An Autumn Squam Lake Pontoon Boat Cruise
An Autumn Squam Lake Pontoon Boat Cruise
By Mark Okrant
Photos courtesy Squam Lakes Natural Science Center
More than 10 million out-of-state visitors can’t be wrong . . . New Hampshire is a treasure-trove of fabulous natural and cultural attractions. While the majority flock to the most popular destinations, there are hundreds of additional places from which to choose. Having lived in New Hampshire for more than 40 years, one of my favorites is Squam Lake. Situated immediately northwest of Lake Winnipesaukee, Squam’s 6,791 acres qualify it as the second largest body of fresh water contained entirely within the state.
Recently, I had the opportunity to view Squam in a new way, as a passenger aboard one of the Squam Lakes Natural Science Center’s (SLNSC) lake cruises. Taking exit 24 from I-93, I followed Route 3 south to Route 113/Holderness for about 10 minutes. At the Science Center, I was greeted by the Center’s Marketing and Visitor Services Manager, Amanda Gillen. Amanda directed us to the Center’s dock, where a canopied pontoon boat, The Loon, awaited. Within moments, we (my wife and I) were introduced to the captain for the day, Tom Thomas, an affable retiree who has spent the last five years familiarizing passengers with this gem of a water body.
Beloved loons on Squam Lake.
Two themes became apparent before the bulbous silver pontoons were fully wet. Throughout the delightful 90-minute experience, we were to learn about the glacial origins of the lake and its surroundings, and how the highly acclaimed 1981 film,On Golden Pond, influenced preservation of the shoreline.
Leaving the dock, Captain Tom briefly took us past the site where Norman had gassed up his boat in On Golden Pond. After turning around in neighboring Little Squam Lake, we headed back along the Squam River and entered Big Squam, where our informative tour began in earnest.
Passing by Colton Cove, one of 20 coves in Squam Lake, we learned that this was the first area along the lake’s shoreline to be developed. Tom instructed us to note several characteristics of the older houses, which he would compare with newer developments later. Those first homes were built within inches of the water’s edge; many had boathouses that hovered over the lake itself. Neighboring houses on Colton Cove were close enough to one another to hit with a child’s peashooter.
Tom’s presentation addressed the aftermath of having an internationally acclaimed movie set in what was largely an undeveloped, environmentally sensitive area. Within weeks of the appearance of On Golden Pondin theaters, the five communities surrounding the lake were met with demands to accommodate residential and other forms of development. Acting quickly, and in concert with one another, plus the state government, strict restrictions were passed.
As we cruised along, those quick actions were in sharp evidence. While structures pre-dating the film were grandfathered, newer units were required to be constructed a minimum of 50 feet back from the shoreline. No clear cutting of property was to be allowed, nor were boathouses.
As an additional way to conform with surroundings, all new structures were painted in earth tones . . . no orange or chartreuse houses.
While the pontoon boat powered along, we learned about the formation of Squam Lake and its surroundings. The last continental glacier had moved forward, then retreated 13,000 to 15,000 years ago, scouring out the region’s lakes and rounding the surrounding mountains during the process. Squam Lake consists of 18 separate basins, divided from one another by granite ridges called reefs. These reefs extend from the lake floor to within two-to-three feet below the water’s surface. Therefore, a keen awareness of the locations of those rocky hazards is essential for safe boating on the lake.
Squam Lake scene during the foliage season.
As we looked into the distance, it was explained that there are three sets of mountains within the lake’s 44,000-acre watershed: The Squam Range, the Ossipee Range, and the Sandwich Range. To illustrate the continental glacier’s thickness, Tom pointed to nearby Red Hill, the tallest point of elevation in the Squam Range, and asked us to imagine that the ice was three times the height of that impressive rock sentinel.
Moving along, we learned that there are 30 named islands in Squam Lake. Passing Potato Island, we observed that there was an impressive house hidden beneath a canopy of trees. Owing to its location close to the shore, Potato is one of four islands served by electricity from the surrounding community. I think each of us imagined making a real estate transaction as soon as we returned to the dock.
At this juncture, The Loonwas nearly an hour into our cruise. While no one commented, we all knew that something important was missing from our checklist of expectations. We had viewed cormorants, with their sleek black bodies and giraffe-like necks. There was an abundance of gulls and great blue herons, and we passed nesting sites that had been abandoned by bald eagles. As we traveled, Tom informed us about the abundance of fish—rainbow trout, landlocked salmon, lake trout, whitefish, small and largemouth bass, pickerel, horned pout, and white perch—that occupy the lake. All of these support an abundance of wildlife and attract recreation anglers. So, where was that one waterfowl we all had come to see?
Passing Livermore Cove, named for a signer of the Declaration of Independence, we learned that this is a loon preservation area, wherein one pair of adults and two chicks will consume six hundred pounds of fish during their season on the lake. Loons live on Squam Lake from late March until November or early December. Since loons can’t fish once the lake ices over, they spend winters in the Gulf of Maine. Each of us anxiously wondered where they were hiding on this particular beautiful early September day.
Passing Chocorua Island, known locally as Church Island, we learned that church services and weddings had been conducted on this small, wooded isle since early during the last century. Continuing on, we saw houses situated way up on the sides of surrounding hills . . . remnants of former farms, and logging operations . . . long since converted to condominiums and private estates. Soon we were passing the shoreline where Rockywold-Deephaven Camp occupies a peninsula that affords beautiful views of Squam. Another peninsula, Five Finger Point came into view. This one, managed by the Squam Lakes Association, provides naturalists and students with a place to study the local environment.
As we reached Kimball Island, whose Purgatory Cove was the setting for a momentous boat crash scene in On Golden Pond, we spotted nearly a dozen kayakers, all patiently paddling along. Kayakers love Squam, as it is devoid of the large speedboats whose owners prefer the open water of Lake Winnipesaukee. The kayakers seemed to be looking at something in the distance . . . that’s when we saw them.
First there were two . . . then three . . . then six Common Loons. Using binoculars supplied by our captain, we watched as the loons, with their black heads, spotted white backs, and cranberry eyes, formed a single group—a process called rafting. Tom quickly shut off the engine and we simply drifted along, getting no closer than 50 yards away. Obviously, those gorgeous birds were the real reason a bunch of strangers spent a beautiful mid-day aboard a pontoon boat on Squam Lake. In this case, reality exceeded all expectations.
As we were returning to the Science Center’s dock, the leaves of the Tupolo trees were beginning to show red. As you read this, other people are traveling to Squam Lake to view all of this natural beauty and discriminating shoreline development, but with a wonderful addition. Very soon, the shoreline will be awash in their seasonal hues. Visitors will be greeted with a broad brush of beautiful colors while being serenaded by the haunting call of loons. So, what’s keeping you from joining them?
Each year, more than 9,000 people experience a Squam Lakes Natural Science Center cruise aboard a pontoon boat. Tickets may be purchased at www.nhnature.org. The fee for adults is $27; seniors pay $25, while the cost for children is $23. Also, tickets for the Center’s Live Animal Exhibit Trail can be purchased at that website.