Barber's Pole???
 

I just found an old thread on this forum from 2009 (I think), and at that time it had just been taken out of the water for what some people thought was restoration, (apparently it was in pretty rough shape). However, as far as I know, it was never replaced, and the thread from 2009 was never finished / completed, so I'm assuming that the Barber's Pole is no more?? Maybe someone can shed some light on this. Just curious.

The area is called the Barber's Pole whether the physical pole is there or not. It was not there for years and the name stayed. So don't worry.

I miss it too
 

I miss the barber pole. It was as iconic as the many camps that dotted the shores of this wonderful lake. They too are slowly going by the wayside.

Dave

I believe the "barbers pole" was originally named from the similarity of the marks left on logs from cables towing them to sawmills. Or so I remember being told...

As a kid, I remember hearing that after the great hurricane in 1938 there was a lot of activity around the lake to try and salvage as much of the fallen timber before the bugs got to it. The solution was to get the logs into the lake and raft them to wherever they could be sawed into lumber. Supply vs. demand being what it is, a lot of those logs stayed in the lake and sank before they got towed to a mill. On a sunny day, you may still be able to see them on the bottom around the Barbers Pole. I know we could see them a "few" years ago... :D

The most recent pole was put in by residents on the Tuftonborough mainland. I remember it being blue / red / white with gold leaf accents. It looked good but the weather did get to it after a few years. A few of those houses have changed hands so that may have something to do with the absence as well.

I believe in the thread from 2009, there is probably a statement from someone, that mentions the pole was removed by the Marine Patrol.....

Not confirmed, but my strong belief, is that someone at somepoint probably took it as the light Marker and found themselves in trouble. At which point it was deemed a hazard to navigation and removed.

MP did remove it as part of their efforts to have only standard markers and buoys on the lake. Unfortunately, they sometimes remove those handy homemade markers (usually bleach bottles) that mark rocks lurking below the surface in less traveled areas.

I recall a barber's rotating sign on a boathouse near where the actual pole used to be. Don't know if it was lit, or actually rotated. Is that still in place? I don't take that route very often.

There are still a couple of “camps” on the inland side of Barber’s Pole area who display a barber’s pole (on land) and they have for many years.

Lilly Pond is loaded with poles. They dumped the poles from the '38 hurricane in the pond to prevent insects rot. A sawmill was built at the corner where Miles Marine located. Unfortunately there was no demand, the sawmill folded and Lily Pond is still filled with logs. It is very dangerous to swim or walk in the pond. The mercury content is high so no fishing.


I was told it was the same situation at Lees Mill. Lots of logs found in that vicinity. Perhaps the logs from around the lake passed through the Barber's pole to Lees Mill. Boulia Gorrell was on Paugus Bay and received a good share of poles and shipped them elsewhere on the old Lake Shore Railroad.

Just happened to notice this week that there is a "make shift" Barbers Pole back in place at FL #17 …………….

Sad looking thing appears to be made from one of the fiberglass/plastic markers they use for red & black tops.

We just went by there...not great but appreciated the thought. Couldn’t examine too closely as there were two SUPs in the middle of the somewhat narrow channel.:)

I’m on Cow just north of buoy 17. I noticed the new “marker”. It seems to be placed where the largest rock is located. When the lake is low it can be struck. I’m pretty sure the marker is unauthorized. People pass to the wrong side of the red spar often.
I was never in favor of the old barber pole when it was placed as a buoy. It caused a lot of navigational confusion.

Wind SUPs? SUP-Fish?
 

It just "wouldn't do" to have the three latest SUPs having the right of way in a narrow channel: ;)

What are you babbling about now? No one indicated that SUPs, canoes, sailboats etc do not have the right of and that boats approaching them must obey the safe passage RSA.

I will add that it is certainly a dumb and inconsiderate place to operate a SUP.

..... what is that sail thing?
 

......wow.....just look at those sails.....never seen that, looks like a 3-corner triangle sail that gets attached to the long sup paddle ...... would that actually work? .....could not find a 'sail for sup paddle' in amazon????

......according to the Coast Guard and probably same rule per the NH MP ..... these three sup's in photo are considered to be a vessel and NH requires a pfd and a whistle to be worn or to be on board depending on age of paddler


.....probably the 150' - 6-mph law applies too?

You just have to look a little harder!

Pretty soon the Plymouth WalMart will have them, right next to the noodles!

https://www.bonanza.com/listings/NEW...hoCzh0QAvD_BwE

Thanks for the link to the sup sails that cost 153-GB pounds so that's like $200 or something.

No way can I afford to pay that. Will wait till there's one at the local thrift store for like five to ten dollars, in excellent shape.

sups are already pretty danged unstable for most paddlers using a paddle, so using a mast and sail like that is probably very challenging and maybe close to impossible .....just say'n?

'This It?
 

Me neither, but it was there in 2011:

For those of us who live in the Barber Pole, are we supposed to load the SUP's on a boat and go elsewhere?

Foxwood boathouse totally rebuilt last summer. No barbers pole. Maybe the new owners will put one in if they see this. They did a great job with the new boathouse. I don’t believe the old pole was lit.

On it
 

Hello,

New owners here. We see your post and will work on getting one up. Sadly the one that was on the dock was remove with some demolition. We will make sure we honor this area and get another one up soon. Not easy to find.

Just remember it can only have a white light.

Our post did not have a light. This one will be the same.

Yup. No light. Just the pole.

Good, would be sorry to see you buy one with a colored light or lights and find out it is prohibited. We will be looking forward to it.

Nice piece about Barber’s Pole
 

Found this while searching the internet. Not sure if it has been referenced or not yet.

http://pub32.bravenet.com/forum/stat...33107&cmd=show

What an interesting story. Thank you.

Our camp is on Cow just north of #17. I was there when the barbers pole buoy was placed. A nice idea but it was indeed a navagation hazard. Boats would come upon it and not know what to do. It lasted quite a while but toward the end most of the paint was gone on the prevailing weather side.
There are several barbers poles on the Tuftonboro side on land where it makes more sense.