Island Education Request

PapaBarnCat · 05-19-2011, 08:52 PM

In the times I've visited and summered around the lake, I never really learned anything about island life. Yeah, I understand about needing a boat, and everything arriving by boat (or over the ice) but, like getting around on the islands. Strictly on foot or by boat? Mountain bikes? Anything motorized like golf carts, atv's, mo-peds? How is mail distributed? Outgoing mail, must you bring to the mainland or will the (I'm assuming it's still operating) mailboat take it? What about (never say never, but hopefully never needed) Police/Fire/Ems? Any of the islands have a general store? Are any of the islands inhabited away from the shoreline?

AdvTHANKSance!

Slickcraft · 05-20-2011, 08:09 AM

I can only speak for Welch. There are walking paths around and across the island on private lands. No motorized vehicles on the paths and I have never seen a Mtn bike. The only mail delivery is to a row of boxes on shore at Glendale. Gilford does have a fireboat/EMS boat at Glendale as do some other towns. In case of a cottage fire they might be able to extinguish the remaining embers in hopes of keeping the fire from spreading to other camps.
Most island residents are pretty self sufficient with a tool shed stocked with tools and repair items. There is always something to fix.

Bear Islander · 05-20-2011, 10:36 AM

On Bear Island there are walking trails everywhere but no vehicles are allowed. The boat is used for almost everything. Our babysitter arrived by boat. Children often meet their friends by boat. There is a convenience store but it is on the mainland at the Y-Landing Marina. Grocery shopping is in Center Harbor where you take the cart to the public docks then leave it by the bushes.

Mail and ice cream comes on the Mail Boat at 11:30. We have a small library at the Mail Dock that lends out books, games, jigsaw puzzles and videos. Meeting the Mail Boat is the days social event. The Mail Boat is an official US Post Office with its own cancellation stamp. The boat also delivers packages from UPS, FedEx etc. Yes, it's hard to believe, but the US Post Office will deliver a FedEx package! But only on the islands.

The island once had it's own fire boat but it was donated to the Meredith Fire Department, they maintain it at Y-Landing. The island associations maintain some emergency fire fighting equipment and many homes have their own fire pumps and rakes. Fire is a concern on the island but we are better prepared because of that.

There is a little known law that gives Marine Patrol Officers full police powers when they are on an island. When you call 911 the Marine Patrol arrives quickly followed by the Fire Boat. You almost never see the Meredith Police.

Grady223 · 05-20-2011, 12:55 PM

Go to shore (Wolfeboro) for everything. We are physically located in Alton, but Wolfeboro is much closer.

There is mail delivery by the Mail Boat - it gets delivered to one location on the Island, one mail box on one of the resident's dock and you walk to get it or drop off for pick up the next day. Most also have a PO Box in Wolfeboro.

We have an old construction road the circles the inside of the Island which is used for walking, running and some biking. There are one or two electric golf carts, they are allowed by permit only - other vehicles are not allowed (mopeds, ATVs, etc.). You pretty much walk to everything on the Island and boat to everything off.

Alton supplies our fire, ambulance & fire, but don't wait for them - Wolfeboro and the Marine Patrol respond a lot faster. Not Alton's fault - we are 2 miles from the Wolfeboro docks and 7 from the Alton docks.

We have an Island Association that is responsible for social events and upholding the common deed covenants.

If you are interested in island living, try it out - next time rent an Island cottage. We did and never left - the name of the Grady says it all "Paradise Found!". Island Real Estate (603-569-3972) can help you find a place to rent.

To quote a Rachel Field poem, "If once you have slept on an island, You'll never quite be the same..." Absolutely true. The whole poem is here: http://chambersislandusa.com/slept4.shtml

Just Listen to the Silence . . . . . . . Feel Time Slow Down

nhd · 05-20-2011, 01:57 PM

If you want to look at any island properties give me a call 603 875-2020. I have lived on an island since 1968 and now work to find property for others who want to enjoy island living. I work at Prudential Spencer-Hughes in Alton and know the Lake quite well.

codeman671 · 05-20-2011, 02:03 PM

Mark Island has plenty of inner trails as well but no motorized vehicles. I don't think there is an island-wide rule against them but it is in my covenants set forth by the subdivision plan, not that anyone would care.

The mail dock exists but there is not a daily stop like there used to be when the cabin was inhabited for the season. The current owner is a weekender only. We do not have any mail delivered to the island, it goes to our primary home.

We have normal utilities: Directv, phone, power and DSL. As previously stated about Welch, Gilford has a fire boat that may arrive in time to cook a few marshmallows if a house ever went up.

Many private companies offer services to the islands such as maintenance, cleaning, trash removal, etc.

jkjoshuatree · 05-20-2011, 02:32 PM

And Bear Islander hit the nail on the head with everything!!

I'll be up Memorial Day Bear Islander and I'm sure I'll be at the mail dock too (I'll have 2 Golden Retrievers with me).

Come say hi if you see us!!

05-19-2011, 08:52 PM	#1
PapaBarnCat Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Sudbury, Ma. Posts: 20 Thanks: 8 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts	Island Education Request In the times I've visited and summered around the lake, I never really learned anything about island life. Yeah, I understand about needing a boat, and everything arriving by boat (or over the ice) but, like getting around on the islands. Strictly on foot or by boat? Mountain bikes? Anything motorized like golf carts, atv's, mo-peds? How is mail distributed? Outgoing mail, must you bring to the mainland or will the (I'm assuming it's still operating) mailboat take it? What about (never say never, but hopefully never needed) Police/Fire/Ems? Any of the islands have a general store? Are any of the islands inhabited away from the shoreline? AdvTHANKSance!

05-20-2011, 12:55 PM	#4
Grady223 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: New Hope, PA & Barndoor Island Posts: 464 Thanks: 93 Thanked 24 Times in 18 Posts	Barndoor Island Go to shore (Wolfeboro) for everything. We are physically located in Alton, but Wolfeboro is much closer. There is mail delivery by the Mail Boat - it gets delivered to one location on the Island, one mail box on one of the resident's dock and you walk to get it or drop off for pick up the next day. Most also have a PO Box in Wolfeboro. We have an old construction road the circles the inside of the Island which is used for walking, running and some biking. There are one or two electric golf carts, they are allowed by permit only - other vehicles are not allowed (mopeds, ATVs, etc.). You pretty much walk to everything on the Island and boat to everything off. Alton supplies our fire, ambulance & fire, but don't wait for them - Wolfeboro and the Marine Patrol respond a lot faster. Not Alton's fault - we are 2 miles from the Wolfeboro docks and 7 from the Alton docks. We have an Island Association that is responsible for social events and upholding the common deed covenants. If you are interested in island living, try it out - next time rent an Island cottage. We did and never left - the name of the Grady says it all "Paradise Found!". Island Real Estate (603-569-3972) can help you find a place to rent. To quote a Rachel Field poem, "If once you have slept on an island, You'll never quite be the same..." Absolutely true. The whole poem is here: http://chambersislandusa.com/slept4.shtml Just Listen to the Silence . . . . . . . Feel Time Slow Down Last edited by Grady223; 05-20-2011 at 01:12 PM. Reason: spelling

05-20-2011, 01:57 PM	#5
nhd Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 39 Thanks: 18 Thanked 53 Times in 15 Posts	Island living is the best If you want to look at any island properties give me a call 603 875-2020. I have lived on an island since 1968 and now work to find property for others who want to enjoy island living. I work at Prudential Spencer-Hughes in Alton and know the Lake quite well.

05-20-2011, 02:32 PM	#7
jkjoshuatree Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Bear Island Posts: 642 Thanks: 349 Thanked 145 Times in 77 Posts	I'm On Bear Island Too And Bear Islander hit the nail on the head with everything!! I'll be up Memorial Day Bear Islander and I'm sure I'll be at the mail dock too (I'll have 2 Golden Retrievers with me). Come say hi if you see us!! __________________ Dream out loud.

05-20-2011, 08:09 AM	#2
Slickcraft Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Welch Island and West Alton Posts: 3,219 Thanks: 1,175 Thanked 2,002 Times in 915 Posts	I can only speak for Welch. There are walking paths around and across the island on private lands. No motorized vehicles on the paths and I have never seen a Mtn bike. The only mail delivery is to a row of boxes on shore at Glendale. Gilford does have a fireboat/EMS boat at Glendale as do some other towns. In case of a cottage fire they might be able to extinguish the remaining embers in hopes of keeping the fire from spreading to other camps. Most island residents are pretty self sufficient with a tool shed stocked with tools and repair items. There is always something to fix.

05-20-2011, 10:36 AM	#3
Bear Islander Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Bear Island Posts: 1,757 Thanks: 31 Thanked 429 Times in 203 Posts	On Bear Island there are walking trails everywhere but no vehicles are allowed. The boat is used for almost everything. Our babysitter arrived by boat. Children often meet their friends by boat. There is a convenience store but it is on the mainland at the Y-Landing Marina. Grocery shopping is in Center Harbor where you take the cart to the public docks then leave it by the bushes. Mail and ice cream comes on the Mail Boat at 11:30. We have a small library at the Mail Dock that lends out books, games, jigsaw puzzles and videos. Meeting the Mail Boat is the days social event. The Mail Boat is an official US Post Office with its own cancellation stamp. The boat also delivers packages from UPS, FedEx etc. Yes, it's hard to believe, but the US Post Office will deliver a FedEx package! But only on the islands. The island once had it's own fire boat but it was donated to the Meredith Fire Department, they maintain it at Y-Landing. The island associations maintain some emergency fire fighting equipment and many homes have their own fire pumps and rakes. Fire is a concern on the island but we are better prepared because of that. There is a little known law that gives Marine Patrol Officers full police powers when they are on an island. When you call 911 the Marine Patrol arrives quickly followed by the Fire Boat. You almost never see the Meredith Police.

The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Bear Islander For This Useful Post:
jkjoshuatree (05-20-2011), Winnisquamguy (05-21-2011)

The Following User Says Thank You to Grady223 For This Useful Post:
Winnisquamguy (05-21-2011)

05-20-2011, 02:03 PM	#6
codeman671 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 3,360 Thanks: 210 Thanked 764 Times in 448 Posts	Mark Island has plenty of inner trails as well but no motorized vehicles. I don't think there is an island-wide rule against them but it is in my covenants set forth by the subdivision plan, not that anyone would care. The mail dock exists but there is not a daily stop like there used to be when the cabin was inhabited for the season. The current owner is a weekender only. We do not have any mail delivered to the island, it goes to our primary home. We have normal utilities: Directv, phone, power and DSL. As previously stated about Welch, Gilford has a fire boat that may arrive in time to cook a few marshmallows if a house ever went up. Many private companies offer services to the islands such as maintenance, cleaning, trash removal, etc.