'Destination Winnipesaukee' DVD

[video tours NE]

Hi everyone,

I joined this forum because I`d heard it`s a great place to learn about the lake, the culture, the towns, boating secrets, tips etc ..
My company is now in production for a new video all about Lake Winnipesaukee and the surrounding communities. We are very excited about this project and have been working very hard researching the history, the activities and current events around the lake, navigation, launches/parking, docking areas, day cruises, danger zones, recommended resorts, lakeside cottages, restaurants, and much more...
We have been shooting video for a few months, from shore and aboard our Aquasport 215 Explorer, and will continue shooting footage until end of October. The DVD will be released and sold in stores all around the lakes region in April 2006. And, online at our website!

It seems to me that the members of this forum are very involved and knowledgeable about this beautiful Lake. I was advised by Barbara at Waldo Peppers and Fred at Proctor's Lakehouse Cottages to join and make some friends and contacts.
So .. here I am .. anxious to get to know some of you, maybe get some ideas and input from you .. :-)

I am interested in little-known secrets and stories that will help make
this DVD exceptional .. entertaining .. educational and valuable
.. to tourists as well as locals !

Please check out the new site: (and see a preview video)
www.destinationwinnipesaukee.com

Thanks for a great forum ! :-)

-Mike Comeau

VideoTours New England
www.vtne.com
Dover, NH
------------------------

[KonaChick]

Perhaps the best little known secret is that we don't share out little known secrets otherwise they wouldn't be secrets anymore!

[mcdude]

Very impressive, Mike! Looks like a must for the video collection at the cottage.

[phoenix]

agree with McDude. will be great for those of us who don't spend the winter at the lake ( i suppose also for those who do) to see what to look forward to. Get up to Moultonboro general store and see the northern end of the lake

[trfour]

spend the winters here!.... And take pride in being a part of the Wonderful Team Winnipesaukee.com! Want to enjoy photos, or look up history, and there is tons and tons more!

You all make us Proud!!

Love,
T.

[Gilly 20]

AMEN_KONACHICK-- I got to know the lake in the 60's. It's truely God's Countryit's secrets are between the visitor and Him.-- and like Ralph the dog from the baked beans commercial--"I'm not talkin!"

Originally Posted by KonaChick

Perhaps the best little known secret is that we don't share out little known secrets otherwise they wouldn't be secrets anymore!

[video tours NE]

Thanks, mcdude and phoenix for your supportive comments ! I really appreciate it !! :-)
I would love to find that General Store in Moultonboro. It`s right on the water, is it ?

That area is beautiful, but I get nervous with the rocks, shallow areas, black and red markers I'm often unsure about .. (stay north, stay west .. etc)
Ever since I ruined my prop hitting rocks a few years ago in that 6-pack area ... (it was only a 5-pack when I hit :-(

Question: Should I spend a lot of time in the DVD showing out-of-towners this risky area of the lake and encourage them to boat right in ?
Or, should I just keep them cruising the (safer) deep lake and the surrounding towns ?
What are your thoughts, guys ?

Thanks,
Mike
-----------------

[Cal]

Can't wait till 04/06

[Paugus Bay Resident]

Opening of the video shows a couple of kids riding on the deck of a boat that's underway. You may want to edit that out since its illegal and very dangerous. Other than that, nice video. Sorry to be a nitpicker

[islandAl]

Sept 9th to the big parade on Sunday 18th based at Lees Mills Moultonboro. Typically 50-75 steamboats of various size and style.

[KonaChick]

My reply was tounge in cheek for those who need it clarified! It does remind me of a funny story though. Last summer my husband and 9 year old son were out on our raft watching a bass boat fishing near our cove. My son started calling over to them. When my husband asked my son why he was calling to them he replied "So I can tell them where all the best fishing spots in our cove are!" My husband promptly cupped his hand over my sons mouth and just waved..ahhhh the innocence of youth.

[dpg]

Interesting, please keep us informed as to when (and where) it's for sale.

[Seaplane Pilot]

Originally Posted by Paugus Bay Resident

Opening of the video shows a couple of kids riding on the deck of a boat that's underway. You may want to edit that out since its illegal and very dangerous. Other than that, nice video. Sorry to be a nitpicker

Actually, riding on the deck (as shown in the video preview) is not illegal, but might be dangerous as you stated. Straddling the bow is illegal.

[Orion]

VT-NE,
I would certainly not discourage anyone from using any part of the lake out of fear of hitting bottom, but make sure to stress the importance of following a good navigation chart (there are several available) and ALWAYS knowing exactly where you are. The charts show (by dotted lines) what sides of the bouys to stay on. There are some tricky areas, but the key is to know where you are - ALWAYS. If you are not sure of your navigation skills, then you might want to stear clear of areas like The Graveyard, Pistol Island, the Varney Islands, Upper Moultonborough Bay, the Witches, and others.

[video tours NE]

Thanks, Orion .. and Seaplane Pilot and all of you who have posted comments and support for our project. Your thoughts and opinions are all valuable.
I will be showing markers in the water, my compass, my Chart and using voice-over to describe where we are, nearby landmarks & hazards, where we're headed, etc. :-)

Tomorrow we're putting a videographer aboard the Sophie C as she delivers mail to Sandy, Birch and Jolly islands .. shooting from my boat as well. Should be a nice informative segment with all the narration they provide.

On another note, if any of you have a piece of beautiful waterfront property and a dock, and would allow us to come over for a few shots of your view, we'd be very grateful ! In fact, we'd give you dinner for two at a nice restaurant in the area.
:-)

Thanks,
Mike
-----------------------

[Outlaw]

Originally Posted by Seaplane Pilot

Actually, riding on the deck (as shown in the video preview) is not illegal, but might be dangerous as you stated. Straddling the bow is illegal.

Not to be nit picking myself, but NH Law states:

Riding on Bow, Gunwales or Transom is allowing passengers to ride on a vessel in places where there may be a chance of falling overboard while underway. This includes passengers straddling the bow, or riding on the gunwales or trans.

Here's the link to the full web site for those who are interested in learning more about NH Laws & Responsibilities: http://www.boat-ed.com/nh/handbook/oper.htm

Granted the children are wearing PFD's which is a good thing and shows an effort for safe boating, but allowing passengers to ride on any boat on the bow, which is not a bow rider is considered unsafe and probably not the 'best' image to include in this video.

The overall video is a great idea and you've captured many nice things. Good Luck with this.

[Rattlesnake Gal]

Welcome to the forum, video tours NE. Looks like you have a winning idea!
Don't forget to include the beautiful MS Mount Washington! She's been part of the lake for sixty-five years now.
If you are brave enough... some footage of The Broads when the waves are high would be good, also when it is smooth as glass. Lake Winnipesaukee has many faces.
Are you going to include any other seasons?
The Rotary Fishing Derby in February would be an excellent addition. Lots of cool bob houses, snowmobiles and vehicles on the ice then Most people don't get to see the lake when the water is stiff. I thought is was incredible when all the trucks and cars were heading off the ice in Center Harbor at dusk.
Video taken from Abenaki Tower, Rattlesnake Island or Mount Major might be valuable to you as well.
Good luck in your venture. I am looking forward to seeing the movie!
RG

[video tours NE]

Thanks for your input! We do have footage of the MS Mount Washington. We had a crew onboard filming at Ice Out last April...very cool. We do plan on mentioning the Fishing Derby although I'm afraid we won't have any footage seeing that we start editing early winter. We do, however, have some great winter footage from last year. Icy lake, snow covered trees....simply breathtaking. As for your other suggestions- thanks! Rattlesnake Island is beautiful and will definitely be mentioned as well as shown from water (we have a boat that we film on so there is tons of footage of the lake from a boaters perspective). We'll keep everyone posted with how the DVD is coming along!

[Mee-n-Mac]

Originally Posted by video tours NE

{snip} Question: Should I spend a lot of time in the DVD showing out-of-towners this risky area of the lake and encourage them to boat right in ? Or, should I just keep them cruising the (safer) deep lake and the surrounding towns ?
What are your thoughts, guys ?

Thanks,
Mike

I guess it depends on what you're trying to achieve with your DVD, primarily being educational or primarily general interest and entertainment. Since you asked I would have a segment showing some of the "easy to get caught in" places and where they're located (perhaps using a chart as well). Kind of a "lake as a beautiful but demanding mistress" thing, with clips of the tricky places. Alternately if your video is in the form of a grand tour of the lake*, I would mention each hazard as it comes up during the tour. Perhaps a what to look for, what to look out for, format. I would encourage you to encourage others, as we encourage people here, to buy one of the lake charts and use it. Hmmmm ... perhaps showing the route to be taken on a chart, noting any hazards to be avoided, and then showing the lake via the video camera would be a way of accomplishing twin goals of showing the lake while being informative without needlessly scaring off people. At the same time it would encourage (where o where is my thesaurus) people to buy and use a lake chart. {I guess Orion beat me to it }

Good luck with your endeavour. I wouldn't know where to start to try and show the lake on a video and capture all the "neat" spots while keeping the length to something under a Kevin Costner film.

*Now that I think of it, emulating Fritz Weatherby's format would work. Knew I was getting the idea from somewhere

[video tours NE]

For those of you who know about the Destination: Winnipesaukee DVD (due to come out April 2006), the documentary's progress is coming along very well. For those of you who don't know about it check out the up and coming website www.destinationwinnipesaukee.com for a 2 minute preview of the DVD as well as some background info.

THE CONTEST: Mike and I were thinking it would be fun to put together a little contest for those of you who have video cameras. We're looking for some spectacular sunrise footage. From the looks of some of the still photos I've checked out in the photo gallery, I know many of you have amazing views of the lake from your homes or from some of the many 'secret' places around Lake Winni.

For those of you interested, the winner of the contest will get $50 and an acknowledgment in the DVD.

HOW IT WORKS: (note: you don't have to be a computer wizard to be in the contest). Email Mike at m.comeau@comcast.net after you have you're FABULOUS sunrise footage. You can either send him a streaming clip of the video or just simply let him know where and when we can pick up the video tape (we're up at the lake all the time shooting). Make sure to include your name, address, and phone number (optional) in the email so we can contact you if you've won.

Once we've viewed all the entries we will post the winner on the forum and you will receive your $50!!

Feel free to respond to this post with any comments/questions, etc.


-Cheryl
VideoToursNE
www.destinationwinnipesaukee.com
www.vtne.com

[KTO]

Oh darn! I have a video camera, but instead of filming the sunrise, I just took a picture!!! Darnit! Oh well, I'll just have to wait...when does this contest end?

[video tours NE]

Hi !
Thanks for your reply and interest !

yes, please shoot video if you can, with the camcorder on a tripod or other solid surface, aim and focus on the horizon .. a medium-wide shot .. roll the tape just as the sun begins to appear and record for about 10-15 minutes .. I`d like a nice long shot of the actual rise from the horizon.
Then, in editing, I can speed it up ...
:-)
The exposure level (brightness) has to be correct too, so that the shot isn`t too bright when the sun appears.

What do you think ? Can you pull it off ? :-)

-Cheryl

VTNE
----------------------

[KonaChick]

Perhaps the classified section on the website would be a better place to advertise this??

[Rattlesnake Gal]

So how are things coming along with "Destination Winnipesaukee"?
Looking forward to seeing it!

[video tours NE]

Thought all the Lake locals would be interested to know that the DVD on Lake Winnipesaukee is almost finished! The deadline is April 30th and hopefully it will be in stores around the lake and available online come early May. The name of the video is Destination Winnipesaukee and it will serve as a travel guide to the lake: where to eat, stay, fish, how to navigate safely around lake, etc. We're really excited about the end product...its going to be fantastic!

Cheers,

Cheryl
VTNE

[video tours NE]

Hello everyone,

So as I have mentioned before, the DVD is very close to being finished! It's a very exciting time for us here at VideoTours, and with the end in sight we are reaching out to the Winnipesaukee Forum once again for help.

We are looking for really great still shots of the Lake to put on the DVD's cover. We want a variety so not just the Lake itself, but people, boaters, islands, fishing, waterskiiers, sunsets, etc. I've seen the Forum Gallery people so I KNOW you've got some great stuff! If you have a really wonderful picture that you want to show off, email us at M.comeau@comcast.net with the picture. If we choose your entry we will give you a FREE copy of the DVD once it is released next month.

We continue to post on this forum because many of you have been such a big help with answering questions, contributing some video (*ahem* rattlesnakegal ), and much more! So on behalf of the staff here at VideoToursNE....THANK YOU!!


-Cheryl
VTNE.com

[Janet]

Does anyone have an idea when the DVD will be ready for order? I've sent emails to the company and have heard no response. Their website, www.vtne.com says the DVD would be ready end of May. Hello, this is June 16th

[ghfromaltonbay]

Originally Posted by Janet

Does anyone have an idea when the DVD will be ready for order? I've sent emails to the company and have heard no response. Their website, www.vtne.com says the DVD would be ready end of May. Hello, this is June 16th

I'm wondering if this company scammed local businesses for free services. The guy taking the pictures down our way got a few free nights at Sandy Point (said it was good publicity for the place), probably got freebies from other merchants in the area as well. Then came back and said the film he took there was "lost" and came back again to do some re-takes. Never heard anything more and now they are more than 6 weeks late with ordering availability. Something doesn't sound right here.

[NHFreedom]

I noticed that you can order the video online through their website.
http://destinationwinnipesaukee.com/order.php

It says "allow 3 to 4 weeks for delivery".

Has anyone ordered and received the video yet?

[Janet]

for the info. When I checked their website Friday night the order information wasn't there. I just ordered so we'll see what happens. Probably should have ordered an extra copy - I've worn out my "On Golden Pond" DVD trying to get my fix of the lakes region. Most of the lakes (?) in Texas are holes the Army Corp of Engineers have dug and filled with water.

[Hermit Cover]

Thanks ....I just received confirmation for the order I placed for the Winnipesaukee video...I can't wait. I hope it doesn't take 3 to four weeks as they allowed...I've been anticipating this DVD since April when it was finished.

[codeman671]

Originally Posted by ghfromaltonbay

I'm wondering if this company scammed local businesses for free services. The guy taking the pictures down our way got a few free nights at Sandy Point (said it was good publicity for the place), probably got freebies from other merchants in the area as well. Then came back and said the film he took there was "lost" and came back again to do some re-takes. Never heard anything more and now they are more than 6 weeks late with ordering availability. Something doesn't sound right here.

This company has shot videos for my daughter's dance school, they are certainly for real.

[Waterbaby]

Hey Codeman! Do you live near them? Could you maybe call them and ask about the availability of the vid, where it's available, etc etc etc? Judging by the response here on the forum there's going to be a big call for their video, and since people here have been so helpful to them perhaps said people could get better service than 3-4 week delivery and do word-of-mouth advertising for them. Just a suggestion, and thanks.

[codeman671]

Sure, I will try tomorrow. They are 5 minutes down the road.

[Rattlesnake Gal]

I have been in contact with them - the DVD is in the final stages. They are working on the DVD cover. I’ve been assured it is worth the wait.

[codeman671]

I called as well, 7-8 days more is the expectation. They are doing the final voice-overs now. Since I live in Dover and am in Gilford every weekend I certainly would do what I can to help distribute these.

Maybe Pepper should sell them in the restaurant! Lobsta rolls and dvds for everyone...

[Waterbaby]

Thank you CM! I live a little further south than you do, so it wasn't an easy run for me. Thanks again!

[Pepper]

Originally Posted by codeman671

...Maybe Pepper should sell them in the restaurant! Lobsta rolls and dvds for everyone...

That's been the plan all along! Can't wait to see the final product!

[video tours NE]

Having not read this forum for quite some time, I was happy to see that so many of you are anxiously awaiting the release of this DVD. It`s way past my April deadline, I realize, but it`s just a much bigger project than I had anticipated.
For the guy who implied my company is a scam, why would I have gone back to Sandy Point to re-shoot some footage if I was scamming him ? Even Hollywood producers make mistakes and lose footage now and then. It happens. I am for real, everyone, and this video is taking longer than I`d hoped. That`s all.
Please forgive me.
I`m not going to rush and do a half-assed job just to get it finished quickly. I`d rather postpone the release date and do it right. :-)

Anyway .. can anyone help with this ?

I had heard a story that Sally's Gut was named after a woman who dared to speed through this waterway at full throttle .. and I was planning to talk about this legend in the DVD. Now, in this thread, I see nothing to corroborate that story.

Has anyone else heard this ?

Thanks,
Mike

www.destinationwinnipesaukee.com
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[Waterbaby]

Hi Mike. I've been on the Lake, off and on, for most of my life, and have heard that story also...... perhaps you should Google "Sally's Gut" to see what you come up with? If nothing else, you may find some interesting legends...... In fact, I think I may do that myself -- Google, that is! Looking forward to the release!