How old were you when you first came to the lake?

SAB1 · 11-28-2015, 09:31 AM

10 days old - 1963.

sum-r breeze · 11-28-2015, 10:24 AM

22 I was a late arrival. Girlfriend's (who became Mrs. Breeze) brother had a cottage in Wolfboro near lake Wentwoth. We rented jetskis out of Wolfboro Harbor. I fell off...Split my chin open...was introduced to Huggins Hospital (for stitches)...Was hooked on The Big Lake from that moment on.

The Breeze
Wave 'cuz I'll be wavin' back

skprbob · 11-28-2015, 11:46 PM

Came to the Lake in the summer of 1962, age 11, as a Middler at Camp Idlewild. Teaching career enabled me to come back every summer, spending 14 summers at Idlewild until it closed. Gigs happened with Camp DeWitt, and Camp Kabeyun. I left the camp scene, got a house sitting deal, and worked on the Marine Patrol for another ten summers. Finally bought my place and started with Winni Flagship in 1994. Left teaching in 1996 and went with Flagship full time. Love it!

rander7823 · 11-30-2015, 04:56 PM

It was 1976. I remember watching the fireworks from a boat in Alton Bay and jumping the wake of the Mount while water skiing.

DickR · 11-30-2015, 08:17 PM

I was 12 when my family rented a cottage down in Chestnut Cove, on the Derby side of the point at the north end of Alton Bay. My dad rented a 3-HP motor for the rowboat, and I was in heaven. Over the next five years we rented for one or two weeks each summer. I was hooked. I remember almost drooling over the used outboard motors at Downing's Boat Landing, wondering how much motor I could afford to buy with paper route income. My dad likely hoped it wouldn't come to the point where I could buy one, with an appropriate boat, as he'd have to deal with towing it around.

When I got married, we honeymooned up here for a week, still in the Alton Bay area, with a rented boat. That was 1969. We rented a cottage up near Sally's Gut in '73 for a week, again with a rented boat. Finally in 1975 we bought a small cabin on Long Island. Properties were somewhat affordable then. Our kids spent much of their summers on the lake. In 1992 we moved up-shore to a better, bigger lot. The dream was always to retire up here. In 2010 that happened. We sold the house in MA and used the proceeds to build a decent structure for year-round living.

We consider ourselves extremely lucky to be able to be here now, living the dream. Given the way properties have skyrocketed in value, driven upward by the buying power of those with big bucks, we couldn't have afforded to be here if we hadn't started out way back then. Others will have their own dreams. But it all starts with that dream. As that song from the old 50s musical "South Pacific" says, "You got to have a dream, if you don't have a dream, how you gonna have a dream come true?"

Lakeboater · 01-22-2016, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rander7823

It was 1976. I remember watching the fireworks from a boat in Alton Bay and jumping the wake of the Mount while water skiing.

It was about 76 that I came up with my buddy's family in the fall and went water skiing for the first time. His dad took us out of Sally's Gut and brought me right into the wake of the Mount! Great times and thanks to them have been coming up to the lake with my family ever since.

eillac@dow · 01-23-2016, 12:31 AM

Well, let me put it to you this way....I am the youngest of 23 cousins...and I was born in August of 65. I believe my oldest cousin would be about 69.

I can only tell you that my crib on the island was a bureau drawer. My mom and aunts would take out the drawers, lay blankets in and put us down for the night.

So 50 years later, I am still on the island!

Nice thread!

glennsteely · 01-31-2016, 08:53 AM

Wow!! I thought a subject like this, DEMANDED top level thought and explanation....
I was....159 days old!! 6 months old, give or take.
I've been enjoying it ever since!!

polarisman14 · 01-31-2016, 05:28 PM

Can't put an exact age on it but I'd say 10-12 years old...I was fortunate enough to be invited to a family camp by a close friend of mine. I spent 1-2 weeks a summer on Bear Island for a few years, then they sold the camp and my time drew to a close. That was fifteen years ago.

Another close friend of mine who was born into boating in the Fall River, MA area moved up here at 18 and got back into boating 5 years ago...So did I. I've never been more into it then I am now. Never too late to get involved.

Electric man · 01-31-2016, 09:25 PM

1967 at the age of 12

HomeWood · 02-01-2016, 08:44 AM

Birth. 1979

11-28-2015, 11:46 PM	#3
skprbob Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: 19 Mile Bay Posts: 147 Thanks: 0 Thanked 90 Times in 29 Posts	11 Came to the Lake in the summer of 1962, age 11, as a Middler at Camp Idlewild. Teaching career enabled me to come back every summer, spending 14 summers at Idlewild until it closed. Gigs happened with Camp DeWitt, and Camp Kabeyun. I left the camp scene, got a house sitting deal, and worked on the Marine Patrol for another ten summers. Finally bought my place and started with Winni Flagship in 1994. Left teaching in 1996 and went with Flagship full time. Love it!

11-30-2015, 04:56 PM	#4
rander7823 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 304 Thanks: 552 Thanked 40 Times in 24 Posts	14 It was 1976. I remember watching the fireworks from a boat in Alton Bay and jumping the wake of the Mount while water skiing.

01-31-2016, 08:53 AM	#8
glennsteely Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Mantua, N.J. Posts: 472 Thanks: 90 Thanked 111 Times in 38 Posts	Yes! Outstanding thread indeed!!! Wow!! I thought a subject like this, DEMANDED top level thought and explanation.... I was....159 days old!! 6 months old, give or take. I've been enjoying it ever since!! __________________ You have to go out on a limb sometimes, cause that is where the fruit is. You can't get to the fruit from that nice safe spot, clinging to the trunk of the tree...... Last edited by glennsteely; 01-31-2016 at 08:55 AM. Reason: Boo-boo.

01-31-2016, 05:28 PM	#9
polarisman14 Senior Member Join Date: May 2013 Location: Gilmanton, NH Posts: 139 Thanks: 37 Thanked 23 Times in 20 Posts	Can't put an exact age on it but I'd say 10-12 years old...I was fortunate enough to be invited to a family camp by a close friend of mine. I spent 1-2 weeks a summer on Bear Island for a few years, then they sold the camp and my time drew to a close. That was fifteen years ago. Another close friend of mine who was born into boating in the Fall River, MA area moved up here at 18 and got back into boating 5 years ago...So did I. I've never been more into it then I am now. Never too late to get involved. __________________ >>>Matt<<< To Tow: 2007 Honda Ridgeline RTL To Float: 1977 MFG Gypsy Star 17 O/B

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11-28-2015, 09:31 AM	#1
SAB1 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Tuftonboro Posts: 1,276 Thanks: 196 Thanked 336 Times in 244 Posts	10 days old - 1963.

11-28-2015, 10:24 AM	#2
sum-r breeze Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Burlington Ma / Laconia NH Posts: 396 Thanks: 154 Thanked 201 Times in 97 Posts	22 I was a late arrival. Girlfriend's (who became Mrs. Breeze) brother had a cottage in Wolfboro near lake Wentwoth. We rented jetskis out of Wolfboro Harbor. I fell off...Split my chin open...was introduced to Huggins Hospital (for stitches)...Was hooked on The Big Lake from that moment on. The Breeze Wave 'cuz I'll be wavin' back

11-30-2015, 08:17 PM	#5
DickR Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Moultonborough Posts: 765 Thanks: 4 Thanked 260 Times in 172 Posts	I was 12 when my family rented a cottage down in Chestnut Cove, on the Derby side of the point at the north end of Alton Bay. My dad rented a 3-HP motor for the rowboat, and I was in heaven. Over the next five years we rented for one or two weeks each summer. I was hooked. I remember almost drooling over the used outboard motors at Downing's Boat Landing, wondering how much motor I could afford to buy with paper route income. My dad likely hoped it wouldn't come to the point where I could buy one, with an appropriate boat, as he'd have to deal with towing it around. When I got married, we honeymooned up here for a week, still in the Alton Bay area, with a rented boat. That was 1969. We rented a cottage up near Sally's Gut in '73 for a week, again with a rented boat. Finally in 1975 we bought a small cabin on Long Island. Properties were somewhat affordable then. Our kids spent much of their summers on the lake. In 1992 we moved up-shore to a better, bigger lot. The dream was always to retire up here. In 2010 that happened. We sold the house in MA and used the proceeds to build a decent structure for year-round living. We consider ourselves extremely lucky to be able to be here now, living the dream. Given the way properties have skyrocketed in value, driven upward by the buying power of those with big bucks, we couldn't have afforded to be here if we hadn't started out way back then. Others will have their own dreams. But it all starts with that dream. As that song from the old 50s musical "South Pacific" says, "You got to have a dream, if you don't have a dream, how you gonna have a dream come true?"

The Following User Says Thank You to DickR For This Useful Post:
CateP (12-01-2015)

01-23-2016, 12:31 AM	#7
eillac@dow Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Dow Island & Weymouth, MA Posts: 365 Thanks: 294 Thanked 94 Times in 48 Posts	Well, let me put it to you this way....I am the youngest of 23 cousins...and I was born in August of 65. I believe my oldest cousin would be about 69. I can only tell you that my crib on the island was a bureau drawer. My mom and aunts would take out the drawers, lay blankets in and put us down for the night. So 50 years later, I am still on the island! Nice thread!

01-31-2016, 09:25 PM	#10
Electric man Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Framingham,MA Posts: 16 Thanks: 277 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts	1967 at the age of 12

02-01-2016, 08:44 AM	#11
HomeWood Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Clayton,NC / Sanbornton,NH Posts: 611 Thanks: 126 Thanked 137 Times in 75 Posts	Birth. 1979