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Zee · 03-02-2005, 02:20 PM

Its hard to pick a "favorite" memory. We spent a lot of time on the Lake when we were kids in the 60's. I remember several summers renting a cottage for two glorious weeks on Little Bear Island. We rented from the Sandersons or Sanders family who owned the store at Harilla Landing. I believe they still use the cottage on Little Bear but do not rent it. My brothers and I would row across to Harilla and buy fudgsicles which would drip down our chins. We would walk around the entire island, avoiding the very few houses which were built then. It took us so long with our short little legs that I would get scared that we were lost. My brothers would laugh because they knew, if you followed the shore you would come out where you started. We spent as much time in the water as we did on the land catching crawfish (where have they all gone?) and releasing them. I remember catching hornpout with bacon and a couple of times Mom let us put our catch in the bathtub (before she gutted and cooked them

)

In the mid 60's we rented a slip at what is now Mountain View Yacht club. When we were there, there were very few docks, not like it is now. Every Friday night or Saturday, we would drive from Worcester to spend the weekend. Five kids, two adults and a dog would sleep in sleeping bags on the 21 foot boat and in the station wagon parked a few feet away. Mornings would be hectic with Mom cooking a full breakfast on a propane stove on a fold-away table for us rugrats and Dad directing us to stow our sleeping stuff. Then it would be time to cast off the lines. We would cruise the lake, spending many lazy afternoons anchored off Whortleberry Island and what used to be called Chapman Sands (now Patrician Shores). It didn't matter what the temperature of the water was, we wanted to be in it.

Then periodically, Dad would treat us to Weirs Beach. I always collected my dimes and nickels so I could play the skeeball, get my fortune read by the mechanical fortune teller and of course play miniature golf. Oops, can't forget the bumper cars.

When we would cruise around, we were always awed by the witches rocks. They were scary and creepy and we would always look at them when we went passed. I remember being fascinated by all the steam ship wrecks. Dad would float above them and tell us what was down there and I would just stare at the water as if I could see what was down there.

Sally's Gut and the hole in the wall were always favorites. I used to sit on the bow with my legs hanging on either side of the bowrail (it was legal then) and idle through.

During the 70's, 80's & 90's and adulthood, I never lost my fondness for those memories but I rarely came to the lake. Three years ago my husband and I rediscovered the lake and we now have built a second home here and will retire here as our permanent home in 1-1/2 years. We come up every weekend and it gets tougher to go home on Sunday nights each time.

03-02-2005, 02:20 PM	#63
Zee Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Union Wharf, Tuftonboro Posts: 173 Thanks: 0 Thanked 5 Times in 1 Post	Soooo many memories..... Its hard to pick a "favorite" memory. We spent a lot of time on the Lake when we were kids in the 60's. I remember several summers renting a cottage for two glorious weeks on Little Bear Island. We rented from the Sandersons or Sanders family who owned the store at Harilla Landing. I believe they still use the cottage on Little Bear but do not rent it. My brothers and I would row across to Harilla and buy fudgsicles which would drip down our chins. We would walk around the entire island, avoiding the very few houses which were built then. It took us so long with our short little legs that I would get scared that we were lost. My brothers would laugh because they knew, if you followed the shore you would come out where you started. We spent as much time in the water as we did on the land catching crawfish (where have they all gone?) and releasing them. I remember catching hornpout with bacon and a couple of times Mom let us put our catch in the bathtub (before she gutted and cooked them ) In the mid 60's we rented a slip at what is now Mountain View Yacht club. When we were there, there were very few docks, not like it is now. Every Friday night or Saturday, we would drive from Worcester to spend the weekend. Five kids, two adults and a dog would sleep in sleeping bags on the 21 foot boat and in the station wagon parked a few feet away. Mornings would be hectic with Mom cooking a full breakfast on a propane stove on a fold-away table for us rugrats and Dad directing us to stow our sleeping stuff. Then it would be time to cast off the lines. We would cruise the lake, spending many lazy afternoons anchored off Whortleberry Island and what used to be called Chapman Sands (now Patrician Shores). It didn't matter what the temperature of the water was, we wanted to be in it. Then periodically, Dad would treat us to Weirs Beach. I always collected my dimes and nickels so I could play the skeeball, get my fortune read by the mechanical fortune teller and of course play miniature golf. Oops, can't forget the bumper cars. When we would cruise around, we were always awed by the witches rocks. They were scary and creepy and we would always look at them when we went passed. I remember being fascinated by all the steam ship wrecks. Dad would float above them and tell us what was down there and I would just stare at the water as if I could see what was down there. Sally's Gut and the hole in the wall were always favorites. I used to sit on the bow with my legs hanging on either side of the bowrail (it was legal then) and idle through. During the 70's, 80's & 90's and adulthood, I never lost my fondness for those memories but I rarely came to the lake. Three years ago my husband and I rediscovered the lake and we now have built a second home here and will retire here as our permanent home in 1-1/2 years. We come up every weekend and it gets tougher to go home on Sunday nights each time.