Mainstay Lake

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
Mainstay Lake Show map of Guyana Mainstay Lake Show map of 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 Arawak 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]