Winter Sports History at the New England Ski Museum

Day Tripping 

Winter Sports History at the New England Ski Museum 

Story & Photos by Kathi Caldwell-Hopper 

NE Ski Museum's North Conway location

NE Ski Museum's North Conway location

This day tripping story is somewhat unusual for two reasons. First, I am not a skier and I am writing about a ski museum. Secondly, it takes place a bit north of the Lakes Region and while really not in the Laker’s coverage area, it’s definitely worth sharing. 

The place is the New England Ski Museum’s Eastern Slope Branch location in North Conway. The original New England Ski Museum in Franconia is a beloved place for many who like skiing and the history of how the sport came to NH. A year or so ago, a second location became a reality in the building that had previously housed the North Conway Community Center in downtown North Conway. 

I had been meaning to drive north to see the ski museum, but a busy summer schedule prevented it. However, a few weeks ago my adult daughter Megan was home for a visit, and we decided to head to the Conway area from the Lakes Region to do some shopping and have lunch. 

As we planned our itinerary for the day, I thought about the ski museum; the blustery November day seemed the perfect time to visit. On our way up Route 16 from the Wolfeboro area, we stopped to take in the view of Mount Chocorua and to grab some photos from a rustic wooden bridge. Unlike other days when we stopped at the area, on this mid-November day it was bone-chillingly cold and windy so we didn’t linger, but we did get some nice photos of snow-capped Chocorua. 

Our first stop was the New England Ski Museum, before we indulged in lunch. Because it was the pre-Christmas shopping season and a weekday, the traffic was light. The Ski Museum is on the left as you head into the downtown North Conway area, and there is a convenient and ample parking lot behind the building.  

As we entered the museum, we were greeted by an attendant who told us admission is by donation and that we should sign the guest book and take our time to browse the exhibits. 

Wall of skis at the museum

In the entrance area, there is a great little gift shop area with all sorts of ski-related items and we promised ourselves we would browse the shop after touring the exhibits. 

The main exhibit room is large and sectioned into glass display cases and many, many other areas with everything from very early skis to old ski-related signs to a jacket worn by Olympic ski legend (and Lakes Region native) Penny Pitou.  

I started by browsing on the left-hand side of the exhibit hall with a section focused on New England Beginnings. I supposed I never thought much about how skiing came to this country, and specifically to NH, so I was surprised to learn what brought the sport to the area. In the late 19th century, pulp and paper industries in NH attracted Scandinavian immigrants skilled in that type of work. For leisure, the workers turned to something they loved to do: skiing. Paper mill work was abundant in Berlin, NH at the time and when not working, Norwegian transplants skied and soon formed a ski club in the 1880s. This would become the Nansen Ski Club; ski jumping, cross-country and early downhill skiing on Mount Washington were claims to fame of the club. The Nansen Club’s huge ski jump hosted national and other competition in the 1930s and 1940s. Displays show the club as well as more information on the Dartmouth Outing Club. (The Dartmouth Club sponsored the country’s first slalom and downhill competitions and members installed one of the earliest rope tows.) 

Rope tows helped those who skied in the early days get up the mountains, but how were those mountains prepped for skiing at a time long before snowmaking and grooming? Early on, men blazed trails with hand tools, according to information at a Ski Museum display. The Civilian Conservation Corps forged many miles of trails on state and federal land in the 1930s and helped open up the forests and hills for skiing.  

I have always loved old movies, and was enchanted by a photo of Wizard of Oz star, young Judy Garland, dressed in winter ski gear, ski poles in her hands, posing with famed ski instructor Otto Schnieb. Otto was the first European ski instructor in New England and he gave lessons at for the Appalachian Mountain Club. Eventually he became a ski coach at Dartmouth College. His motto “skiing is not just a sport - it is a way of life” has become the mantra for many skiers over the years. 

Other early ski instructors seem to have found their way to NH as well, and the museum pays tribute to many of them, such as Sepp Ruschp, an Austrian skier. 

One of the fun things about this museum is the attention to detail that really shows what life and skiing was like way back when. An example is an early axe on display. It was used to help cut ski trails by Conservation Corps members long ago. 

Old sign at Ski Museum

Not forgotten at the museum is local resident Harvey Dow Gibson, who went on to become a financier and was internationally known in the 1930. Born in North Conway, Gibson probably saw the financial promise of skiers coming to the mountains and thus he began to develop a ski area on Cranmore Mountain. The resort was among the first in the country and it seemed to have it all: great ski slopes, an unusual new Skimobile, Austrian ski instructor Hannes Schneider and the popular Eastern Slope Inn. 

A portion of the exhibit area is dedicated to ski safety, and the methods used to rescue injured or lost skiers. Tuckerman Ravine in particular could be quite dangerous and the Mount Washington Volunteer Ski Patrol was a big help then and now. 

I was fascinated with an old Avalanche Bulletin Board, a wooden box-like sign with a windowed area where officials could post avalanche warnings and information to the public. 

An old photo of early skiers decked out in the outfits of their time show us they wore wool trousers, woolen sweaters and windbreakers when skiing was just getting started in the 1930s! 

Old signs from ski shops, ski schools and more hang from the ceiling and they show us the graphics and wording used in the 1930s and 40s.  

In the early days of skiing, accidents were certainly affecting skiers, and sometimes injuries posed unusual problems for the country doctors who were called upon for treatment. Downhill skiing might cause a broken bone or torn ligaments, among other problems, and many local doctors were used to treating country ailments such as coughs, sore throats and the occasional farming accident, but not things like compound fractures from a spill on the ski slopes. Dr. Harold Shedd of North Conway practiced in the 1930s and 40s in the area and saw his share of ski-related injuries. He became proficient at treating these injuries; he was an authority of treating fractures and dislocations and saw 370 such injuries in 1950 alone! Among his developments were new ways to cast fractures. He shared his skills with other doctors at the local Memorial Hospital. Dr. Shedd also was a skier and the founder of the Eastern Slope Ski Club. His photo and information about his skills are on display at the museum. 

10th Mt. Division display

The 10th Mountain Division League was famed for their ability to go where other soldiers could not - and on skis - during World War II. They were highly trained soldiers and after the war the men went back to civilian life. But they had special skills, skiing among them. For the next half century, the men built and shaped American ski areas and ski clubs, and some positively impacted NH skiing. Attitash, the Dartmouth Outing Club, and Jackson XC are listed at the museum as among those in NH that were associated with former 10th Mountain Division soldiers. It is moving to view the display dedicated to the 10th Mountain Division and to see photos of the soldiers and to read about their lives. 

A “wall” of old wooden skis stands as a proud historical testament to how skiing has evolved over time and those who are avid skiers today will be fascinated to see the skis that were once state-of-the-art! 

Another area of displays focuses on New England Olympians, including NHs Bode Miller and Penny Pitou. 

I won’t go into each and every exhibit area of the wonderful museum. I leave it to each person to visit and discover all the great, historical and just-plain-fun thing the New England Ski Museum offers. 

The gift shop was last on our museum tour and it did not disappoint. With everything from coffee mugs to a great selection of books on skiing and its history, there is something for everyone in the gift shop. 

The remainder of our day was spent with a leisurely lunch and lots of shopping, but we were very glad we took time to visit the Ski Museum in North Conway. One needn’t be a skier to enjoy the many fascinating exhibits. Because I love history, I could’ve stayed all day, browsing the exhibits, looking at the old photos and reliving the early days when to ski meant finding a nice snow-covered hill or mountain, strapping on wooden skis and spending a day in the glorious great outdoors. 

The Eastern Slope Branch of the New England Ski Museum is located at 2628 White Mountain Highway in North Conway. The museum is open daily from 9 am to 4 pm.  

For information, visit www.newenglandskimuseum.org or call 603-730-5044. 

A Technically Timeless Adventure

Day Tripping 

A Technically Timeless Adventure 

By Kathi Caldwell-Hopper 

I love old stuff. I always have. When I was a kid, the 1970s craze for digging up old bottles was on the rise and my parents joined in. I recall more than one summer Saturday spent studying the ground in all sorts of places, often deep in the woods, where my parents “had a hunch” that someone had, just maybe, had a dump pile. And in that pile, now covered with dirt and weeds, there would probably be old bottles. 

Jake and Cassidy at Techically Timeless

From old bottles, my parents moved on to attending auctions to buy old items. That led to yard sales and “trading” as my Dad called his deals with junk haulers and second-hand sellers. He had a yard sale almost continuously after he retired and there were many old, rusty, dusty things in those sales that today’s dealers would fight to get. Of course, growing up around antiques and rustic items kind of rubbed off on me, and over the years, attending sales and auctions is something I have enjoyed. 

Since the advent of such television shows as Great American Pickers, everyone has a new appreciation for old signs, rusted items and vintage décor. But not everyone has the gift of seeing something old and ready to be discarded, and envisioning it as something new.  

That ability to see something old and imagine it as something else is what led to a new and fascinating shop called Technically Timeless in Gilford, NH. 

During this past summer, I started seeing social media postings and photos of interesting items…lamps made from other things, furniture that might have once been thought good only for the junk pile now beautifully redone, and my favorite, drink coasters made from old circuit boards and encased in hard, clear plastic coating.  

Like many good day trip adventures, I set out with an open mind and the knowledge that I had no idea what I would find. Hopefully some good junk. Hopefully some beautiful items made from what was once tossed-aside chairs and tables and who knew what else. And hopefully whoever was making this stuff would be interesting to talk with. 

I scored on all counts when I stepped into the unique world of Technically Timeless. Part shop, part art gallery, part incredibly unique home furnishings destination and part studio where co-owner Jake Farrell turns every day, often unwanted things into new, fun pieces that adorn homes and make totally unique gifts. 

Jake Farrell in the shop

As I entered the shop, I was greeted by Cassidy Bisson, media director and curator of Technically Timeless. The first thing I noticed about Cassidy was the beautiful and one-of-a-kind necklace she was wearing. I could tell it was made by an artist, and it was a mixture of jewelry pieces that had once been something different. Cassidy laughed when I exclaimed that I coveted the necklace and said there were more pieces of jewelry in the shop. (And indeed, there is a selection of beautiful, unique necklaces for sale that are just right for a person who dresses creatively.) 

She was joined by Technically Timeless owner, Jake, who told me he has always been interested in art. He immersed himself in art classes in high school and comes from a family of artists. After a stint as a chef, he got into art once again and found himself working as a graphic designer in the printing field. “I worked on all sorts of things - production of some Hollywood films and digital media.” 

As time went on, his interests shifted to making things in a different manner. He made a unique bed for his step daughter, and people were starting to bring him all sorts of things, from door knobs to metal and wood, they no longer had use for but thought he might be able to transform into something new. 

Slowly, he realized this was his calling, and it could include a shop featuring the things Jake had reclaimed and given new life. Also, this might be a way to help other artists who did not, nor would they ever, fit into the mold of a typical artist. Thus was born Technically Timeless, a shop and studio like no other in the area. 

Jake uses the word transmuting, which he defines as taking one things and using it to create something else. It happens every day in the shop, often because a customer or a friend will bring Jake something they do not want but thought he might be able to use or transform into something new. 

Case in point is the incredible, unusual and very long sofa in the shop. Just glance at the sofa and you will be transported back to the 1970s when tan and burnt orange and plastic coverings were design elements of furniture. Jake laughs as he explains the sofa was once used in the waiting area of a Sizzler Steakhouse, which explains why the piece is so big, having to offer seating for many customers waiting to get a table at the restaurant. 

Today the sofa has been transformed by Jake and includes an end table just right for a lamp and books and magazines. While not for every décor, the sofa would fit well into a mid-century modern or funky, unique home.  

There are other pieces in the shop that Jake has “transmuted” into something new, such as a wonderful item that was probably once a standard little stand or bookcase. Now, it has a place for wine glasses and a surface for preparing drinks. With lighting that Jake installed, the piece is a fun alternative to a standard bar area. 

Cassidy handles the marketing and media relations for Technically Timeless and her style fit the business seamlessly. She is enthusiastic about everything Jake creates and clearly grasps the goals and mindset of the shop. 

When asked how they find things that Jake turns into something new and unique, he laughs as he says, “I don’t find things. Things just find me! I see things on the side of the road, at flea markets and yard sales.” 

The shop is a place for everyone, no matter a customer’s age or tastes. To see the things Jake has salvaged and made into something new, beautiful and useful is a treat in itself. “Our customers are a broad spectrum of ages. We had an opening gallery night and that crowd was younger. But we have people of all ages finding us and coming into the shop.” 

Indeed, the morning I visited, two women were browsing (and enjoying a sit-down on that cool, Sizzler Steakhouse sofa!). They were older people who well remember the décor of the 1960s and 70s and were finding a lot to like at Technically Timeless. 

Along with Jake’s creations, there is a large wall where other invited artists exhibit their work. “We plan to feature new work every six weeks. We will put out a call to makers and they can submit their work. If it fits the concept of the gallery, we just may feature them here,” explains Cassidy. 

For those who want to transform something they own into something new vs. discarding it, Jake can help. “We can work with any budget and take something you own, such as an old dresser and turn it into something new.” 

I was also intrigued by an area in the shop, where the metal objects of artist Matt Black (www.dumblucknh.com) are featured.  

As a lover of unique artwork, I am always drawn to the different, the daring, the colorful and art that makes a bit of a statement. The collage art on view at Technically Timeless by Andrew Hillman is unique, as well as beautiful. 

Also in the shop, there is a section that features lighting. I am always looking for lighting that is not the standard lamp; I found when I saw the variety of unique lights from Light-Q Creations. The lighting is described as Steampunk and re-purposed antique lamps and lighting fixtures and I pretty much loved every piece I saw!  

With holiday gift giving just around the corner, we all have someone our gift list who is super difficult to please. No ties, no standard earrings, no gift card will suffice for such a hard-to-shop-for person. But I think any of the things in Technically Timeless will knock the socks off the person who receives something from the shop as a gift.  

At a time when many of us are rethinking the number of things we toss out (and, if like me, feeling a bit guilty about all the “stuff” we seem to acquire), Technically Timeless certainly feels right. And beautiful and creative and often, just plain fun and a bit of a trip down memory lane. 

The shop is open during the winter on Wednesdays through Fridays from 11 am to 6 pm and Saturdays from 11 am to 8 pm. Always willing to chat about art, transmuting, antiques and creating something new from something used, Jake and Cassidy are also open by appointment on other days and times. There will be opening night receptions when new artists are featured; watch Technically Timeless Facebook and Instagram for updates or call 603-409-2033 for details.  

To see more creations, visit www.technicallytimeless.wordpress.com. And, you can find all sorts of photos and more on Facebook and Instagram @technicallytimeless. 

Boating Pleasures…at The NH Boat Museum

Day Tripping 

Boating Pleasures…at The NH Boat Museum 

Story & Photos by Kathi Caldwell-Hopper 

The NH Boat Museum seen from the stage

I love to wander around the Lakes Region on a September day. With the sun shining, and some of summer’s humidity and heat behind us, it is a glorious time of year to get in the car and explore all the area offers. 

It is also a time to stop by some places I just did not manage to visit in the hectic summer months. So it was no surprise to me that my wanderings led me to the doors of the NH Boat Museum. I wanted to see this summer’s exhibit, and I was glad there was still plenty of time before the museum closes after Columbus Day weekend in October. 

I visit the Boat Museum every year, knowing the exhibit will be changed from the previous year and because, while I am not a boat owner, I am a sucker for wooden, antique boats. 

Two beautiful wooden boats on display.

Detail of a wooden boat in the current NH Boat Museum exhibit.

I find this method of boating fascinating: the care taken to make a wooden boat, the beauty of the designs and the history of the era of Lakes Region boating when things were a bit slower. It brings to mind the Gatsby era, toasting with champagne and living the good life when things were well made and enjoyed to the max. 

The NH Boat Museum is located in a former Quonset hut style building (once used by the Allen A Resort for dances, concerts and plays). Today, the half-circular style building is home to the display of all-thing-boating. Each spring through autumn, the museum has a new exhibit, as well as the permanent displays. This year’s exhibit is titled “Rare Boats that Mark Transitions in Our Economy and Culture 1900-1940” and it is a great view of what the title says, showing some beautiful old wooden boats. 

I started my tour with that exhibit; I usually try to read all the signs and information to familiarize myself with what I will be seeing, but the shiny wooden boats were so attractive, I just could  not help but walk right up to them. When you see a well-kept wooden boat from another time, I dare you to not be mesmerized, to not want to get as close to it as possible.  

The first boat, on the left in the big main exhibit area is a Dee Wite all-mahogany pleasure craft. The sleek design and shining wood was the product of Joseph Berry Lodge, who created the Dee Wite company after his job as president of the Dwight Lumber Company and Berry Brothers Varnishes. The boat on display is a Split Cockpit Runabout and is 19 feet long.  

Not far away in the room is information on the Gesswein “Sportabout” a 14-foot Runabout built in 1928. 

I am used to seeing beautiful old boats in the museum, but it was a delight to see a shiny, deep maroon 1950 Ford on display as well. “They sure knew how to make a beautiful car back then,” I said to myself. The car is on display through the generosity of Jack Armstrong, and well worth stopping at the museum to see how cars once looked. A convertible, the car gleams from its front hood to its back, silver shiny bumper.  

One of the toy boats on loan by collector Fred Clausen.

In the past, I have interviewed Lakes Region resident Fred Clausen, who collects vintage toy boats. He has generously loaned some of his amazing collection of little boats to the NH Boat Museum for a display. Fred began collecting toy boats as a way to decorate the office of his family’s lodging property. The property, Proctor’s Lakehouse Cottages in Weirs Beach, displayed the toy boats, which became quite a conversation starter with guests. The collecting bug bit Fred and his toy boat fleet grew and grew. His extensive collection focuses on boats you might see on New Hampshire’s lakes, such as runabouts, outboards and race boats. Titled “Big Dreams, Little Boats,” some of the boats from Fred’s collection are on display and a lot of fun to see. Some of the boats are displayed with their original packaging, such as “Fiesta Queen” which sits atop its red and green original box.  

Large mural of The Swallow boat.

Not far from the toy boat area, I was drawn to a huge photo mural of The Swallow (from the collection of Carol Humphrey-Clouter), with men and women aboard. It is a photo taken long ago, and you can tell because the women have long skirts and the men are dressed a lot more formally (suit jackets and white shirts) than we would see boaters dressed today. Nevertheless, it looks like the people in the photo, aboard The Swallow, are having a grand old time, all smiles and casually posed.  

Historical information by the display tells us Goodhue & Hawkins Navy Yard, on Wolfeboro Bay, was home to the Swallow from 1898 until the 1960s. It was used as a charter boat and Captain Nat Goodhue once took the Swallow out on a rescue mission in a storm. The mission was successful, but the Swallow was damaged, hauled from the water, but never repaired. Eventually, the boat was burned, but old tales of her heyday and period photos show the fun passengers had on the Swallow once upon a time.  

I enjoyed a display in this area of the museum showing the commercial Winnipesaukee steamboat timeline, and old posters advertising rides on the Lady of the Lake steamboat. A wooden replica of the Lade of the Lake shows us, in great detail on a wooden model, what the steamboat looked like and it must have been a thing of beauty when out on the lake. 

On the former Quonset hut stage, which is reached by walking up a few steps, a replica of an old boat shop shows us a collection the museum acquired in 2001 from a modest, privately owned boat museum in Maine. With over 15 small marine engines, several outboard, many framed advertisements and pictures, there also were over 500 items relating to the repair, building and maintenance of boats. A small portion of the collection is on display, with mechanics’ and woodworkers’ tools from long ago.  

I found a display on the stage relating to the Laconia Car Company to be fascinating. When the old car company liquidated its Boat Department, a bargain was offered: buyers could obtain a 16-ft. Standard SportSter boat, fully equipped, for $200; the regular price having been $369. They could be used with a variety of outboard motors, and the cockpits were comfortable with upholstered cross seats. The steering wheels of the boats was of the motor car type. A real example of a SportSter boat is on display and although showing some of the wear of the years, it is still a thing of great beauty to behold.  

A Johnson outboard motor.

Also on the stage, there is information about motors for many boats, including the Johnson Sea Horse motor, among others. 

It should be noted that the NH Boat Museum is in the midst of a campaign to build a new museum. Landlocked for 20 years, the museum is now poised to construct a new, waterfront home on Wolfeboro’s Back Bay.  

With a new, larger space, the museum will have room to continue and even expand its many programs, from boat building classes to lectures on all-things boating, and of course, display all those wonderful wooden and other boats! 

It is certainly time, with the growth of the NH Boat Museum, for expanded, climate-controlled space. The current space limitations, plus lack of an HVAC system, hinders the efforts to bring even more programs and displays to the area. A new museum building, located on the water, makes sense in many ways and will have a Children’s Lake Discovery Center, an exhibit hall, event space and much-needed collections storage space. 

Like many who visit or reside in the Lakes Region, eventually I find myself at the NH Boat Museum on a sunny September day, or anytime the museum is open. While I love the exhibits and the unique building, I can only imagine how the display of wooden boats and other objects that take us back to the early days of boating on the lake would expand in a new, roomier museum. 

I may not own a boat, but I love this museum that transports me back to the days of Gatsby, of genteel boating and ladies in long skirts and men in straw hats, all enjoying a warm day on the lake. Really, I think to myself at the end of my tour of the exhibits, one needn’t own a boat to relish a step back in time at the NH Boat Museum. 

(For information on the NH Boat Museum, visit www.nhbm.org, or call 603-569-4554. The museum is located at 399 Center Street in Wolfeboro and is open Memorial Day to Columbus Day from 10 am to 4 pm Monday to Saturday and from noon to 4 pm on Sunday.) 

Paradise on the Water: the Newfound EcoTour

Day Tripping

Paradise on the Water: the Newfound EcoTour

Story & Photos by Kathi Caldwell-Hopper

There was a time when summer just wasn’t summer for me without a canoe ride on Newfound Lake. I grew up in the Bristol, NH area and Newfound Lake was the water body of choice for don’t-go-many-places folks like my family. By my teen years I was busy with a summer job, but my brother and I always took a day to rent a canoe at a local marina and row around Newfound Lake before summer came to a close. The canoe rental was affordable and do-able for two boating limited teens. I recall the hot sun, getting the hang of rowing and being out on the beautiful lake. 

A beachy area on Newfound Lake

Newfound Lake is indeed a gorgeous body of water and I still stop my car at any place I can safely do so and gaze at the water whenever I am in the Bristol area. There is a way to get out on the lake and to learn something about the natural world on the EcoTour, run by the Newfound Lake Region Association (NLRA).

The EcoTour Pontoon Boat

The boat tour is just what the name says: a chance to get out on Newfound Lake in a boat (in this case, a pontoon boat) and learn about the ecology of the lake. (Newfound is known as among the cleanest lakes in the country.)

 “I love pontoon boats and I will finally get the chance to get back on Newfound Lake!” I thought to myself as I contacted the NLRA to set up a time to go on an EcoTour, with narration by Newfound Audubon Center naturalists.

I spoke with NLRA’s executive director, Boyd Smith, who was happy to talk a bit about the tour, where it launched from and the days it goes out. He told me it is a popular way to see Newfound Lake and participants even get to help take some water samples and learn more about the geography and wildlife in the area. To take a tour, you must make reservations at least 48 hours in advance at www.newfoundlake.org/ecotours and pay by credit card online, or pay in cash or check at the dock before boarding the boat. The boat dock is located at Grey Rocks Conservation Area on North Shore Road in Hebron. (It is very easy to find: take Route 3 north from Bristol toward Plymouth. Turn onto North Shore Road – a left turn – and drive about a mile or so. You will see a large wooden sign on the left for Grey Rocks with a parking lot. Park your car and walk a few steps to the dock where the pontoon boat waits for passengers.)

When I arrived for the tour, I gathered my bag, camera and notebook and walked to the little dock where the EcoTour pontoon boat awaited. There were six people already on the boat and they looked excited to be getting out on the lake. Geoff MacDonald, an Audubon naturalist, also was on board. He would be leading the tour along with our captain, Andy Connelly.

Captain Andy gave a brief safety talk and showed us where life jackets were kept, and he also told us a bit about the pontoon boat, named Madeline. 

He went on to explain that Newfound Lake is one of the cleanest lakes in the world - it is unofficially in the top 10 cleanest. 

Heading out on the EcoTour

Geoffrey jumped in with more information about Newfound’s waters, telling us that Newfound is a watershed with two major rivers – the Cockermouth and Fowler Rivers providing much of the water for the 4,000-acre lake. He went on to say the property (Grey Rocks) where the EcoTour ties up was donated to the NLRA by the McLane family. The NLRA restored much of the property to its natural state and the channel where the EcoTour launches has lots of fish, including perch, trout and small-mouthed bass. You can launch non-motorized, carry-in boats such as kayaks from the boat ramp. For those who love to walk, there is a 1.5-mile trail system with bridges and observation platforms. As would be expected, wildlife viewing on the trail is abundant.

As the boat glided into the waterway, Geoffrey pointed out a mallard nearby and a turtle sunning itself on a rock jutting out of the water among the lily pads. “The Hebron Marsh is an important habitat,” Geoffrey told us. “The water in this area is just two-feet deep and you can see fish quite easily.”

He pointed out the Hebron town beach on the shoreline as we made our way out onto the lake. I found the tour to be a great way to see the area from the vantage point of the water, something I had not done for years. Nearby was Grey Rocks and Geoff and Capt. Andy gave us some interesting history, telling us it was a children’s camp, and donated to NLRA. Not far away we saw the shoreline of Paradise Point, a NH Audubon property.

I was amazed to see how forested and sometimes rocky the shoreline was and how unspoiled it looked even in this day and age of development. Capt. Andy pointed out that the Audubon property offers great walking trials, tall pines and even a nesting bald eagle. My fellow passengers were thrilled to learn that an eagle calls this area home. “Since 2012 the eagles have been here,” added Geoffrey. He stood and spread his arms wide to indicate the wing span of the amazing creatures.

He also mentioned that Audubon’s Paradise Point location (also on West Shore Road in Hebron) is a great place to rent kayaks.

Loon Island

The iconic Loon Island was spotted next and Geoffrey told us it is often seen in photographs of Newfound Lake. We all were surely dreaming of the heaven it would be to spend summers in the little white, well-kept but old-fashioned cottage surrounded by pine trees, the lake lapping at the shoreline. 

Geoffrey told us, “The cottage owners on the island create their own solar power. In Hurricane of 1938, did quite a bit of damage.” One would never know it now when gazing at the tiny island and its one home as we traveled by in our pontoon boat.

We spotted Camp Mowglis, and Capt. Andy mentioned the name was from the Rudyard Kipling book, and used by special permission from Kipling himself. 

Geoffrey told us that the lake is deep and rocky, which is probably why there are only five islands, unlike Winnipesaukee with its many islands. “The underwater topography is quite interesting,” commented Capt. Andy. “There is even a sunken island that is about 39 feet down.”

We soon passed Camp Onaway, and Pasquaney, with the distinction of being the oldest camp in the U.S. Summer campers are often on the lake, and their bright sailboats can be seen on a clear day. 

Geoffrey told us that although we would see some boathouses near cottages, at this time building a boathouse on Newfound is no longer allowed. (The concrete used in boathouse construction impacts the lake water; this attests to the care and awareness people have for taking care of the precious natural world and the lake.)

When I commented that the shoreline looked in its natural state and heavily forested, Geoffrey explained, “The north shore of Newfound Lake is not so developed. Some areas are more populated than others.”

Capt. Andy told us that someplace in the area we were in, the old Stella Marion vessel lay at the bottom of the lake. (A bit of history provided by Geoffrey and Capt. Andy related that the vessel caught fire and sank many years ago.) Steamboats were widely used for carrying mail across the lake and for logging at one time.

Geoffrey pointed out Bear Mountain and told us when the sun hits the mountain at just the right angle, an outline of a bear can be seen on the cliffside! He also mentioned peregrine falcons have been in the area since 2006, producing nine offspring in 10 seasons. 

“NH Audubon has made a great effort to resort the falcons,” Geoffrey said.

Soon we passed Tree Islands, known as the smallest island on Newfound Lake. Indeed, it lives up to its name and looks like a narrow strip of sand with some trees and not much else. It is, however, part of the natural charm of the lake.

We passed Mayhew Island and Capt. Andy said it is a camp for inner city boys and that Franklin Roosevelt Jr. was once a camp counselor on Mayhew. 

We passed, in the distance, Cummings Beach and Nuttings Beach, and Geoffrey commented it was a popular area for waterskiing. He also pointed out Cardigan Mountain and the Wellington State Park boat launch and Belle and Cliff Islands.

We stopped at the ledges area, where the water is very deep. On the nearby shore, we gazed up at the rocky ledge area, which gives that part of the lake its name of the ledges. At the spot, Geoffrey and Capt. Andy prepared to do water quality testing. Geoffrey asked for two volunteers and two passengers wanted to help. Not to get too scientific and spoil the fun for those who want to take the tour, suffice to say we used various instruments to test depth and water temperature. Indeed, the water is quite clear as we all suspected. 

Geoffrey told us that scientifically, every spring and fall the lake water “flips” on itself, but I will admit I was a bit out of my personal field of knowledge at that point; he can explain it much better when you take the tour.

We also viewed plankton in a magnifying jar. Geoffrey told us the little creatures are very important to the ecosystem and that the health of Newfound is good, which is great news for everyone. I think the tour’s stop for water testing would be fascinating to any younger passengers as well.

It was a glorious day on Newfound Lake, but all good things must eventually end and we eventually found ourselves back in the Hebron Marsh area. 

My head was full of all I had seen and learned about Newfound Lake and the natural world we so often take for granted. My fellow passengers were very impressed with the tour as well and thanked Geoffrey and Capt. Andy as they exited the pontoon boat. 

Geoffrey and Andy took a few minutes to chat with me and to answer further questions. The EcoTour boat is handicapped accessible and tours last about two hours and run through late August on Monday, Thursday and Friday from 10 am to noon and 1 to 3 pm. If the weather forecast is for rain/unsettled weather, the tour will be cancelled. The boat may be chartered for private tours, which include a docent and captain. 

For further information about an EcoTour, call the NLRA at 603-744-8689 or go to www.newfoundlake.org. for boat tours and events, as well as in-depth information about protecting Newfound Lake, one of our most valuable resources.