Middle ground shoal rock danger?

Hivolt · 06-16-2021, 08:38 AM

Are there any rock obstacles (at current lake levels) through middle ground shoal? Or is that marked for the deeper drafting vessels? The bizer chart doesn’t appear to show any and marks the shallow at 4’ it looks like.

gwhite13 · 06-16-2021, 05:57 PM

I would not bet my lower end on it. Simply go around.

WJT2 · 06-17-2021, 09:22 AM

Clearly marked on my chart. Two Black tops and Two red tops and Flashing Marker #16. Go around! Stay east/north or west/south depending on your course.

Jdarby · 06-17-2021, 09:48 AM

Saw a pontoon floating in there last Sunday.

Sent from my iPhone using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

Hivolt · 06-17-2021, 10:15 AM

I was interested for fishing purposes. I guess I’ll crawl around on a sunny calm day when I can see bottom. I knew some things are marked because the mount drafts 9’ for example the 2 black top bouys between Ames and Diamond Island.

thinkxingu · 06-17-2021, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jdarby

Saw a pontoon floating in there last Sunday.

Sent from my iPhone using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

Just one? That might be a good sign to stay away!

For real, though, that was part of the series of mistakes I saw a couple weeks back when I posted about it being an "interesting" summer.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

Pricestavern · 06-17-2021, 01:03 PM

I've gone snorkeling there in the past. Marked for the Mt Washington as far as I can tell. There was no place shallow enough for me to stand (high water); I would avoid it during low water.

AC2717 · 06-17-2021, 01:43 PM

can someone post a picture of the location here from a map?

Descant · 06-17-2021, 01:49 PM

Middle Ground Shoals has been on the charts long before the new Mount came to Winni in 1940. Some of the old steamboats were pretty big too. Even today, a deep-vee with a single I/O can draw 3'. Add to that the variation in depth due to wave action, and routine low water late in the season, and it becomes a place to be cautious around. Of course, it might also be great place to drop anchor and relax. No neighbors to make it a NRZ. I don't see a lot of fishing activity in that area, but maybe I just don't go by often enough.

Bizer · 06-18-2021, 08:49 AM

Twenty-five years ago, I spent an hour meandering through the area looking for rocks. The shallowest spot I found was four feet down, adjusted for low lake. That would be about five feet down at today's height. But as gwhite13 said, I wouldn't bet my lower unit on that fact. But if you're going into that area at less than one MPH and wearing polarized sunglasses, you should be OK.

JTA · 06-20-2021, 06:23 PM

I’ve sailed through there in my Sunfish. No rocks close to the surface, but why risk it?

Hivolt · 06-21-2021, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JTA

I’ve sailed through there in my Sunfish. No rocks close to the surface, but why risk it?

I posed the original question for fishing purposes, not to bomb through there for the sake of bombing through there.

06-17-2021, 09:22 AM	#3
WJT2 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Foxborough MA Posts: 176 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 4 Thanked 50 Times in 31 Posts	Middle Ground Shoal Clearly marked on my chart. Two Black tops and Two red tops and Flashing Marker #16. Go around! Stay east/north or west/south depending on your course.

06-17-2021, 01:03 PM	#7
Pricestavern Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Valencia, Spain (formerly Rattlesnake Isle) Posts: 389 Thanks: 135 Thanked 142 Times in 82 Posts	Under-standing I've gone snorkeling there in the past. Marked for the Mt Washington as far as I can tell. There was no place shallow enough for me to stand (high water); I would avoid it during low water.

06-17-2021, 01:43 PM	#8
AC2717 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Maynard, MA & Paugus Bay Posts: 2,573 Thanks: 753 Thanked 354 Times in 266 Posts	can someone post a picture of the location here from a map? __________________ Capt. of the "No Worries"

06-17-2021, 01:49 PM	#9
Descant Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Merrimack and Welch Island Posts: 4,339 Thanks: 1,339 Thanked 1,621 Times in 1,053 Posts	Not just the Mount Middle Ground Shoals has been on the charts long before the new Mount came to Winni in 1940. Some of the old steamboats were pretty big too. Even today, a deep-vee with a single I/O can draw 3'. Add to that the variation in depth due to wave action, and routine low water late in the season, and it becomes a place to be cautious around. Of course, it might also be great place to drop anchor and relax. No neighbors to make it a NRZ. I don't see a lot of fishing activity in that area, but maybe I just don't go by often enough.

06-16-2021, 08:38 AM	#1
Hivolt Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Posts: 61 Thanks: 39 Thanked 23 Times in 15 Posts	Middle ground shoal rock danger? Are there any rock obstacles (at current lake levels) through middle ground shoal? Or is that marked for the deeper drafting vessels? The bizer chart doesn’t appear to show any and marks the shallow at 4’ it looks like. Last edited by Hivolt; 06-16-2021 at 02:52 PM.

06-16-2021, 05:57 PM	#2
gwhite13 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Hanover and Moultonborough Posts: 89 Thanks: 7 Thanked 12 Times in 11 Posts	I would not bet my lower end on it. Simply go around.

06-17-2021, 09:48 AM	#4
Jdarby Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2019 Location: Long Island Posts: 170 Thanks: 137 Thanked 106 Times in 52 Posts	Saw a pontoon floating in there last Sunday. Sent from my iPhone using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

06-17-2021, 10:15 AM	#5
Hivolt Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Posts: 61 Thanks: 39 Thanked 23 Times in 15 Posts	I was interested for fishing purposes. I guess I’ll crawl around on a sunny calm day when I can see bottom. I knew some things are marked because the mount drafts 9’ for example the 2 black top bouys between Ames and Diamond Island.

The Following User Says Thank You to Pricestavern For This Useful Post:
Hivolt (06-17-2021)

The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Descant For This Useful Post:
DotRat (06-17-2021), Hivolt (06-17-2021)

06-18-2021, 08:49 AM	#10
Bizer Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 336 Thanks: 0 Thanked 243 Times in 82 Posts	Twenty-five years ago, I spent an hour meandering through the area looking for rocks. The shallowest spot I found was four feet down, adjusted for low lake. That would be about five feet down at today's height. But as gwhite13 said, I wouldn't bet my lower unit on that fact. But if you're going into that area at less than one MPH and wearing polarized sunglasses, you should be OK.

The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Bizer For This Useful Post:
betterthanbacon (06-20-2021), Hivolt (06-18-2021)

06-20-2021, 06:23 PM	#11
JTA Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Fort Pierce, Florida Posts: 233 Thanks: 34 Thanked 25 Times in 21 Posts	I’ve sailed through there in my Sunfish. No rocks close to the surface, but why risk it?

The Following User Says Thank You to Hivolt For This Useful Post:
Top-Water (06-21-2021)