Boats have gotten too big

[jwellsnh]

Weekends on Lake Winnipesaukee have become an endless parade of wakes. One boat after another, from morning until evening. Along our shoreline on Long Island, the constant pounding is slowly washing away the bank. What used to be a peaceful day on the lake has become a battle against wave after wave.

It makes me wonder when the race for the biggest, fastest, loudest boat became more important than the lake itself. Has our culture become so focused on "look at me" that we've forgotten why people fell in love with Winnipesaukee in the first place?

I miss the days when families could enjoy the water without feeling like they were living in the middle of a speedway. Fishing, paddling, swimming, and simply sitting by the shore used to be part of the experience. Today, those moments are interrupted every few minutes by another oversized wake.

This is not about being against boating. Lake Winnipesaukee has always been a boating lake, and that's part of its character. But there is a difference between enjoying the lake and overwhelming it. Bigger boats create bigger wakes. Bigger wakes accelerate shoreline erosion, rock docks, make kayaking and paddleboarding more hazardous, and diminish the peaceful character that has drawn generations here.

Perhaps it's time to ask ourselves a simple question. Are we trying to enjoy the lake, or are we trying to impress everyone else on it?

I'd love to see a return to a little more courtesy, a little less horsepower, and a renewed appreciation for the tranquility that made Lake Winnipesaukee such a special place to begin with.