Mainstay Lake
Lake in Guyana
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mainstay Lake is a lake in the Pomeroon-Supenaam Region of Guyana, near the Atlantic coast, northwest of the mouth of the Essequibo River, 12 mi (19 km) north of Adventure.
| Mainstay Lake | |
|---|---|
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  Mainstay Lake Location within Guyana  Mainstay Lake Location within South America | |
| Location | South America |
| Coordinates | 07°13′59″N 58°32′19″W |
| Basin countries | Guyana |
| Max. length | 193 mi (311 km) |
| Max. width | 53 mi (85 km) |
Surface area | 7,540 sq mi (19,500 km2) |
Average depth | 283 ft (86 m) |
Economic activity
The Mainstay Lake Resort hosts an annual regatta as well as a regular Easter Car and Bike Show.[1] The resort was closed for seven months in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[2][3]
A pineapple processing facility was established in Mainstay/Whyaka in 2002, an initiative of the National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) and Amazon Caribbean Ltd (AMCAR).[4] Due to declining pineapple farming in the area, AMCAR closed the facility in 2014;[5] there were talks of reopening in 2019.[6]
Settlement
Near the lake is Whyaka or Whyak, an Amerindian community[7] of mostly Lokono people; its name was ‘Quacabuka’, meaning "in-between".[8][4] The village has a population of 576[9] and features a primary school (once known as St. Vincent Anglican School) and a nursery school, a health centre, a community centre, a ballfield, a chicken farm, a pine factory, a heritage park.[4] Secondary schooling is done in Anna Regina or Cotton Field.[4] The toshao is Milton Fredericks.[10] The location of the Mainstay Village is 07°14′09″N 58°32′25″W.[11]
