You may also have a loon family that nests in the same place each year. Each spring you are overjoyed to see them return.
Just as we nurture and invest time in our friendships, we should also make sure we’re nurturing and investing time in protecting our favorite lake. Having native vegetation and trees on your shoreline, avoiding raking yard waste into the lake, and making sure your septic system is working properly are some simple steps to take. Just like a friend, as long as you are there for the lake, it will be there for you.
Moriya Rufer is a lake biologist with 20 years experience working with lakes in northern Minnesota.
For a Guide to Lake Protection and Management, visit https://www.pca.state.mn.us/sites/default/files/lakes-guidetoprotection-2.pdf
Leave a Reply