[JayDV]

In all my 52 yrs I only missed getting to Jolly Island 2 years for my summer vacation. This year and last year. Every year since I was old enough to swim from the "deep" side of the mail boat dock (parental rule) I jumped into the propwash of the mailboat (I remember 3 of them). When old enough to shimmy up the pilons I jumped from there and had mot missed a year since. Some of the kids jumping would point to their parents, look at the old guy, but as it turned out, the parents used to jump along side me all those years ago.

Vacation traditions, just as any other kind, are key to aiding familes to vacation in the same place year after year (do we have to go there again? vs. I can't wait to come back next year, why is it so long to wait?). My son had heard the stories from Granpa (my dad) and also from me and saw me jump. And his right of passage came 7 years ago and he still enjoyed jumping.

I know there are safety issues on this roof jumping at Bear Isl (done also at Jolly - shhhh) but all of us that did/do it really were careful for a bunch of reasons, and not least of all was a 40 minute ride to the emergency room if needed, and not always a nice sunny day boat ride to the main dock, the walk to the car, then ride to Laconia Hospital.

As in any activity anywhere, people should use their own judgement (hopefully good).

Jay