Gander Lake

Gander Lake
Map showing the location of Gander Lake
Location	Newfoundland
Coordinates	48°55′52″N 54°44′03″W / 48.93111°N 54.73417°WCoordinates: 48°55′52″N 54°44′03″W / 48.93111°N 54.73417°W
Basin countries	Canada
Max. length	56 km (35 mi)
Max. width	7 km
Surface area	113.2 km^2 [1]
Average depth	105.4 m [1]
Max. depth	288 m [1]
Water volume	11.93 km^3
Surface elevation	29 m

Gander Lake is located in the central part of the Canadian island of Newfoundland in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It is the third-largest lake on Newfoundland.^[1]

Measuring 56 km (35 mi) in length and several kilometres in width, the lake is oriented roughly northwest–southeast. The town of Gander is located on the eastern shore at roughly its midpoint, and the towns of Appleton and Glenwood are situated on the northern extremity of the lake, on the banks of the Gander River. Gander Lake has been measured to a depth of 288 m (945 ft) in some areas.

It is the main source of water for the towns of Gander, Appleton and Glenwood.

Access

Near the southeastern end of the lake, just over 12 km (7.5 mi) outside of the town of Gander, there is a small, quarry-cut, artificial harbour, commonly known as "Little Harbour". This area is a public boat launch. The area hosts three separate boat launch docks, the largest of which was rebuilt in the summer of 1997. The docks are commonly used by the local swimmers as diving platforms. The harbour also contains a concrete boat launch and a fire pit area for day trips. Camping is frowned upon, if not outright forbidden in the immediate area of the boat launch. However there are several pebble beaches which are used by tenters, accessible from a hiking trail over a rocky hill to the northwest. Boaters have much better access to both pebble and sand beaches. There are many long stretches of beaches, such as one commonly known as the "fifteen mile brook", which are excellent for camping. Other well known areas throughout the lake include "Hunt's Cove", "Southwest" and "Gander River".

References

1. O'Connell, Michael F.; Dempson, J. Brian; Power, Michael (December 2005), "Ecology and Trophic Relationships of the Fishes of Gander Lake, a Large, Deep, Oligotrophic Lake in Newfoundland, Canada", International Review of Hydrobiology 90 (5–6): 486–510, doi:10.1002/iroh.200510804, ISSN 1434-2944 External link in |journal= (help)