Early Spring by the Lake in Central Park

A relaxing scene by the Lake in Central Park with the San Remo in the background.

Boating On The Lake In Central Park

During the summer months, boating on the Lake is one of the most popular activities in Central Park. The 18-acre Lake is the second-largest man-made body of water in Central Park. The Loeb Boathouse rents out boats from 10:00 AM until dusk each day.  The boathouse has a fleet of 100 boats, each of which seats up to four people. Boating allows park visitors get closer to water fowl that are hard to see from the shore, including swans, egrets, herons, and loons. Rowboats are only available for rental in good weather.

Sunday in Central Park: The Lake

The Lake in Central Park offers great vistas including this one near the Loeb Boathouse and the Bethesda Terrace. I made this charming image of the Lake with the twin towers of the San Remo in the background last Sunday. 

From the Central Park official website:

Created originally from a large swamp the lake has provided generations of park visitors with startling vistas and countless opportunities for exploration. The most popular use of the lake today is for row boating and the sturdy vessels can be rented at the Loeb Boathouse at the northeast corner of the Lake. Probably the best way to experience the variety of terrains that surround the man made body of water is a boat trip, and there are few greater pleasures to be had in Central Park then a leisurely cruise around the shoreline. Around the lake you can see places as diverse as the Bethesda Terrace, the Loeb Boathouse, theBow Bridge or Hernshead, not to mention the fauna which includes ducks, mallards and a rather extended family of turtles. For the many years preceding the construction of Wollman Rink in 1951 the Lake was also the center of ice-skating in the park. This was a wildly popular diversion, especially at the turn of the century when as many as 40,000 people were reported to have skated in one day. It offered New Yorkers valuable exercise, as well as a socially acceptable place to socialize (although for many years one end of the lake was designated strictly for use by women).

The PAINTER

One beautiful Sunday morning at the eastside of the lake in Central Park near the Boathouse.

The LAKE

Here is a capture of another Central Park sight that I made two weeks ago. Reflected on the serene lake are the towers of the San Remo, a luxury apartment building on Central Park West.
From Centralpark2000.com:
At the heart of Central Park is the Lake.Created out of a large swamp, the 22-acre Lake was intended to provideboating in the summer and ice-skating in the winter. Opened for skating in 1858 at a time when the winters were particularly harsh it was said to accommodate up to 40,000 visitors on one day alone. Not until 1950 when its was closed to skating did the Park winter change dramatically. Replaced for skating by the Wollman Rink, the Lake was returned to nature and the wildlife residents who now dominate it no matter what the season. With its unique meandering shoreline the exploration of this body of water is invited by its visual aura and romantic charm. With its many spectacular views offered from every angle of the travelers journey along its perimeter it is well worth the time it takes to explore its unique perimeter.In the spring and summer and for a month in autumn rowboats cross the watery vista at times appearing inimical to the total Lake experience. Visitors enjoyed this pastime since the Park opened in the 19th Century when "passage boats" carrying 12 passengers at a time would take visitors around the Lake, stopping for departures and arrivals at 6 boat landings located along the shore of the lake. Four of those boat landing still exist providing shelter for those who want a serene place to rest while taking in the majestic view of the Lake with its Mute Swans, many ducks and if you are lucky a Great Egret or a Black-crowned Night-Heron.The Gondola Ride which is now a source of interest and amusement for many who visit the Park was, in fact, a fixture from the past when the authentic Venetian craft crossed the Lake with romantics who soaked in the ambiance to the strains of "O Solo Mio" a song you can still hear from the shoreline as the gondolier of today strives for the original authenticity.