Place to park and launch a kayak in the fall?

srg · 08-26-2014, 09:48 AM

Is there any place I could park for a long weekend and launch a kayak near Black Cat Island in the fall? Preferably for free or cheap, and without a residency sticker. All the public boat launches seem to close toward the end of August. Looking for creative suggestions!

Thanks

VitaBene · 08-26-2014, 10:31 AM

The public launches will be open but not staffed, they never close. You likely will not get any grief for not having a sticker on your car after summer ends (note the likely!)

RLW · 08-26-2014, 10:46 AM

srg I was just browsing through the forum and noticed that you are fairly new to posting on the forum and glad you have joined us. Have fun and enjoy the Winni Forum while making many new friends.

fatlazyless · 08-26-2014, 11:09 AM

Leavitt Beach, which is a Meredith town area located about 1/2 mile off Route 25 and close to the Center Harbor-Meredith town line is a great place to launch a kayak. It is probably open every day throughout the entire year during the daylight hours, and the very large gate gets closed at sunset or something. I cannot recall if the gate is above or below the parking lot. It is possible that the large gate is below the parking area and is used to close the beach area after dark or something.

There's a dirt road at the back of the parking lot with a sign for kayaks-canoes that leads down to the water and this Town of Meredith facility is open to everyone for no charge with no windshield sticker needed, as far as I know.

From Leavitt Park, you look directly at Black Cat Island which is an unknown distance of maybe one to two miles (?) across the open water beyond Beaver Island and Three Mile island. A very small section of Black Cat Island is actually located in the Town of Meredith, too.

srg · 08-26-2014, 11:21 AM

Thanks for the great advice!

Do you know if you can park overnight at Leavitt Beach or other public launch spots (any unlikely grief for lacking a residency sticker aside), or is that a definitely bad idea?

gf2020 · 08-27-2014, 12:26 PM

Just curious, where are you kayaking to that you will be staying overnight?

srg · 08-27-2014, 04:17 PM

Three Mile Island camp; we're thinking of bringing our own kayaks and looking for some alternative approaches other than from Shep Brown's in Meredith, where we've launched from before. Leavitt Beach sounds like a good option, being a bit farther North with some different waters to explore.

rick35 · 08-27-2014, 08:46 PM

You can't bring your kayaks with you on the TMI boat? I dont remember ever seeing any and I suppose it would be unmanageable if everyone brought their own. Its crazy enough with just people and luggage loading and unloading. I think you have the best solution by just parking in the TMI lot at Shep's.

08-26-2014, 09:48 AM	#1
srg Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Posts: 3 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Place to park and launch a kayak in the fall? Is there any place I could park for a long weekend and launch a kayak near Black Cat Island in the fall? Preferably for free or cheap, and without a residency sticker. All the public boat launches seem to close toward the end of August. Looking for creative suggestions! Thanks

08-26-2014, 10:46 AM	#3
RLW Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Alton Bay on the mountain by a lake Posts: 2,023 Thanks: 563 Thanked 444 Times in 311 Posts	*srg* I was just browsing through the forum and noticed that you are fairly new to posting on the forum and glad you have joined us. Have fun and enjoy the Winni Forum while making many new friends. __________________ There is nothing better than living on Alton Mountain & our grand kids visits.

08-26-2014, 11:09 AM	#4
fatlazyless Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 8,525 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 295 Thanked 957 Times in 698 Posts	Leavitt Beach, which is a Meredith town area located about 1/2 mile off Route 25 and close to the Center Harbor-Meredith town line is a great place to launch a kayak. It is probably open every day throughout the entire year during the daylight hours, and the very large gate gets closed at sunset or something. I cannot recall if the gate is above or below the parking lot. It is possible that the large gate is below the parking area and is used to close the beach area after dark or something. There's a dirt road at the back of the parking lot with a sign for kayaks-canoes that leads down to the water and this Town of Meredith facility is open to everyone for no charge with no windshield sticker needed, as far as I know. From Leavitt Park, you look directly at Black Cat Island which is an unknown distance of maybe one to two miles (?) across the open water beyond Beaver Island and Three Mile island. A very small section of Black Cat Island is actually located in the Town of Meredith, too. __________________ ... down and out, liv'n that Walmart side of the lake!

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08-26-2014, 10:31 AM	#2
VitaBene Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Moultonborough Posts: 3,530 Thanks: 1,567 Thanked 1,601 Times in 821 Posts	The public launches will be open but not staffed, they never close. You likely will not get any grief for not having a sticker on your car after summer ends (note the likely!)

08-26-2014, 11:21 AM	#5
srg Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Posts: 3 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Thanks for the great advice! Do you know if you can park overnight at Leavitt Beach or other public launch spots (any unlikely grief for lacking a residency sticker aside), or is that a definitely bad idea?

08-27-2014, 12:26 PM	#6
gf2020 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: North of Boston Posts: 203 Thanks: 11 Thanked 35 Times in 28 Posts	Just curious, where are you kayaking to that you will be staying overnight?

08-27-2014, 04:17 PM	#7
srg Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Posts: 3 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Three Mile Island camp; we're thinking of bringing our own kayaks and looking for some alternative approaches other than from Shep Brown's in Meredith, where we've launched from before. Leavitt Beach sounds like a good option, being a bit farther North with some different waters to explore.

08-27-2014, 08:46 PM	#8
rick35 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Bear Island/Merrimack Posts: 708 Thanks: 55 Thanked 170 Times in 104 Posts	You can't bring your kayaks with you on the TMI boat? I dont remember ever seeing any and I suppose it would be unmanageable if everyone brought their own. Its crazy enough with just people and luggage loading and unloading. I think you have the best solution by just parking in the TMI lot at Shep's.