by Phil Rowe
Every day in the summer's sun, from mid-morning through late afternoon, Cap'n Jack stood proudly on the dock with megaphone in hand. His crisp white shirt, trousers and jaunty white hat with shiny black visor made him a standout against the throngs of tourists responding to his call. Cap'n Jack, himself a distinguished visage with locks of curly white, was a master at bringing the eager masses to dockside.
What was this marvelous attraction? What did Cap'n Jack have to say that kept the tourists coming day after day? Was it a magic elixir or perhaps a wild and exciting carnival ride? No indeed. What Cap'n Jack promoted, like a circus barker, was the chance to ride on the famous Miss Winnipesaukee. This was the Weirs, the Lakes Region's premiere resort of the first half of this century.
The only way for tourists to reach the that dock, and the attraction that Cap'n Jack so earnestly proclaimed, was through the cavernous ballroom at the end of the boardwalk , out on the sun deck and thence down two flights of wooden stairs. And they came in droves each summer's day. Down to the dock they came in response to that siren call for thrills and adventure. Each customer eagerly proffered the required fee of $2.50 for 30 minutes of pure delight, as Cap'n Jack was wont to call it.
The Miss Winnipesaukee was, and actually there were really three of them, a 1930's vintage Chris-Craft classic speedboat. It was a ten-passenger beauty of glistening mahogany, real chrome deck fittings and leather seats. They roared across the lake every twenty minutes, filled with delighted tourists of all ages. The ride was an exhilarating experience which many took more than once. Three or four sat immediately behind the driver, with one or two up front beside him. In the aft cockpit sat two or three others in the favorite seat of all.
Cap'n Jack was skilled at getting each boat loaded and away just before the next returning one arrived to disgorge its load of smiling, happy and excited passengers. Some, especially those riding in aft cockpit, were a bit wet from spray as the boats roared and bounced across the wakes of others on that busy lake. No one minded a bit, for the thrill was worth it. And so was the scenery of New Hampshire's magnificent waters, with dozens of wooded islands and a backdrop of nearby mountains. This was what they came for, and none was ever disappointed.
For several summers in the late 1940's I too knew of the thrills and pleasures that Cap'n Jack offered. As an employee of one of the boardwalk's merchants, the KarmelKorn shop, I received special treatments. When there were empty seats, Cap'n Jack would invite me to jump in for free rides. He made me feel pretty special and I'll always remember the happy experience.
Ahoy, Cap'n Jack .. wherever you are, my friend.