2015 Lee's Mills Steamboat Rally
 

I wonder when the parade to 19 Mile Bay is?

Steam boats
 

Great!! These are the nicest people you ever want to meet. I have taken my granddaughter there several times and we always have a great time.

I particularly enjoy their refreshment tent (!), and it is always nice to listen to them explain all about their craft. I know nothing about steamboats, but I love hearing the owners explain the intracacies of their engines, oils, and wood fuels.

This is a great "take" for a grandfather and grandchild.

Enjoy - tooooot, tooooooooooooot !!

19 Mile Bay
 

On the 40th annual rally, it reads that there would be a run to 19 Mile Bay and back on Wednesday. No time specified. I have an e-mail in to Dave. If I hear back, I will let you know.

People will often give you a ride in their steamboat. The puffers come up into Green's Basin all week long, but the parade into the basin is on the last day.I have been enjoying the steamboats since the 1950's.

For anyone who hasn't seen them, here's a series of videos I shot at the rally in 2010:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CAW7XbcbZG4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_y37Uk7DsVQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ovRE12ohlOo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8F7WkcXjFbk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SkYLpLVqJ_k" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

It's a wonderful event and we enjoy it every year but I'm wondering why they have it at Lee's Mill, which is out of the way. I'd think that the Center Harbor town docks would give them so much more exposure...close to the motel, shopping and restaurants. I'm sure the town would welcome them.

Some gatherings are more about being together than being exposed.

Run to 19 Mile Bay
 

From Dave:

"On Sunday the 13th the parade will start at about 2:00 and usually goes out into Moultonborough Bay, to Sussvale and back.

Wednesday the 16th is the run to 19 Mile Bay

and Sunday the 20th the parade will be at about 10:00 and usually goes to Green’s Basin and back.

Sometime things change at the last minute but that is the plan at this time."

Venue
 

It would be my guess that the Lee's Mill area is more protected. Also, it is ten day event, so Center Harbor may not want it there.

My best thought on the subject would be tradition! :D

Any idea on what time on Wednesday? Thanks in advance.

Yesterday we went from Green's Basin through the Hole in The Wall, around Ragged Island and back through by the Barber Pole. There were so many more boats up around Lee's Mills then anywhere else we went. I am glad it isn't that crowded all the time.The area is very narrow for a large number of boats. It is nice though that so many boaters are enjoying the steamboats.

Dave Thompson
 

My thoughts are thus: Dave Thompson who is "Mr. Steamboat Extraordinaire" hails from Moultonborough, so it is quite fitting that the steamboats gather in that locale --- it's tradition.

Lees Mill History
 

The area of Lees Mill is steeped in steamboat history.Frances Stevens book "Moultonborough As I Remember", describes the area as a working landing where steamboats were based to perform working tasks on the lake such as installation and removal of the buoys and navigation lights. Also logs were cut by local landowners all around the lake and dragged onto the ice during the winter. These logs were fastened together and when the ice melted these rafts of logs were hauled by steamboat to Lees Mill to be sawed out into lumber. At times the entire Lees mill bay would be filled with logs waiting to be sawed.
After over 100 years the bottom of the bay is still covered with a thick layer of sawdust as the Lees Mill saw was located over the mill race.
There were also many shops and boathouses located on the landing where steamboats and equipment were stored and repaired. The landing itself was all dredged land where if you wanted to build something or have a place to store your boat all you had to do was build some log cribbing and dredge sand from the lake to fill behind it. In recent years this has made for some interesting legal issues for the town of Moultonborough who claims to "own" the landing as opposed to those people who actually created the land by dredging.

19 Mile Bay Run
 

I apologize for not responding sooner. Dave didn't say what time.

Friends and I went up to Lee's Mills and the steamboats were headed to 19 Mile bay then. I am guessing that they left Lee's around ten-ish.
(For future reference.)

That's OK. We took a ride to 19 mile bay in time to see them all heading back to Lee's Mills. Really enjoyed them. Followed them back!

I wonder...
 

Did you see three PWCs leaving 19 Mile Bay? If so, I was on one of them and saw you!

What cool boats. More quiet than you would think.

I don't recall seeing 3 PWCs but I was mesmerized by the beautiful steam boats. I did pass by 2 PWCs when were heading out through the Graveyard.

Steamboat Rally
 

I only took a few pictures.

2nd Pic
 

Steamboat headin into Pier 19.

3rd Pic
 

Steamboats heading out of 19 Mile Bay. Bummer the store was closed.