Camp Reunion in Paradise

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New Hampshire in the summer. Wolfeboro, on Lake Winnipesaukee to be exact. Picture if you will a pristine setting of pines and large granite boulders along the edge of a lake that is so clear you can see the white sand bottom until you run out of sunlight. It has 228 islands, it is 182 miles around the lake but only 63 miles if driving. The road cuts out a lot of coves and peninsulas. And it is 20.8 miles long and at the widest 9 miles. The surface area is 72 square miles. Found in the central part of New Hampshire, the lake is about 504 feet above sea level. Wolfeboro sits on the eastern shores and bills itself as the Oldest Resort in America. It certainly is the quaintest, with white church steeples, old Victorian style homes, and adorable shops. One favorite shop is the YumYum Bakery. Don’t miss their pastries and coffee.

Fun activities for my family always include a boat ride on the MS Mount Washington. The original ship, named for the highest peak in New England, was first launched in 1872. The boat had a hull of 178 feet and a width of 49 feet. Unfortunately that ship caught on fire and was lost in 1939. A new company was charged with rebuilding the MS Mount Washington out of parts from a ship on Lake Champlain. This MS Mount Washington made her maiden voyage in 1940. In 1982, that Mount Washington ship was cut open to extend her an additional 20 feet. Currently in the summer she usually makes two complete full circles on the lake as well as dinner dances and parties. The MS Mount Washington can be seen from most places on shore.

There is also one of two existing floating United States Postal Service ships left on the lake, M/V Sophie C. She delivers mail to folks on 8 of the islands Monday to Saturday, June to September.

Does the lake name seem familiar? Thornton Wilder mentioned Lake Winnipesaukee in “Our Town” at the beginning of Act III. The lake was also featured in the movie “On Golden Pond” and the movie ” What About Bob” was set on the lake.

Coming from New Jersey where there are very small lakes, Lake Winnipesaukee was like swimming in an ocean. On a windy day the waves whip up to white caps and the waves crash onto the shore in aqua and green. It is like swimming in the Bahamas with pines trees.

I flew into Manchester, NH to avoid the highways of Boston. (Did you guys ever finish the tunnels out of the airport?) I had taken a red eye so coffee was the first order of the day. Next I departed the airport being told to take the new traffic circle and go straight. Instead I made a right onto Brown Road, because that is the way I always went. It worked out fine and in no time I was winding along small ponds and lakes getting closer to Wolfeboro. I arrived at my sister’s lake rental and walked out on the dock. Across the water was my ultimate destination, Camp Deer Run for Girls and their brother camp, Camp Brookwoods for Boys.

I held the invitation in my hand, “Come Join Us for the 50th Reunion of Camp Deer Run”. How can that be? They must have meant 15, or 25th. The beautiful old New England farmhouse and barn were standing like before, and now with an addition that doubled the space it was easily seen from across the cove. The waterfront area still sported sailboats, waterski boats and an ‘H’ pier for swimming classes. Lifeguards were posted every 10 feet to watch the campers. Wow, where did the time go. I still feel like a kids inside. When did my body betray me? Oh, yeah, now I remember…bad choices for food, alcohol, and weight gain. Somewhere between 16 and 63 I had , ur, um, let myself go. As I gazed upon the camp, the fun, and the kids it occurred to me I might not even be able to make it back up the hill from the Waterfront to the Main Dining room. Hope they have a few golf carts for the old folks.

To be continued . . .

Sally Franz is a former stand-up comedian, motivational speaker, and radio host. She is a twice-divorced mother of two and a grandmother of three. Sally has a degree in gerontology and several awards for humor writing. She is the author of Scrambled Leggs: A Snarky Tale of Hospital Hooey
and The Baby Boomers Guide to Menopause.