new Laconia canoe/kayak launch

[fatlazyless]

On Friday, May 29 at 10am, the new Rotary Riverside Park Canoe and Kayak Launch will have a grand opening ribbon cutting at its' location behind the Beacon Street West developement (Allen Rogers) on the Winnipesaukee River. In 2006 the City of Laconia was granted a 15-foot-wide easement to the Winnipesaukee River from the developer.

I know little about the Winnipesaukee River and get my info from a page 19 article in yesterday's Laconia Daily Sun.

Could be, the Winnipesaukee River is usually but certainly not always considered a class one, flat water river as it is the outflow from the Lakeport Dam, gigantic Lake Winnipesaukee's one and only outflow dam, which controls the water level of the 'big lake.' Flowing through what was once a manufactoring area of Laconia, it runs from the Lakeport Dam to small Lake Ossipee and to the very big Lake Winnisquam, on its way through Belmont, Tilton, and Franklin, where it joins the Pemigewasset and Merrimack Rivers on its' watery journey to the Atlantic Ocean off Massachusetts. So's just think, for a long weekend, you could maybe paddle all the way to Miami Beach.

Car top, hand carry, canoe and kayak launching is the design here.

I have no clue what it's like to paddle the Winnipesaukee River. For all I know, it could be loaded with old shopping carts, Buicks and DeSotos, that got rolled in. Hopefully, someone will chime in with a more informed opinion.

[SIKSUKR]

I thought it flowed from Lakeport to Opechee and to Winnisquam.

[fatlazyless]

oops...you be right....I shoulda said Opechee, and not Ossipee:)

[jmen24]

I thought it flowed from Lakeport to Opechee and to Winnisquam.

You are correct and it does not flow into the Merrimack the Pemi and Winni rivers are the head of the Merrimack behind the high school in Franklin.

This is a link to the upper section of the Winni River, from 140 to the Train Station in Northfield. Class I-II Slow Flow with Boulders http://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/River/detail/id/3570/

This is the link for the lower section of the river from Cross Mill Bridge to Downtown Franklin. Class III+ Fast flow rapid with Boulders
http://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/River/detail/id/3057/ This is not a section of river that anyone can paddle, PLEASE if you have not taken Whitewater instruction or Swiftwater rescue, please stay on the bank and save the Franklin Fire Department the hassle of fishing you out of the river. Ask someone that knows how to paddle whitewater to go with you at the very least. Take a lesson or ask someone to teach you proper paddle technique and river reading, you will enjoy yourself and paddling will never be the same, way more fun and less work.


There is no published internet information for the sections of this river that are not mentioned, but above 140 is lakes with quick and mostly portage areas in between. Quiet water and very relaxing without anything above novice level. Remember, when in doubt, scout it out!

[fatlazyless]

I was in Laconia last evening so's I went looking for the new Winnipesaukee River kayak ramp. Cannot be sure for certain it is what it is because it does not have any type of a sign that says "Kayak Ramp", but it is located about 50 yards from the large Laconia 4-way, stoplight intersection of Route 106 and Route 107, aka Union Ave & Main St. The ramp is on the other side of the village green from the historic Belknap Mill building, and Laconia City Hall.

Located about 50 yards downstream from the ten foot high Avery Dam, the ramp is a well built, concrete pedestrian design that gradually slopes down to a shallow sandy edge of the river. Once the newly planted grass grows up through the grass retainer grids, right there next to the river, it should look terrific.

Apparently, the fishing was pretty good last night while the sky was drizzl'n. In the brief ten minutes I was there, one guy pulled a salmon fish'n from high up the pedestrian bridge that crosses the river, just below the Avery Dam, and about 10 others were fishing up and down the 300 yard stretch of river, as it flowed undammed down to Lake Winnisquam.