BELGRADE, Maine — The Belgrade Lakes region has some of the most beautiful lakes – and scenery – in Maine. And a tiny piece of land on one of those lakes is home to 12 little cabins that make up Castle Island Camps. If it’s peace and quiet you desire, you’ve come to the right place.
"We come back the same week every year. So for over thirty years, we’ve all been together the same week every year. We just have a good time," says Sandy Puka. She has made the trip from Delaware to Castle Island Camps on Long Pond because Castle Island Camps feels like home.
Castle Island Camps celebrates nine decades on a tiny island in Long Pond
Other than feeding the pet fish, who shows up year after year, there isn’t much to do here, and that seems to be perfectly okay.
"What’s nice is when we’re here…I don’t know what’s going on in the world – and I don’t care! Because it’s like – it really is like get away from everything and just recharge yourself."
Leighton Castle opened these camps in 1929. John and Rhonda Rice are the current owners, the fourth generation of her family to run the camps. They’ve been at the helm for 18 years and had no business background when they got started. The idea of managing this tiny community was both daunting and intriguing.
"The previous owner gave us a call and we had to make this decision to change everything - which didn’t come naturally to us with everything that we had planned and had done," says John. "To do it, and to do it right, we had to relocate - move up here so that our kids were in the same school and take on this big place, but beautiful."
And they did, raising three daughters while learning the ropes; fixing boats, maintaining cabins, and cooking three meals a day for an average of 30 guests. As former social workers, their learning curve was steep – but the rewards have been substantial.
"I think the biggest surprise for me was the attachment to the guests. In a work environment in which we are delivering a service ... how important this place becomes. We’ve had cancer survivors who use this as a motivation to get back," says John.
Returning to Castle Island is a tradition - The Rice’s estimate that about ninety percent of their clientele return 10, 20 often 30 years, like Sandy.
At days end guests will often gather for a cocktail and conversation. They might have started out – decades ago – as strangers – but these annual sojourns to Castle Island have made them feel more like family.
These camps have been in Rhonda Rice's family for four generations. "To know that this place is that special. It’s bigger than us! We’re just here to provide hopefully a great vacation and experience but that this has become a place where people can find healing and recovery – it’s a little bit spiritual for some people."
By season’s end, the Rice's are ready for their own vacation. Running Castle Island means seven day work weeks, 12 to 14 hour days. There is always something to be attended to. But the rhythm – and the rewards of tending to their extended family of guests -- seems to suit them.
As you might expect, there will be big changes at Castle Island this year to accommodate the necessary guidelines. Out of state visitors are asked to quarantine to the island with no trips out of camp. Stores will deliver groceries, and guests can still kayak, bike and swim - as long as they maintain social distancing. If you'd like to learn more about Castle Island Camps, you can visit their website at https://www.castleislandcamps.com/ .
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