Possible new homeowner in Braun Bay

[ITROCKS]

Hi all, newbie to the forum. Interesting stuff posted here and some great information. I'm actually looking at one of the houses in braun bay for possible purchase soon. From reading some of the posts i had some slight concerns. I'm in my late 30's, married with 2 kids looking for a second home and plan on being there quite a bit for both fun and relaxation and could use a little background on the area, how busy the bay is, maybe some expectations, etc..

Any and all information is welcome and appreciated

Thanks All!

[Misty Blue]

IROCKS

We have been on the bay since 57'. Living here since 98'.

We are on the western shore not far from the Kona WMA.

It is a beautiful bay and most of it is protected from heavy winds due to it's north-south orientation. Being spring fed, the water usually stays clean and clear due to the flow from north to south. Most of the bay is free of stagnent water. This is an important part of a decision to buy.

Many people worry that the bay is too crowded and busy due to the area where people like to anchor at Kona. My take on this is that it only happens two days a week from 11 AM till 5 PM for eight weeks a year (less than 100 hours/year). The rest of the year it is quiet. Mornings and evenings are always quiet and a great time kayak into the Kona swamp.

The water along the shore is shallow almost everywhere so deep draft boats may be a problem if you want to dock. Moorings about 75 feet off shore are usually OK.

One great thing about Braun Bay is that it is in a great location for getting almost anywhere on the Lake. It is just a short run and you are out into the broads and have a direct line to Center Harbor, Weirs/Meredith, Alton Bay and Wolfeboro. A lot of places such as Lee's Mills or Paugus Bay require some time and distance before you are out on the Lake.

Good luck!

[gravy boat]

Welcome to the Forum and to the Lake! ;-)

The only area that may be undesirable if you have small kids is where all the boats anchor far in the cove. It can get quite crowded on weekends and multiple boats will play their music quite loud. And most don't have heads on board, if you get my drift.

But if you don't mind weekend parties, then it's a non-issue. It's a fun place and our girls love to swim there.

GB

[ITROCKS]

Good Info, any idea of what the average amount of boats are? does it limit me from getting out of the bay seeing that its pretty shallow?

i was also reading a bunch on the "rafting" issues there, is it that much of a concern where the MP has to monitor frequently? is there so much traffic and problems in there every weekend and become unmanageble at any point?

sorry for all the questions trying to cover every angle, thanks all again for the replies the more informed the better!

[TomC]

Good Info, any idea of what the average amount of boats are? does it limit me from getting out of the bay seeing that its pretty shallow?

Do an image search on google ("Braun Bay") and you'll see dozens of shots of the rafting/party activity in the bay. Someone who lives closer to the area than i do can comment on whether or not the pictures depict a typical summer weekend...

[ITROCKS]

Thanks TomC, i did do just that and saw the videos as well :) and thats kind of whats prompting me with these inquiries. Some were old some were new and i also read it was more tame now than years ago with the rafting crackdown.

[Misty Blue]

You are right TomC.

Those shots of the Bay are typical of a Summer Saturday or Sunday. Not mid week and only (mostly) between July 4th and Labor Day.

The rafting "scene" is pretty much kept into the upper Bay. There are about ten houses that have the boats right in front of them (all on the north-eastern part of the Bay). The anchored boats are usually about two hundred yards from this shore due to shallow water and rocks. As I said the "no rafting" rules (50' spacing, etc.) has expanded the size (I don't think the number of boats) greatly. While before the rafting rules the boats were kind of piled up in the head of the Bay, they now are kind of spread out twards the western side of the Bay. Some even are anchoring ( just a few so far) behind Glines Island.

The traffic, while I really don't enjoy it, is bearable with one exception. People with mid-size boats do a lot of tubeing in the Bay. This puts up wakes that have damaged my dock and boats. You can say that they are responsible for their wakes but it's hard to prove.

My take is that all things considered Braun Bay is one of the most perfect places on the Lake.

Misty Blue.

[ApS]

"...sorry for all the questions trying to cover every angle, thanks all again for the replies the more informed the better...!"If you want to keep your seasons extended as long as possible, try to get an exposure to the south. Come to think of it, a southern exposure is best for most everything. ;)