best swimming spots for boaters
 

Where are best spots where you can anchor and swim,wade off the boat.Prefer Meredith area

Braun Bay is the best. It gets crowded though. Arrive early and anchor with your bow over muck and your stern over sand, if you will be there on a weekend. Let the late arrivals pack in behind you.

Two anchors are a must; regardless of when you go. The stern anchor can by miniscule. I use a two kilogram (4.4 lb) Bruce claw as a stern anchor and it easily holds my 6000 lb boat on a 5:1 to 7:1 scope.

Swim Spots
 

I'll second Braun Bay. By far the nicest spot I've been to. Crowded on weekends, but not so bad during the week.

I also like to just drift out in the middle of the broads and jump and swim off the boat. Maybe creepy for some, but it gives you that ocean swimming feel.

There are also good sandbars just outside west Alton Marina and at the bottom of Paugus Bay.

Ellacoya
 

If the above places are crowded, just in front of Ellacoya State Park is nice also. Never crowded, nice shallow clean water and easy anchoring. Lots of room too!!

Dan

Is it OK to anchor off of Ellacoya and walk on to the State beach?

boat to beach
 

I would think as long as your anchored 150ft off shore ,leave someone on board ,and hold a state park pass ,you would be covered.:rolleye2:

A few good suggestions from this early post. http://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums/...ead.php?t=7649

Happy Boating....looks like we are finally getting summer weather. :coolsm:

Ellacoya State Park
 

Have the rules change? Years ago the marine patrol use to chase us away from the front of the park. :confused:

Other areas we like (Braun Bay already mentioned):

In between Sleepers Island & shore, nice sandbar right next to the channel into West Alton Marina (also gets crowded weekends)

In Paugus bay, nice sandbar in front of the Margate hotel, just south of their beach. Rough waves here.

For deep water swimming with calmer water for sitting on the boat: East Cove off Long Island, Johnson Cove near Wolfeboro, small cove on the east side of Sally's Gut in Meredith. Also, anchoring off the side of Timber Island (Mark side I believe) is nice.

Swimming
 

We always went to Patrican Shores , shallow sandy area no beach though. We have not been for a few years so things might have changed.Brawn Bay gets crowded and week ends can get a little too rowdy for small ones. We too love to just stop and jump in the middle of the lake.

Timber
 

I hear there's a wonderful cove over on Timber Island thats quite popuar:D

braun bay
 

tried it wednesday.best swimming spot we've found so far.plenty of space for boats in secluded bay.nice sandy bottom and shallow water

Glad you liked it. We were there on Tuesday. Gorgeous day to be on the water.

I've heard some rumblings about this spot as well...

That Timber Island spot is horrible. Don't go there. The water is colder and the rocks are sharper than anywhere else on the lake. :laugh::laugh::laugh:

Ok, it is one of my favorite places. Very relaxed, no loud crowds, deep clean water. But you do get a few wakes and there no shallow sandy area.

Cove location
 

Is this the cove that faces Governors Island or the cove between Timber and Mark? By facing Governors Island I mean you can see a portion of Governors but you can't see the Witches. I've seen boats in there but have never anchored there. Anyone know if there are many rocks in there?

You don't want to be on the governors side.Mark Island side for sure.

I will never tell!
 

Best kept, Boaters Secret................. :rolleye2:

I never anchor on the Gov.island side, it always looked to be more open to wakes. I often see several boats tucked in there. I know there was a popular rope swing in the area.

It doesn't look to rocky on the chart, but as always keep a sharp eye.

Thanks jrc

I anchored this past Saturday between Mark and Timber and there was some boat wake there. Not as much as on the side facing Round where I usually anchor.

Nice Swimming Spots
 

We like to go to the area between Stonedam and Pitchwood sometimes. Don't get in too close though as there are rockfish lurking. Over toward the Wolfeboro area we like to go past the Barndoors to that area behind Kenniston and Melody where the loon sanctuary is. It's generally pretty quiet and if it's not the weekend you can easily cruise into Wolfeboro for some ice cream.

That's a neat spot for snorkeling. Lotsa interesting rock formations.