Wolfeboro is considered to be the "oldest summer resort in America" and you can see why. Beautiful summer homes speckle the shore with many summer visitors strolling along the sidewalks. Nestled between the Belknap and Ossipee mountain ranges, Lake Winnipesaukee provides visitors with many water activities; sailing, speed boating, wakeboarding, fishing, water skiing, and of course, scuba diving.

Wolfeboro was incorporated in 1770 and was named after General James Wolfe. The town's claim to fame as the "oldest summer resort in America" is based on the building of a large summer mansion in 1771 by Colonial Governor John Wentworth. The population (1990) was 4,807 with a summer population estimated at about 20,000.

The lake has 365 islands (274 habitable) and can reach depths over 200 feet (average depth is 43 feet). It is 28 miles long, almost 12 miles across at its widest point, with 240 miles of shoreline. A surface area of 72 square miles, and a volume of 625 billion gallons. This provides ample room for plenty of water fun. Melting glaciers during one of the ice ages formed the lake. Lake Winnipesaukee is considered to be one of the largest natural lakes in the country to lie within one state's border.

Early English map makers showed the lake as "Richmond Pond", (for the Duke of Richmond in the mother country), but New Hampshiremen called it by its Indian name, commonly spelled "Winnipiseogee" in the 18th century and translated it to mean, "The smile of the Great Spirit". The Abnaki Indian term "wiwinn-nebe-s-aki" meant roughly, "at the place of the lake in a region of them." In any case, Winnipesaukee (or Winnie as called by locals) attracts many scuba divers due to its boat wrecks, walls, fish population, and good freshwater visibility. Below are some of the suggested dive sites you will want to consider.

She is a 30 foot custom built SISU that holds up to 16 divers plus gear. An instructor and/or dive master accompany every dive and will brief divers on the dive site and dive plan.

Belknap - This steamboat sank in 1841 while towing a load of logs down the middle of the lake. A sudden storm came up and tossed the ship towards Steamboat and Birch Islands. Rocks surround the islands and the ship sank in about 20 feet of water. Over the years the boat has worked its way into shallower water. The wreck sits in the north side of Steamboat Island. The superstructure is visible from the surface making a great place for a shallow scuba dive or snorkel.

Clark's Point - An excellent location for a shore dive. This site is accessible from McKinney Park. The dive starts off in a shallow rocky area with some sandy patches, great for practicing skills. Move away from shore and there are enormous rock formations with the depth dropping to about 30 feet. Continue out to a depth of about 45 feet and the "wall" starts. The "wall" drops down to 90 feet with a maximum depth of 105 feet. There are some interesting wall contours, with a few resident eels. There is also a cavern at the bottom of the wall.

Diamond Island - Site of the Navy's underwater laser testing sight dating back into the 1950s. SCRIPTS conducted testing to study laser transmission through water. The site is on the northwest side of the island. A railcar that ran on a track, like a coal-mining rail, was used to measure how fast the laser beams were traveling through water. The track is in about 25 feet of water with staging in deeper water. There is also a relatively newer boat sunk on the north east side of the island. The wreck is called Empty Pockets and is in very good shape.

Goodhue and Hawkins Navy Yard - A lot of boat hulls, barges, and engines were sunk throughout the mooring fields during the many years of the yard. To the right of the anchored sailboats, there is a single engine steamship located in 39 feet of water. Next to the steamship is the hull of a small cruiser.

Horseboat Barge - One of the earliest vessels on the lake, and typical of Yankee ingenuity, the barge was powered by two horses on a treadmill with a large stern sweep for steering. This eventually became obsolete with the invention of the steam engine. There are only two known examples of this type of boat left in the United States. The Horseboat Barge can be found in approximately 40 feet of water off of Bear Island near the post office dock. Only the hull of the barge remains. However, some tools and pieces of coal can be found around the area of the barge. This sight was also a dumpsite for a prominent hotel located on Bear Island so many artifacts can be found here as well.

Lady of the Lake - This is one of the easiest and most popular dive sites in the lake. The Lady is a steamboat that is 125 feet in length and rests in 30 feet of water in Smith Cove. The water temperature hovers between 65-78 degrees in the summer, requiring full wetsuits. The average visibility is 20-25 feet. The Lady has been resting upright since 1895. The hull and decking remain intact allowing for diving through the deck holes and peeking out the portholes. There is tremendous fish population living on and around the wreck including; small mouth bass, yellow perch, sunfish, hornpout, and an occasional carp or eel.

Laker Wrecks - Located off Ship and Moose islands, these three wrecks are scattered on the east side of Ship Island. They can all be found on a single dive. They are located between 10 and 37 feet. Huge rock formations and ledges surround both islands with depths reaching over 100 feet rapidly.

Loon Cove - The wreck of the Echo Junior lies in about 45 feet of water on the south side of the red buoy in Alton Bay. The 28-foot hull is still intact. It burnt to the waterline on its maiden voyage. The engine of the 1940s speedboat is a 12-cylinder Allison Aircraft engine.

Parker Island - Interesting rock formations were formed when the glaciers pushed through the area creating very distinct cuts, tunnels, and striations. Quartz veins have been exposed. The rock ledge forms what appears to be a staircase made for a giant, which starts in about 15 feet of water and descends down to 60 feet.

Rum Point - Located on the shores of West Alton, this site has tremendous rock and wall formations. There is an assortment of fish life. Join us in the hunt for the sunken logging truck that sank in 1965 towards Echo Shores or the missing shipment of illegal rum. This point was one of the popular launching sites during prohibition and a load was lost.

Steam Barge - This wreck sank around the turn of the century off of Doe Pont, near Weirs Beach. It can be found in about 50 feet of water. It was a work barge designed for driving pilings into the mud. The wreck is intact. It sits upright and the crane and boiler are still attached.

1. There are public boat ramps available in most major towns around the lake.
2. Always use a dive flag. Boaters should stay 150 feet away from flags and divers must stay within 75 feet of their flag. IT IS THE LAW.
3. Town docks are handy for stopping by Dive Winnipesaukee in Wolfeboro.
4. Do not remove artifacts from the wrecks.
5. Any trash found when diving would love to be picked up and disposed of properly.