Skip met Elaine at Penn State in 1962, and they married in 1964. They spent as much time as possible at the lake during the summers, but living in Georgia, where Skip worked for Merck Chemical Company, limited their visits to Duck Harbor. Back then, the sawmill was still operating, causing the water level to drop throughout the summer.

Everyone needs a special place to retreat when life feels overwhelming. This doesn’t have to be a physical location—it could be a cherished memory or a feeling of comfort that brings peace and reminds you of better times.

Our beautiful lake and immediate surroundings are  home to all sorts of creatures, both in the water and out. Back in the 60s, opening day of trout season was, to say busy, would be a drastic understatement.

Waaaayyy back in the 1950s, my husband, Marty, and I had a friend who was asthmatic. To escape the pollen, she would retreat to the Adirondacks during peak season and invited us to join her. This became the inspiration for finding our own vacation getaway.

Our journey to Duck Harbor Pond starts with our mother, whose sister, Hazel, and her husband, Bernard, had a turkey farm "Clark Poultry" on Shady Lane just off Route 191 in Honesdale. Our Uncle Bernard claimed to know where every huckleberry bush was in Wayne County and felt the best were at Duck Harbor Pond.

Marianne and I came to the lake in 2008 to look for a cottage. While driving around, we came upon Rosemary Miller and her daughter cleaning their pontoon boat.

My name is Rick Jersey, and I’ve had the pleasure of jumping into this lake for 65 years. I caught my first sunfish when I was five. In the mid-1960s, my parents, Dorothy and Henry Brown, purchased five lots from Joel Hill—two lakefront and three in the back.

Before I left the lake, I had the pleasure of speaking with Joe Harcum, and what a treat it was! Joe and his wife, Nancy, began their search for property in 1984.

I was born and raised in Wilkes-Barre, PA to wonderful parents and had a sister Geri who was three years older than I.  My Mother Mary was a seamstress and Dad Alex worked in the anthracite coal mines.  They preferred lake life rather than ocean or river.

On October 22, 2024 I met with a Waterways Conservation Officer who works with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. What an interesting visit! 

The phrase for the day was “Common sense.” If something doesn’t look right, it might not be,  so call or talk to your neighbors and if needed, contact the fish and boat commission. If you see something, say something. 

Celeste loves to travel with us in the car, boat, train, and plane. She has her own passport, and both US and International chips.

The famed Villa Roma Resort in Callicoon was purchased one week ago by Fay Hospitality Catskills, said Ira Steingart, the executive director and a member of the Sullivan County Industrial Development Agency.

This month, we're celebrating TWO anniversaries and a birthday! Cheers to our wonderful and thriving Duck Harbor Community!

PSK has offered every Peck’s associate their job, with the same pay and benefits.  The stores will remain as Peck’s Market, the name will not change.

Labor Day weekend marks the unofficial end of summer for many Americans. Whatever Labor Day activities you have lined up for the long weekend this September, how about adding some holiday trivia to the mix?

Have you met Jerry? He lives here in Duck Harbor, and has found a niche in creating beautiful benches and birdhouses right here at Duck Harbor. He is an amazing craftsman!

Did you know the Wayne County Fair was organized by the Wayne County Agricultural Society in 1862, the same year the nation witnessed the start of the Civil War?

On a perfect Labor Day in 1984, a friend of ours asked me to come up and look at a property in Milanville that he was considering buying and he wanted my opinion.

Did you know…..????

In the late 1980’s there was no restrictions on the lake?? Meaning…. anyone was allowed to use any boat, anytime.

If you spend any time at Duck Harbor, you might begin to wonder about the rich history, great stories, immeasurable memories everybody shares.