Kathie had been there many years
ago. She remembers the lake with fondness.
That's probably because Lake George is incredibly beautiful. A visual
delight of mountains and vistas that surround its pristine expanse
of environmentally protected waters.
But we probably won't return again
because Lake George also features powerboats as thick as mosquitoes,
at least across its central and southern sections. They swarm,
going every which way, seemingly without much of a care what
their wake is doing or who they are heading
for.
The party doesn't necessarily
end at dark. Our first overnight found us listening to apparently
beered-up young people at 2 am on a powerboat
moving at break neck speed. Do that in Maine's
Casco Bay and Darwin's principle will balance out the boating
population.
We launched at Norowal Marina at
Bolton Landing on the west
side
of the
lake, near the central portion. I have to say they have their
act
together. They maintain order and keep things moving. They are
professional. They help you park your trailer and give
you a
ride back to the marina. They give you a place to step the mast.
They try to be as accommodating as they can. We recommend them.
One thing of interest - in one
of the shops they had antique boats and boat engines. A 2
hp engine from 1916 wasn't all that much different in principle
from the new 2 HP honda which pushed our dingy. Lots more plastic
in my engine however!
Cost wise, launching at the marina, obtaining the required Lake
George Commission sticker, and parking for two cars translated into
something like $125 for three days. So, be prepared.
There is a state park and
launching area in the southern most part of the Lake. I have
no idea about
features/parking etc, but it might
be worthwhile investigating.
All in all, the draw of Lake George
is its stand-out beauty. Mountains and hills surrounding
are striking. It's probably worth
sailing once.
Perhaps repeat sailings are possible in the northern end, which
we did
not try. But because of the power boat issue, we'll stick
to Lake Champlain, Maine's Lake Sebago or Maine's Casco
Bay area as preferred places to enjoy sailing.
Rick Dieffenbach
Lady-in-Red
webmaster2@ne-ts.com
www.trailersailing.com
