Lights Out on the Lake!

[Dad207]

Now that the summer season is over, please make sure to to turn out all of your lights-- dock lights, pier lights, walkway and stair lights. One of the beautiful things about the fall and winter is the near total darkness that yields a better opportunity to be away from the city and the see the stars. The less ambient light, the better.

A house light or two to deter theft, on timers, and of course, and the light you'll need to get here in the evening-- on a motion detector of possible, are all warranted.

Lights out. You'll save a few dollars on your electrical bill, the lake will be a prettier place at night, and you'll be a better neighbor, too!

[XCR-700]

As the season is not totally over for me, and maybe one of the few who still really enjoys night boating, I thoroughly enjoy seeing lit up homes on the shore. Its really unique thing that Winnipesaukee offers over so many other lakes.

Some folks have very creative lighting and some have vibrant fun lighting and it really makes Winnipesaukee stand out compared to other large lakes in the northeast. There is no fun to be had boating at night on Sebago or Moosehead or Champlain, but Winnipesaukee is GREAT. A quiet wind free night putting along slowly after a nice dinner or otherwise fun day is the perfect end of the day.

Its not for everyone and in truth probably not really a good idea for most, but if you are careful and know where you are going, it can be so much fun to quietly cruise the shoreline and just look at the lights. Its a huge part of what Winnipesaukee is, a boaters recreation lake. If you want a dark lake, Moosehead is for you, but if you want to enjoy the time and effort people put into making their nightscape look great, Winnipesaukee is the place to be ;-)

I'm sure others will not share this perspective and all I can say is you are missing out. There are plenty of others places you can go to be in total darkness and you dont need to go far, but even if you only go out once for a night cruise on the MT Washington, you will come to appreciate why Winnipesaukee is so unique at night, and the shoreline lighting is a big part of it.

ATB

[Dad207]

Indeed, I appreciate the different perspective and have had that very experience on other bodies of water, sailing through Long Island Sound towards Manhattan at night is spectacular! Me, here at the lake, I prefer sitting out on my porch or dock at night looking at the stars, enjoying the quiet and the dark as a unique part of Lake W, away from it all, well, at least as away as I can get. I hope others do as well.

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by XCR-700

As the season is not totally over for me, and maybe one of the few who still really enjoys night boating, I thoroughly enjoy seeing lit up homes on the shore. Its really unique thing that Winnipesaukee offers over so many other lakes.

Some folks have very creative lighting and some have vibrant fun lighting and it really makes Winnipesaukee stand out compared to other large lakes in the northeast. There is no fun to be had boating at night on Sebago or Moosehead or Champlain, but Winnipesaukee is GREAT. A quiet wind free night putting along slowly after a nice dinner or otherwise fun day is the perfect end of the day.

Its not for everyone and in truth probably not really a good idea for most, but if you are careful and know where you are going, it can be so much fun to quietly cruise the shoreline and just look at the lights. Its a huge part of what Winnipesaukee is, a boaters recreation lake. If you want a dark lake, Moosehead is for you, but if you want to enjoy the time and effort people put into making their nightscape look great, Winnipesaukee is the place to be ;-)

I'm sure others will not share this perspective and all I can say is you are missing out. There are plenty of others places you can go to be in total darkness and you dont need to go far, but even if you only go out once for a night cruise on the MT Washington, you will come to appreciate why Winnipesaukee is so unique at night, and the shoreline lighting is a big part of it.

ATB

My initial response to this was "NOOOO!!!!" but upon reflecting upon my night journeys it's more of a "within reason."

As others have mentioned, spotlights or excessive lighting is uncool, but some nice landscape lighting and/or warm, downward-facing lights is pretty good.

I guess my threshold would be somewhere in the "as long as I can see their faces behind the campfire."

I'm wondering if this is something The North does better on average given that Raoul's Cove, Hanson Cove, and Greene's Basin all seem to strike the balance well.

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[ApS]

I thought I'd look back to see if the topic was being discussed and lo, one poster echoed my thoughts perfectly. That being:

You haven't ever been awed if you haven't seen STARSHINE!

"To muddy the waters a bit further, there's a safety aspect to white lights along the shore,
I have, unfortunately, come to the conclusion that this is one of those topics where there are 2 polarized views that will never come together. I am amazed at the number of lake lots that are lit up like parking lots at night, all night, even when the residents aren't there. We have several places on our lake that have spotlights shining out into the lake, totally blinding you when boating at night. Others shine up into the trees and sky so much that you can't see anything else.

But if you talk to them, they will strongly defend their need for the lights.

I vividly remember awaking lakeside in the late Fall a few years ago at 2 AM. Most camps were closed up and there were, for the first time in my memory, no lights to be seen along the visible shore lines.

I couldn't believe how light it was outside, and got up to look at the moon. But the moon wasn't there. Just millions and millions of stars. So many that I could see the lake and opposite shores perfectly. All from starlight. It was spectacular!

If everyone could see it like this just once, they might be convinced."

--Member "Merrymeeting"

[LoveLakeLife]

Originally Posted by thinkxingu

My initial response to this was "NOOOO!!!!" but upon reflecting upon my night journeys it's more of a "within reason."

As others have mentioned, spotlights or excessive lighting is uncool, but some nice landscape lighting and/or warm, downward-facing lights is pretty good.

I guess my threshold would be somewhere in the "as long as I can see their faces behind the campfire."

I'm wondering if this is something The North does better on average given that Raoul's Cove, Hanson Cove, and Greene's Basin all seem to strike the balance well.

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Think have you really taken the boat to Greene’s Basin at night?!


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[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by LoveLakeLife

Think have you really taken the boat to Greene’s Basin at night?!


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Rock and roll, friend. I mean, we're only one cove over, so it's not that big a deal.

It's getting to the Outer Basin that's the challenge!

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[LoveLakeLife]

Originally Posted by thinkxingu

Rock and roll, friend. I mean, we're only one cove over, so it's not that big a deal.

It's getting to the Outer Basin that's the challenge!

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Oh, I forgot that that was your neighborhood. Enjoy the steamboats this weekend!


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[escaped from NJ]

Originally Posted by Dad207

Now that the summer season is over, please make sure to to turn out all of your lights-- dock lights, pier lights, walkway and stair lights. One of the beautiful things about the fall and winter is the near total darkness that yields a better opportunity to be away from the city and the see the stars. The less ambient light, the better.

A house light or two to deter theft, on timers, and of course, and the light you'll need to get here in the evening-- on a motion detector of possible, are all warranted.

Lights out. You'll save a few dollars on your electrical bill, the lake will be a prettier place at night, and you'll be a better neighbor, too!

Is there any nice and polite way to ask our island neighbors (that have never “engaged” with us) to turn off their two property spotlights that shine on their dock but also shine into our bedroom windows? One is on a motion detector but is on more than it is off. The other is on continuously. They appear to have left for weeks and we are here until mid Oct. it sure ruins the beautiful moonlit/starlit darkness of the fall. I don’t want to anger them in any way. I have their email but have thus far not contacted them. Should I continue to live with it?


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[FlyingScot]

Originally Posted by escaped from NJ

Is there any nice and polite way to ask our island neighbors (that have never “engaged” with us) to turn off their two property spotlights that shine on their dock but also shine into our bedroom windows? One is on a motion detector but is on more than it is off. The other is on continuously. They appear to have left for weeks and we are here until mid Oct. it sure ruins the beautiful moonlit/starlit darkness of the fall. I don’t want to anger them in any way. I have their email but have thus far not contacted them. Should I continue to live with it?


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I would just send a kind email, similar in tone to your message. if they are reasonable people that would not want to be lighting up your bedroom. Years ago, I did this with one of our next door neighbors in Mass via a as friendly as possible message on their answering machine. A few days later she sent me an eye mask with Victoria's Secret-type frills and a note about my sensitive nature, haha--but she turned out her spotlight

[smith point boater]

My wife and I sit in the hot tub on the mainland and countdown the amount of lights that "permanently" disappear as the Fall weekends progress. By Thanksgiving there will be no lights facing us. I always miss seeing folks enjoying their island homes.

[Merrymeeting]

Originally Posted by Dad207

A house light or two to deter theft

If you care to do an internet search, you will find plenty of studies that say that lighting does nothing to deter theft. Some will say that it's actually harmful as it destroys all night vision other than in the immediate area of the light source.

I too appreciate a night cruise when you can see the lights of the houses. But I also love those off-season nights when we can't see another light and the sky is ablaze with stars. Often so many that you might as well have a light on and you can see your shadow!

Finally, I'd agree on asking everyone to be careful about spotlights that point out into the lake. They are blinding. There is a house across the bay from us that often leaves their spotlight on for weeks at a time while they are gone. I can read a book in my bedroom without turning on a light.

[garysanfran]

I see a lot of houses on Governor's Island that never have lights on...

[XCR-700]

Originally Posted by garysanfran

I see a lot of houses on Governor's Island that never have lights on...

Worse yet, I pass by Governors Island almost every trip to the lakes and I see the same houses that NEVER seem to have people at them,,, Such a tragic waste.

[BroadHopper]

Night boating was popular when there are very little light pollution. You can even see the flashing lights clearly! Even the night sky was brighter.

I complain to the MP that the new LED solar lights are dimmer than the old lights. They beg to differ. The LEDs appear dimmer because of light pollution!

There are still folks that leave their lights on off-season unattended, thinking it's cool as well as a theft deterrent. NOT! Hopefully, with a 40% increase in electric rates, some may think it is not a good idea.

[garysanfran]

When I was nine years old, at night during a full moon, my Father said, "Come with me".

We walked to the top of the steep driveway and he handed me a newspaper and said, "Read this", and I did.

He then told me, "You have now read by the light of the moon".

[XCR-700]

For those who truly want to see the night sky in all its glory, I tell you Winnipesaukee is NOT the place to be.

Sure some nights its really good and better than closer to the city, BUT there are better places.

Now Moosehead Lake on the other hand gets so dark its a bit unnerving. Go there in the winter and snowmobile out on one of the trails on a moonless night and I challenge you to walk out 50 feet and find your way back to the sled without a flashlight. And the clarity and vibrancy of the moonless night sky up there is so much better than even at Winnipesaukee that its almost hard to describe.

Now Winnipesaukee on a full moon windless night in middle of the summer is so well lit that I feel almost 100% comfortable driving at the speed limit. Almost 100% ;-)

ATB

[FlyingScot]

Originally Posted by XCR-700

For those who truly want to see the night sky in all its glory, I tell you Winnipesaukee is NOT the place to be.

This is the second time you've hit this "go someplace else note" on this thread. It's kind of offensive to those who have have loved this lake for decades and have made major investments to be here, whatever its imperfections.

[XCR-700]

Originally Posted by FlyingScot

This is the second time you've hit this "go someplace else note" on this thread. It's kind of offensive to those who have have loved this lake for decades and have made major investments to be here, whatever its imperfections.

Yes because I LOVE the lake just as it is and has been my whole life.

I thoroughly enjoy Winnipesaukee for exactly what it has been my entire life, a very well developed and very active boaters lake. I love seeing the boats, I truly miss the countless classic jet and "ski" boats we used to see all the time. I used to love hearing their drone running up and down the lake, with their un-muffeled and above the waterline exhaust. I love seeing the homes and cruise the coastline constantly just to look at them, and even at night. I find the lights help me navigate and given me landmarks. I enjoy talking to anyone about the lake and promoting it as a place to visit. We frequent the Weirs just to see and play at the arcades, and we make regular pit stops in Meredith, Wolfeboro and Alton to enjoy the local restaurants. Its as close to a PERFECT body of water as I have found. Not perfect, but as close as I have found.

As a child NOTHING was better than waking up to go fishing and waiting to see the boats start up and people go skiing. Next best thing was going to the marina and smelling the old white gas premix. Then maybe a trip across the lake to visit some family or friends at another cabin. We used the lake, enjoyed the lake, and we loved that the lake is was active and popular and thriving. And at the end of the day, it was a perfect nightcap to hear one last boat and see its lights heading for home, passing all the sparkling lights that dotted the shoreline.

Where as many posting here are constantly looking to turn it into something else. So for them I suggest they seek what they want somewhere else and leave Winnipesaukee as it it. As the kids say today; sorry, not sorry!

So for me, I find this a very interesting comment from you.

But you are entitled to your perspective and also to say whatever you want. So if you want to alter the lake because of your investments and feel it is full of imperfections, and want to turn it into something else, you are 100% entitled to that position. But I dont and wont embrace it and dont feel ANY responsibility to smile and nod in agreement, because thats not the Winnipesaukee I have known for well over 50 years, and I like the Lake Winnipesaukee I have known just as it is. So again, sorry, NOT sorry ;-)

[FlyingScot]

Originally Posted by XCR-700

But you are entitled to your perspective and also to say whatever you want. So if you want to alter the lake because of your investments and feel it is full of imperfections, and want to turn it into something else, you are 100% entitled to that position. But I dont and wont embrace it and dont feel ANY responsibility to smile and nod in agreement, because thats not the Winnipesaukee I have known for well over 50 years, and I like the Lake Winnipesaukee I have known just as it is. So again, sorry, NOT sorry ;-)

This is a very selective reading of history, and a complete misreading of what I wrote. The lake is dramatically different than 50 years ago--it's the same lake in about the same way that you are the same person.

I did not propose altering the lake. I do recognize that all things in this world have imperfections.

The funny thing about your comments is that fewer lights today make the lake MORE reminiscent of the past, not less

[XCR-700]

Originally Posted by FlyingScot

This is a very selective reading of history, and a complete misreading of what I wrote. The lake is dramatically different than 50 years ago--it's the same lake in about the same way that you are the same person.

I did not propose altering the lake. I do recognize that all things in this world have imperfections.

The funny thing about your comments is that fewer lights today make the lake MORE reminiscent of the past, not less

Sorry, all I get out of your response is nonsense.

I think my views and statements are pretty consistent, if you dont like them, thats fine. I make no attempt to stifle you. I simply disagree with you.

As far as I am concerned the Lake in it character is not any different than 50+ years ago, and probably even 100 years ago, its just busier. Its the same highly developed and very active summer destination it always was. In my lifetime it was NEVER comparable to Sebago or Moosehead or even Squam. Its always been busier, and more developed and more sought after destination for boaters and active vacationers. As opposed to the folks who seek a quiet lake without all the development, noise, activity, etc. Kayakers often tell me that will not go to Winnipesaukee, its just too busy for them, and that makes complete sense to me. And when I hear people asking others to turn off lights, I think, how sad and I love to see the lights glistening off the water at night, its a Winnipesaukee vibe. And for night boaters its a godsend. I would not want to boat on Winnipesaukee without all the shoreline lights.

Sorry there are competing desires for the lake, but its history is clear over the last 100 years it has gotten progressively more and more developed and popular and vibrant. And while even I think Saturdays are a bit busy for my liking (on the water) but if I am sitting anywhere along the shore, I absolutely LOVE seeing all the boat traffic, its FUN!

For those who seek a quiet lake without all the traffic, activity and lights, there are better destinations and that are not ever going to be a Winnipesaukee. So I suggest they take a look, they might like it better and not have to suffer Winnipesaukee as it is.

ATB

[Island-Ho]

Can anyone explain to my why it is necessary to aim a yellow sodium vapor floodlight out over the lake from an island and keep it on every night, all night, 365 says of the year? Does the owner realize how far that light shines?

[LongBay]

Originally Posted by Island-Ho

Can anyone explain to my why it is necessary to aim a yellow sodium vapor floodlight out over the lake from an island and keep it on every night, all night, 365 says of the year? Does the owner realize how far that light shines?

Good question…there are some homeowners across the bay from me who do the same. They keep their lights on just about 24x7 shining right into my living room. I guess they are too lazy or inconsiderate to install a timer or better yet a motion sensor to automatically turn on and off the lights.

[Dad207]

Originally Posted by LongBay

Good question…there are some homeowners across the bay from me who do the same. They keep their lights on just about 24x7 shining right into my living room. I guess they are too lazy or inconsiderate to install a timer or better yet a motion sensor to automatically turn on and off the lights.

I think that we see the same problem. Perhaps we should just keep talking, and posting, about the light issue. Talk to your neighbors, post when you can. I think that a lot of folks are just not cognizant of the light issue and would behave differently if they knew it was an issue. Good luck at your house!

[BroadHopper]

Took a full moon cruise last night. Still lots of light pollution as well as colored dock lights. Some spotlights blind you when you look in that direction. A couple of red green lights which is a no-no. Is there no enforcement?

No difference at the end of the season.

[ITD]

Shut the lights off, please. There is nothing more spectacular than the Winni night sky on a dark night. Man made lighting ruins it. More and more people are lighting up their expensive homes. They are missing out on one of the greatest features of being up here, plus ruining it for everyone else.

[XCR-700]

Sorry, , I think you lights out guys are bonkers, sitting in front of the Weirs or Wolfeboro or driving past all the homes on the shore of Winnipesaukee with their lights glistening is one of the magical aspects of night boating AND staying on Winnipesaukee. Its like our Disney World!

When we stay at the lake for a couple of nights, we will often just sit in the boat at the dock or maybe hit like the Margate bar or pier at Weirs and just look at all the lights on the shore across the limits of our vision. it like a free gift that leaves you feeling happy.

I sure hope you guys aren't anti-Christmas/decorative lights too,,,

I keep decorative lights on my property all year long, and change them periodically based on the closest holiday or other significant date. Since well before Memorial day we have had a red white and blue theme going with a 20+ foot light tree hung in the front yard, lights on the house, and laser dots projected on the house. Getting ready to change over to the Halloween lights this weekend, with lots of purple and orange including lighting both sides of the walkway and then strobe effects in the dormers of the attic, etc. For Halloween I run a fog machine and run it hard! I think this year I may try to use a projector to display the original Frankenstein movie onto the fog. For Thanksgiving I tone it back a bit, and I take out the purples and leave the orange. and then for Christmas we bring back the multi color dot projectors and deploy as many old school C-9s as I can run without burning the house down or blowing out circuit breakers. The process go on for Valentines day with a pink theme and for St Pattys day with the wearin of the green! And that gets us back to the red white and blue for memorial day again.

At Christmas when there is snow on the ground, there is an aura or glow around the house that you see as soon as you turn down our street.

Light is energy, its uplifting, its fun! And at Winnipesaukee at night the lights are such a wonderful enhancement to the Winnipesaukee experience. Much like going to Disney at night, its SPECTACULAR! We LOVE it.

[XCR-700]

P.S. previous post not to be confused with keeping lights on all night, I think up to maybe 11:00 PM id ok, but not all night and not flood lights shining on other peoples property or spotlights across the lake.

I'm talking about reasonable property lighting and decorative lighting.

Some old photos, not fully decorated in either photo and not my best, just what I have access to at the moment:

[XCR-700]

Seriously how can you not love this!

[Merrymeeting]

Originally Posted by XCR-700

I sure hope you guys aren't anti-Christmas/decorative lights too,,,

I love Christmas lighting and put up lots of it. But...always on a timer that shuts them off at a resonable hour, and not the type that would light up my neighbors bedroom a half mile across the bay.

While I understand your points, like everything there are extremes. A high wattage spotlight, illuminating the water all night long is extreme. And it usually destroys your night vision so much that you can't see the other lights that you enjoy.

[XCR-700]

Originally Posted by Merrymeeting

I love Christmas lighting and put up lots of it. But...always on a timer that shuts them off at a resonable hour, and not the type that would light up my neighbors bedroom a half mile across the bay.

While I understand your points, like everything there are extremes. A high wattage spotlight, illuminating the water all night long is extreme. And it usually destroys your night vision so much that you can't see the other lights that you enjoy.

No argument here, your expectations are completely reasonable, and yet you embrace adding a bit of spice to life in the way of decorative lighting. What more could anyone hope for!

Its the notion that everyone should forgo property and decorative lighting on an active vacation destination lake like Winnipesaukee that disappoints me.

I enjoy the lights, but with that said, I would not care for them at midnight and beyond.

I think up until 11:00ish is not unreasonable for exterior lighting that impacts others, but I'm sure there are some that go to bed sooner and then there the stargazers who would prefer no lighting after dark, as if Winnipesaukee were some much less populated and remote area.

And while I understand their desire, I also think its unreasonable and unrealistic for Winnipesaukee.

Having some middle ground like a common agreement about minimizing unnecessary lighting after some time like 11:00 PM is the best you can hope for, and even that may be unattainable. The glow from each of the waterfront towns is significant, and from Laconia its pretty intense.

Again, we can hope and advocate for some balance, but unfortunately we now seem to live in a world of polarized extremes, so any compromise seems really tough to achieve. The posts on this forum on any subject are a really good example of how strongly opinionated we can be, and how uncompromising we too often are.

Thankfully this lighting preference we are discussing is a truly first world issue and has very little significance on the legitimate quality of life issues anyone here is dealing with.

So it remains a reasonable forum discussion, but nothing more.

ATB

[ApS]

Originally Posted by ITD

Shut the lights off, please. There is nothing more spectacular than the Winni night sky on a dark night. Man made lighting ruins it. More and more people are lighting up their expensive homes. They are missing out on one of the greatest features of being up here, plus ruining it for everyone else.

I've seen Aurora Borealis only once at Lake Winnipesaukee, and that occurred in the 1970s.

From what I've been reading, we're at an ideal location for witnessing Aurora Borealis in the USA. You'd think that Colorado would be better, but you'd be wrong.

Man-made lighting takes away from a unique experience: Taken from a New Hampshire discussion:

What is Light pollution, and how does it affect seeing the northern lights?
Light pollution is the presence of excessive and unwanted artificial lighting that dominates the atmosphere, especially at night. Misdirected and too much light pollution comes at a cost – it dilutes starlight, disrupts ecosystems, and interferes with astronomical research. In addition to that, it also lowers your chance of seeing northern lights. This is because light pollution is usually brighter than the northern lights and can therefore wash out the majestic natural spectacle.

As far as "fighting change", my small neighborhood in Florida has successfully managed nighttime lighting. We have a brilliant night sky now, and it didn't involve a great many households. There, we're not a high-crime area, and were quite distant from commercial lighting. Our night sky re-appeared when Wolfeboro's Trites car dealership closed--SIX miles away!

The challenge is to contact neighbors--and the tool for spreading the word is forums like this one. The word will spread.

On another note: one out-of-state NY tenant left our 500-watt sundeck light on all night. I convinced them to turn it off because it draws moths--and the "greeting" they get clearing spiderwebs in the morning can be lessened.

Even interior lighting formerly caused bats to fly through our porch. While that really hasn't restricted our evening use of the porch, I've had them flutter close--touching my hair and ears! When our native bats are restored from their own pandemic, it should become easier to fight Lake Winnipesaukee's lighting pollution.

On the other hand, we can have a misty orange sky--like Miami!

[BroadHopper]

was a common sight to the folks who are fortunate to see the Northern sky. Even the Milky Way was awesome. In the past two decades, I couldn't see them from Winnipesaukee. I can faintly see them from Winnisquam.

This year the sights were awesome from the public launch ramp at Lake Wicwas. Too bad landowners spoiled the view.

The town of Waterville has light pollution laws that are so effective you can see the Milky Way and AB from the center of town. If Waterville can do it, why not the Lakes Region?

[XCR-700]

Never say never, but you got a really long and up hill battle ahead for this dream to come true:

[Dad207]

Originally Posted by Island-Ho

Can anyone explain to my why it is necessary to aim a yellow sodium vapor floodlight out over the lake from an island and keep it on every night, all night, 365 says of the year? Does the owner realize how far that light shines?

Just not necessary and thoughtless. I hope that there is a way for you to let that neighbor know that it is unfair to you, and wrong for th eLake overall. A gentle email?

[ApS]

Originally Posted by XCR-700

I'm talking about reasonable property lighting and decorative lighting.

We've lived in the same cottage since 1956.

About thirty years ago, new neighbors from Albuquerque, NM, built a new house on the empty lot next door. After three years it, and its noisy construction, finally got finished.

The two attorneys installed a burglar alarm that went off once or twice a week. On adjacent Tuftonboro Neck, a similar burglar alarm was doing the same thing.

I guess we could've gotten used to it, but after a few years, the false alarms stopped on their own.

Originally Posted by FlyingScot

This is the second time you've hit this "go someplace else note" on this thread. It's kind of offensive to those who have have loved this lake for decades and have made major investments to be here, whatever its imperfections.

I'm reminded of the recent complaint that trash is strewn down Beach Pond Road in Wolfeboro. She's lived there for decades and it's continually getting worse.

Drive down Beach Pond Road four miles, and you'll arrive at Wolfeboro's Town Recycling Center. (Or what we used to call the Wolfeboro Town Dump).

Couldn't she accept that Wolfeboro was going to "mature" as the years go by?

Isn't time for her to move away and let the new owners accept what has crept into that neighborhood over decades?

[XCR-700]

Originally Posted by ApS

We've lived in the same cottage since 1956.

About thirty years ago, new neighbors from Albuquerque, NM, built a new house on the empty lot next door. After three years it, and its noisy construction, finally got finished.

The two attorneys installed a burglar alarm that went off once or twice a week. On adjacent Tuftonboro Neck, a similar burglar alarm was doing the same thing.

I guess we could've gotten used to it, but after a few years, the false alarms stopped on their own.



I'm reminded of the recent complaint that trash is strewn down Beach Pond Road in Wolfeboro. She's lived there for decades and it's continually getting worse.

Drive down Beach Pond Road four miles, and you'll arrive at Wolfeboro's Town Recycling Center. (Or what we used to call the Wolfeboro Town Dump).

Couldn't she accept that Wolfeboro was going to "mature" as the years go by?

Isn't time for her to move away and let the new owners accept what has crept into that neighborhood over decades?

Realistically I only see 3 options, you can fight change, you can ignore or accept change, or you can move on if the change is too much for you to tolerate.

Compared to you, im a newbee, I've only been coming to Winnipesaukee since 1963, BUT I have endless family pictures of the family staying all over the lakes region since pre-war (the first one!) and one of the things they constantly did was change their preferred summer destination. My grandfather in particular (who came from Newfoundland) was looking for somewhere fun and lively, and after stays in various locations in the White Mountains, then Newfound Lake, Squam, etc, He discovered Winnipesaukee, and he never looked anywhere else again. In my years visiting the lake the ONLY constant has been change! Every year it gets busier, the homes grow larger, the lake is more commercial. What it has never been in my life time is a quiet, rustic, time stopping turn back the clock get away from it all place.

And like my grandfather I embrace it. My whole life I have wondered why we dont have 2 or 3 big chain resorts on Winnipesaukee, but then the realities of the seasonal aspects of Winnipesaukee probably make that not realistic.

As for the 3 options, ATB in fighting change, its unstoppable. My guess is most ignore or accept or embrace the constant and ongoing change. And all you have to do is look at the lake and the people selling out and going somewhere else to realize it is a reasonable option for some that just say I have had enough of this, its too much for me. Is there anything wrong in saying it was good for a while and now its time for something different??? Is it better to be dissatisfied and constantly fight against something you will not change (progress and more growth) and that is likely to continue. I seriously doubt there is anything you can meaningfully do to slow the Winnipesaukee development (and impacts such as "light pollution") especially when you have so many like me that truly enjoy seeing the lights and some of the other changes.

Now I dont care for all of the change, and I personally think maybe 1975 was as good as it ever got, but I realize its all 100% out of my control, so either I adapt to continue enjoying Winnipesaukee, or I need to go somewhere else.

Sorry thats just my perspective, you are certainly entitled to a different one, I just worry that anyone wanting to stop the clock and turn it back will ultimately be disappointed. I have not seen it done anywhere else.

And regardless if you are successful in getting residents to turn lights off, or they end up turning even more on over the coming years, I can assure you I will still enjoy Winnipesaukee however it ends up.

ATB

[thinkxingu]

You can see the roller rink/what became the roller rink on the top floor of the building in the background.

I wrote a long piece about the Weirs on the iboat Facebook page when my dad passed a few years ago—it was an important place for my family, and very much why we ended up on Winni.

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