View Single Post
Old 02-16-2018, 08:51 AM   #3
MikeF-NH
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 317
Thanks: 2
Thanked 120 Times in 80 Posts
Default

Wow...only Bizer and compass with no experience in that area would definitely be a challenge but people did it for generations before GPS with Navionics came to play. Consider (if you have a smart phone), picking up the Navionics app in conjunction with your phone GPS will give you very valuable assistance in navigation. Coordinate that will your Bizer and you will know where you are.

While the following route is not necessarily one I would take, it would be easiest and perhaps least risky without GPS assistance.
1.) Leave the town docks and follow western shoreline past Varney Point and to the outside of Lockes Island (eastern shore of the island). I do this to avoid no wake zone b/t Lockes and main land and a few hazards past the south side of Lockes. BEWARE of the Witches...if you are not familiar...find them on your Bizer.
2.) go around the south shore of Welches island. There is one hazard that sticks out a bit at the southeast point of the island...just stay about a mile off shore and you are fine.
3.) Go directly across the Broads approx. northeast heading to the southern shore of Sandy island and turn north avoiding 3 markers on the east shore of Sandy.
4.) now you can either go through the pass b/t Little Bear and Long islands and stay on plane or take the short cut through Hole in the Wall by heading northeast after you pass Ragged island. This is a no wake zone.
5.) coming out of Hole in the Wall, head north east to the water between Chases Point and Whorteberry. Watch the markers on the east shore...they can be confusing. I would recommend not taking the short cut through The Graveyard to a first timer with no GPS and instead go east of Melvin island and west of Chases island.
6.) as soon as you pass Chases, you can set a bearing toward the distant church in Melvin Village and you are basically in Melvin Bay portion of Moultonboro Bay. From there decide on your destination. If heading up toware Lees Mills etc...there is loads of hazard and (though I have a lot of experience in the area)...there is reason to proceed cautiously and watch for markers in the middle 100% of the time.

The alternative path is going through Cattle landing area to the channel between Pine and Bear then cross to the north side of 5 Mile island and go under the Long Island bridge at Trexlars then through the Six Pack but without GPS, I think option 1 is best. This second option is better if winds exceed 15 mph.

As for lunch...if you head east after passing Chase Island into 19 Mile Bay...there is public docks and 19 Mile Bay grocery which has a good lunch counter and what my kids call "the best chicken tenders in the world" as well as an ice cream stand. Porta potty at the docks too...just in case...no public flush toilets. Other than Wolfboro that is the only lunch place on that side of the lake that is walking distance from the water. I would almost go to Center Harbor for lunch rather than Wolfboro if I were on the north end just because its less busy in the summer. A few choices there and the Canoe will sent a "shuttle" to pick you up if you call them.

Be careful, use your head, don't assume the guy you follow knows what he's doing. People on this forum have often offered a guided tour for people who want to learn the area so of that offer comes - TAKE IT!
MikeF-NH is offline   Reply With Quote