When Joseph and Elizabeth Tapley came here in 1905, there was no dam at Baysville. Bondi Farm got its name from the wide crescent of sand that rimmed the bay, reminding Joe of Bondi Beach in Australia -- where he had spent a lot of time in the late 1880's performing on the stage. (We're including a photo he took in 1900, of a picnic on the Australian beach, because we think it's so much fun)
After the dam went in at Baysville, Lake of Bays was raised almost five feet. That's a lot of water. As a result, our beach at Bondi shrank in size, as the water flooded up over the sandy shallow shoreline.
But every spring, as the water is drawn down from the lake to make room for the spring melt, we get a taste of the old beach. Those more familiar with our docks in summertime will notice how much higher the docks are this time of year -- the water is pulled down so far, in fact that the ice closer to shore is now lying on the sand, and actually tilts down to join the ice on the water of the bay. A lake with hills!! The docks ride high along the shoreline, and in places the ice is still 'stuck' to the structures and now well above the actual lake level. This gives great places to explore, prowling along the shore checking out the little springs and runnels that are heading for the lake.
Today, in the blazing March sun, one of these 'left behind' slabs of ice at the main dock made a handy footrest for Bill.
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