Fireworks on the lake
 

I was wondering if there is a nice place on the lake to view the firework festivities from the water? I heard that you can go out and see fireworks from your boat. Sounds like fun. Any suggestions?
TG

Timmy;

Check this thread out...

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums/...ead.php?t=6320

Dan

Thanks Dan. I just found out that Alton Bay is postponed until the 12th. Tis will be my first night time excusion on the lake, but I have been to Wolfboro with my Nav unit, so if I back track I should be fine.
THX
TG

Anybody know if tonight's Weirs fireworks are going to be postponed, and if so, when the rain date is? This line of t-storms coming in does not look like its going to leave any time soon. :(

From what I have seen and been reading the storms should be outa here around 11PM, Weirs fireworks are at 11:59 PM. I think we'll be all systems go!

They have the fireworks set up and ready to go at the Weirs.

Boats are starting to gather.

Come on down or over! :)

Boat safely!

R2B

Sleep deprivation...
 

The fireworks went off as planned at midnight. It was well worth forcing myself to stay awake to see them even though I had to be to work way too early on the 4th. I'm paying the price now, but eventually I will catch up on my sleep. I just love watching fireworks and have told my boss that I don't want to work the late shift on Fridays during the summer...I just have to be home in time to watch the sky light up! ......I love living in Weirs Beach!

Wolfeboro Fireworks
 

I thought last night's show was one of the best ever. It was a beautiful night and the wind kept the smoke from each display moving so as to not impair the viewing of subsequent displays.

Reminder: Alton Bay fireworks tonight July 12th
 

The rescheduled fireworks are tonight at dusk.:look:

Shhhhh
 

I believe 9:20 is the scheduled time, same a July 3'rd. But don't tell anyone, traffic on the bay is as intense as I've seen it all season. Must be the craft show .... :eek:

FWIW the barge is now in place in the bay and the guys from Atlas are busy setting the mortars.

Actually I'm semi surprised that more boats haven't rolled in and camped out as of now. Usually they start rolling in around in the afternoon for the July 3'rd show.

Alton Fireworks
 

Wish someone would turn the webcam in Alton up a little so I can see the fireworks from here in Jersey. The moveable view won't open for me.

Rats.

nj2nh

Last night's fireworks at the Bay were impressive! It was a great show and the weather was perfect - it was a nice time out!

Glad show was enjoyed
 

I'm glad people enjoyed the show. I've been the assigned shooter for Alton Bay & Center Harbor on the 3rd & 4th for the last 4 or 5 years, and do the New Years in Meredith (as well as a score of other shows around NH). It stunk having Alton postpone, as we where *just* heading out the door leaving from Atlas up to Alton Bay to set up when we got the call it was postponed. It did make it easier to get the Center Harbor show on the 4th ready, as we went to our hotel on the 3rd in preparation for Ctr Harbor.

About the show:
I shot the show electronically via secured wireless from the boat about 100' away towards the bay (same as Ctr Harbor, but was on the lake-side). The barge is a custom built barge belonging to Atlas. Usually I shoot hard wired electrical, but there's no place to sit or run. :laugh: I may be "crazy" but I can't swim... although I do an extremely convincing dead man's float. :coolsm:

Tips on enjoying the show:
1) Stay back 250' during setup. Why? Well, it's supposed to be 500', but concessions have to be made to allow boaters to pass to the slips, ramp & the rest of the bay. I'm not going to lock down the bay. :laugh: Fireworks are deadly business. A 3" finale shell has greater explosive power than a grenade and it gets exponential for each 1" in diameter. Any bit of static has the potential to set them off, and if you're nearby you'll be deaf and covered in pyro spoo too. :rolleye2:

2) Stay back 500' during the show. Why? You may *think* we have the best seats in the house, but all we see is fire, brimstone, burning paper, smoke and other burning debris raining down on us with bits of the actual color from the shell shining through it all way up. The fallout can and will annihilate your gel coat, urethane & paint for which we're not responsible. The best angle for viewing is at a 45 degree angle from the launch point to the burst. We had 6" shells in the show, mostly 4" & 5". The highest burst point is ~550' on average... which means 500'+ from our barge is best viewing. It's also Law. ;)

3) Be Kind and Create No Wake. The Alton Fire Dept put out the big orange balls to signify a no-wake zone and they mostly went ignored (thank you to those who know the laws and coasted by us). A few times we came close to losing the shells for the show off into the water when a few people where screaming into the bay @ 50+mph, and the wake thrashes us around like there's no tomorrow. A couple years ago the show was late due to time lost recovering from wake. :( The tooting of boat horns only made it more stressful.

Questions we get from passing boats:
* There are big signs on each side that say "FIREWORKS - STAY CLEAR". People like to coast up to ask me "Are those the fireworks?" or "Are you the fireworks guys?" It just makes me laugh at that person's level of intelligence. If I'm in a pithy mood, my favorite response is "Nope! Oil Baron! These are all my wells!" :laugh:
* "Need a match?" umm... no. Heard that one a thousand times.
* "Can I have any extras?" umm... no. I have no intention of bunkin' with Bubba (nor the person asking) in the Federal Pen.

Anecdotes in passing... I don't mind talking to people after the show, but only after our equipment is loaded and secured into the truck and we're out of the loading ramp. Although per each town we 'own the ramp' for the period it takes to launch or retract the barge or equipment from the barge into the trucks... I don't want to hold up the ramp any longer than I have to.

See you on New Years on the Big Lake, unless I inherit the August show in Alton!

Marc

Well Done
 

Let me 2'nd AW ... a great show. All of us a bit up the bay from the beach really like the show off the barge from it's present location. We don't even have to take the boat out now, we can sit on the docks and watch. This year the Moon (from our location) was right in the middle of the show. Would have made for some great pics but I put the dSLR aside this year so I could just sit and watch. Hopefully DRH or UTS or McDude got some pics.

I'm curious about your last comment ... Does Alton hire a different company to do the Olde Home Days show or is it just someone else in the company who does it ?

And since I'm asking ... how many shells of how many types go into a show like Alton's ? There were some neat, almost stop motion effects that I'm not quite describing correctly.

Here's your sign!
 

As Bill Envall would say "Here's your sign!"

Alton Fireworks
 

I have to agree with that the Alton Fireworks were GREAT this year. They out did the Wolfboro Fireworks by a lot.:laugh::laugh:

Atlas won the bid for both Alton events this year. Normally more than half the budget is spent on the 4th shoot so the Olde Home Days shoot will be a little shorter.

It was a very nice selection of quality shells.

The Alton Bay photographer Digital Magic took the 2007 Alton town report cover photo and I assume he was out again this year.
http://alton.nh.gov/2007TownReport/Front_Cover.pdf

Please pardon my ignorance but I'm curious...

Why is the tooting of the boat horns stressful?

Just wondering.... :confused: