Ever Heard Of The Lady of the Lake at Ronkonkoma Lake?

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I was watching a show on TV the other day and one of the places mentioned was Ronkonkoma Lake. Ronkonkoma Lake is located in Suffolk County, New York and is Long Island's largest freshwater lake. It's a pretty big lake - about 2 miles around and a little over half a mile across. The lake is rumored to have no bottom; it has deep depressions that seem to go on forever. It is impossible for a human being to go all the way to the bottom unassisted as the depressions are well in excess of 50 feet. There are also rumors of a "whirlpool" in the dead center of the lake that drags people down into the bottomless hole where they drown and are never seen again. The name Ronkonkoma comes from an Algonquian expression meaning "boundary fishing-lake". Lake Ronkonkoma was a popular Long Island summer resort in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. There were some boarding houses in town where visitors would stay. During the summer there was boating and swimming at the lake. During the fall was when hunting began, with shotguns found in just about every house. During the winter, when the lake formed ice and it was safe, the young people arranged skating parties on the shore where skaters could warm their hands and feet. There were rumors of Piranha fish lurking in the lake, but this was untrue. However the most commonly known legend of Lake Ronkonkoma is the "Lady of the Lake". Supposedly, a Native American, or American Indian princess committed suicide by drowning herself in the lake during the colonial era. There are several different versions of the legend, most of which lead to the princess drowning herself on purpose. It is said that at least once a year, a young and attractive male between the ages of 18 and 28 is "taken" by the lady to be her lover. Strangely, there seems to be truth to the claims that at least one male within that age range drowns in the lake at regular intervals. The drownings themselves are not that unusual as drownings are common in any lake that is open to the public. What is peculiar is that it is typically a male within the 18 - 28 year age range, and not a female or someone outside that age range. The most widely acknowledged interpretation of the legend is that a Native American Princess fell in love with a European settler. She was forbidden to be with someone outside of her race and was forced into an arranged marriage. However their love continued and they would secretly meet to be with one another. One evening, she tried to swim across the lake to her lover, but she got tired and drowned. They say she returns every year to claim a man to be with her at the bottom of the lake. Other versions go that she rowed to the middle of the lake in a canoe to await the coming of her lover, but when he did not come for her she commit suicide by throwing herself into the lake and drowning herself. Another similar variation of the legend states that she rowed to the middle of the lake to await him, and as he swam out to her, he got tired and drowned. Overcome with grief, she drowned herself to be with him. Finally, another version says the princess was so overcome with grief and sadness that she was to be in this arranged marriage that she drowned herself as a protest. Really, the Lady of the Lake is not a malicious spirit - she claims men out of love and need. She does not understand that she is condemning these men to death; she is overcome by loneliness and is reaching out to these men in desperation. Some men have claimed over the years that when they swim beyond the marked boundaries of the designated swim area that they feel "cold fingers" touch and try to grab their ankles. At the end of the whole story it is a very sad tale. It might be true - that the lake is haunted by this spirit. It is often said that there is a lot of spirit activity in areas where there is alot of water present. One thing for sure - there are many mysterious drownings of males that take place at this lake and I for one do not ever plan on going near that place. Have a great day and happy myLotting!!!