M/S Mount Washington returns to Alton Bay for Sunday cruises

ALTON — Town leaders were excited to see the M/S Mount Washington traveling through Alton Bay last month, after she had been absent from the southernmost port all summer. Now, the largest and oldest cruise ship on Lake Winnipesaukee has plans to bring people aboard from the port starting this weekend.

“They sent us a notice and they are coming on Sunday,” Town Administrator Ryan Heath said on Wednesday.

The Mount will be returning to Alton Bay on Sunday, Aug. 9, according to notice on the Mount Washington Cruises website and social media pages on Aug. 3.

Selectboard members said on July 28, they had seen the Mount cruising the bay the previous weekend. Heath said Wednesday that selectboard members recently noticed a barge off the shore. He said new pilings have been put in, and there are two new full clusters installed.

This allows the Mount to be able to dock and pick people up for rides once again, something absent the last two summers.

“They will be able to load and unload passengers,” Heath said.

Mount Washington Cruises said on, Aug. 3, that their parent company, Winnipesaukee Flagship Corp, has partnered with Legacy Lake Builders, who are working with Goodhue Boat Company.

“That relationship means deeper marine resources, specialized equipment, and waterfront expertise that few standalone firms can bring to a project,” according to the announcement. “Together, they've got the crew, the equipment, and — more importantly — the track record of working on infrastructure that has to perform under real-world lake conditions, not just look good on a blueprint.”

The announcement stated the shoreside infrastructure is among the most complicated on the Big Lake, with multiple ports and waterfront locations all with a unique wetland footprint, lakebed composition, permitting history and other requirements. They said with more than a century of waterfront history, the structures at ports aren’t just pieces of wood. They are layered on tops of cribs, pilings and foundations that have been there for many years.

“You can't simply remove and replace what you see on the surface without accounting for what's underneath, what's attached to it, and what permitting and historical precedent governs it,” the announcement reads.

Leah Shea, office manager for Legacy Lake Builders, said they are “extremely excited and honored” to be trusted with maintaining all ports, docks, and locations for the Mount around Winnipesaukee.

The company’s first job in the partnership was to replace the stern clusters, which she said were overdue to maintenance. Shea said this includes 10 pilings per cluster, which are now secure for years to come.

“That went wonderfully,” Shea said in an interview on Friday. “They were tested last weekend, and worked great.”

Shea said there is a big project on the horizon, as well, with renovations expected next spring at Weirs Beach.

“Eventually, we will be completely renovating the port at The Weirs,” Shea said. “That is a historic dock, and will be a big project.”

Shea said this will likely be a multi-phased project, involving the replacement of the majority of the dock system while also trying to maintain its history, and keep it looking the same. The dock is perfectly safe to use, but she said it has been a long time coming, and “needs a little bit of a facelift.”

Shea spoke highly of Legacy Lake Builders owner John Murray, saying he is “the best of the best,” and likely a main reason for the partnership.

“He is amazing at dock work, and will make sure it is solid and usable for many, many years ahead.”

Quelling rumors

At the selectboard meeting May 12, Heath and the board discussed how the dock was in poor shape, and rehabilitation might be needed. Mount Washington Cruises General Manager Jared Maraio, on May 18, said this was not the case, and only the now-repaired stern cluster was in question.

Mount Washington Cruises staff acknowledged rumors were swirling, which they addressed with the announcement on Aug. 3.

“If you've been following the scuttlebutt out of Alton Bay, you might have heard a rumor or two about our stern cluster,” the announcement reads. “Or our dock. Or that we've hired an engineering firm. Or that we were abandoning the port. Or we're planning a full-blown rehab. Let's clear the flotsam and jetsam: our stern cluster prevented The Mount from visiting her southernmost port, and it absolutely required solving a complex infrastructure puzzle. And when the project is this complicated, you hire the right crew.”

Shea said Friday the Alton dock is fit for use, and the plan is to go through every port over the next year, to identify any fixes or improvements needed.

Legacy Lake Builders works all around the lake. Shea said staff are incredibly busy with island construction, dock, and shoreline repair. She called the partnership the most exciting project to date for their company.

“Hopefully, this will be a long-lasting relationship,” Shea said. “We will be down there this weekend when they return to Alton Bay. That is a huge deal, and is very exciting.”

Heath said the community is happy to have the Mount back, and he knows people are looking forward to the vessel arriving this weekend.

“The town is very hopeful for the future of the Mount,” Heath said.

Cruises from Alton Bay take place at 11:30 a.m., on Sundays, through Oct. 18.

The M/S Mount Washington’s schedule has been updated to show a narrated, scenic, three-hour tour from Alton Bay, starting at 11:30 a.m. on the third deck of the ship. The Sunday Brunch Cruise from Alton Bay has also been added.