Anchoring Near Shore

[BrunoSR]

This does look like Johnson’s cove and I have seen these boats like this, once this year. I don’t go often so I can’t say if this happens a lot or not. However, I find it kinda funny that this is the location, some people want us to say, this is just awful, the poor landowners! As I recall, there isn’t a single house on Johnson's cove! There is one across the street at the far end of the cove and quite far up away from the road which I believe is a rental properly, but I could be wrong. I think there is one dock and a couple of barges, nothing else.

I don't care where people anchor, just be mindful of others and don't blast your music all day long. Believe it or not, not everyone likes the music you play just as not everyone likes my music choices.

All be safe and enjoy what we have here on the lake. Not everyone is as lucky as we are.

[ApS]

Originally Posted by thinkxingu

Is this from your place? If so, is this an uncropped image and how often does it occur?

My place is about a ½-mile distant. I might be able to recapture this image to show the property owner trying to get his sailboat fully rigged, off the mooring, and out of the cove. Maybe he'll ask to have a boat moved for passage?

The surrounding properties were purchased maybe ten years ago and, at one time, were for sale. Not too far away is a house presently for sale—just $10,000,000.

This picture was forwarded to me by a neighbor, but this is a usual summer weekend "convention" of visitors. There are usually many more boats.

Originally Posted by Susie Cougar

Where is this?

Johnson's Cove, on Wolfeboro Neck.

When I first saw it, there was a two-story sawmill located there—but abandoned. There'd also been a slalom waterski course set up in its quiet waters. Turtles ("Painted Sliders") once abounded in the foreground of this picture.

Rainwater runoff from the former airport property drains an abutting forested area once known as "the dump", and flows alongside the roadway into Johnson's Cove.

Originally Posted by BrunoSR

This does look like Johnson’s cove and I have seen these boats like this, once this year. I don’t go often so I can’t say if this happens a lot or not. However, I find it kinda funny that this is the location, some people want us to say, this is just awful, the poor landowners! As I recall, there isn’t a single house on Johnson's cove! There is one across the street at the far end of the cove and quite far up away from the road which I believe is a rental properly, but I could be wrong. I think there is one dock and a couple of barges, nothing else.

I don't care where people anchor, just be mindful of others and don't blast your music all day long. Believe it or not, not everyone likes the music you play just as not everyone likes my music choices.

All be safe and enjoy what we have here on the lake. Not everyone is as lucky as we are.

It's the only place I've seen a boat captain wrap his anchor (and line) around a tree.

The former owner of Johnson's Cove built a postwar cottage uphill from the cove. It had been rented in the past, but this sailboat owner is a "regular", and built his dock not knowing…

The weekend "parade" of these boats prevent regular weekenders from anchoring in Winter Harbor. The wakes are just too intense for anchoring a boat, but that and intense erosion is "all legal".

If I lived there, I'd buy some powerful amplifiers, and practice my "freedom of speech".

[Descant]

I remember visiting Brad Frankham next to Johnson Cove in the 50's. Not a great place to anchor due to logs left over from the sawmill and the hurricane of '38 if I remember correctly. Lots of steps up the steep hill to his house. He had a 36' Chris Craft (Sea Witch), a Laker, can't recall name, and a sailboat converted to steam (Punkin Seed). Same place? It probably wasn't called Johnson Cove in those days.

[tis]

I always remember it being called Johnson's Cove.

[ApS]

Originally Posted by Descant

I remember visiting Brad Frankham next to Johnson Cove in the 50's. Not a great place to anchor due to logs left over from the sawmill and the hurricane of '38 if I remember correctly. Lots of steps up the steep hill to his house. He had a 36' Chris Craft (Sea Witch), a Laker, can't recall name, and a sailboat converted to steam (Punkin Seed). Same place? It probably wasn't called Johnson Cove in those days.

Everywhere else, it's always been Johnson's Cove; however, one chart had listed the cove as "Ike's Cove". The most prominent part of Johnson's Cove is a tiny sandy cove, alternatively called Frankum's Beach or "Land's End" by us locals.

At "Shadowbrook", I bought a Model "T" Ford from Brad Frankum: It was painted white with red spoked wheels.

Back then, perhaps 50 logs were floating next to the sawmill, attached with huge iron staples—chained together to keep them from drifting away. Many other logs had sunk to the bottom, or were resting on end—angled hither and yon.



On weekends, fishermen collected in twos and threes to catch lunkers there.

Here's a re-photograph taken of the Sea Witch—recently hanging in his expansive living room.



Also, I reported (here) his entire 50-foot dock floating in Winter Harbor just after Ice-Out.

A "fuller" picture:

[tis]

I wonder who Ike was, APS. Do you know?

[upthesaukee]

Originally Posted by tis

I wonder who Ike was, APS. Do you know?

Wasn't that the President between Truman and Kennedy?

Dave

[tis]

Originally Posted by upthesaukee

Wasn't that the President between Truman and Kennedy?

Dave

Do you think the President Ike vacationed at Johnson Cove?

[Newbiesaukee]

Originally Posted by tis

Do you think the President Ike vacationed at Johnson Cove?

More likely Lyndon.

[Sue Doe-Nym]

Originally Posted by upthesaukee

Wasn't that the President between Truman and Kennedy?

Dave

That reminds me of the very amusing bumper sticker circa early 60s:

“I MISS IKE!
HELL, I EVEN MISS HARRY!”

If you need an explanation, you’re too young or you need a history lesson!
🤓

[ApS]

Originally Posted by tis

I wonder who Ike was, APS. Do you know?

Ike is a fairly common first name here in the hinterlands. After all, just in Wolfeboro, you may remember an Ike Albee. In North Carolina, an Ike Johnson is presently running for Congress.

Logically, it would follow that the cove was named for a local timberman, Ike Johnson.

The cove's previous owner, the late Brad Frankum, was Wolfeboro's own "Daddy-Warbucks". He was frequently seen in the area, frolicking with his two teen nephews.

[tis]

Ike Johnson??!! Never heard his first name !!!!!!!!!!

[BrunoSR]

"It's the only place I've seen a boat captain wrap his anchor (and line) around a tree."

Same here, except I was down 30’ retrieving that anchor! (not my anchor) LOL Lots of things down there to get snagged on.