[Descant]

The pattern is that you start at the Weirs, FL#1, proceed past 2, 3 to Center Harbor. (return), start going north again through Moultonboro Bay. Return, go to Wolfeboro, then to Alton Bay, return, past Belknap Pt, the Witches, Timber, Mark and Mink Islands. That's the original 30 lighted buoys. The next group, (31-38, not listed on my Bizer chart) marked the Weirs Channel, and #39, down in Paugus Bay pretty much completed the perimeter of the lake. The next group of numbers filled in around islands, mostly where there were more summer residents and more night time traffic. After that, the numbers are more random as flashers were placed based on perceived need. For example, #27 (Timber Is) and #28 marked the Witches. When there was low traffic you could go east of the Witches by focusing your course on #27. With heavier traffic pushing southbound boats closer to the Witches, #71 was added, I think in the late 60's. Until FL76 was added, the black spar south of Welch Is. was pretty lonesome, way way out from shore; very difficult to locate, especially in pre-GPS days. So, there is/was a pattern, up to a point in time.