How to Get That Island Site


In an effort to learn more about the procedures for reserving an island for either picnicing or camping I stopped by the ranger station on Narrow Island.

Overnight camping goes for $24.00 per night with a $2.75 service charge.

Picnic sites go for $10.00 for a full day, and $5.00 for half a day. Picnicing is strictly on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Overnight camping sites should be reserved through the website: www.reserveamerica.com

In the “Find the Best Camping Spots” search area, put “Huletts Landing, New York” in the Near Box.

The coolest thing I picked up however, was this map of all the sites administered through Narrow Island, and the location of the different sites and their docks.

To call Narrow Island directly, the phone number is 499-1288.

Federation Meeting

Federation of Huletts Landing Associations (FHA) July Meeting & Presentation on Lake Friendly Landscaping

The next FHA Meeting will be held on Saturday, July 11, 2009 at 8:30 am in the new firehouse and is open to all.

At 9:30 am the meeting will be followed with an FHA sponsored presentation on “LAKE FRIENDLY LANDSCAPING”. This is a timely topic for all of us concerned about the quality of Lake George water. Emily DeBolt, Education and Outreach Coordinator of the Lake George Association, who will talk about reducing potential harmful runoff, native plants, rain gardens, shoreline buffers, fertilizers and lawn care. Learn about some of these simple, low cost things you can do on your own property to help protect Lake George.

Click Here to Read the Minutes of the July, 2008 FHA Meeting

Click Here to Read Important Safety and Boating Information as promulgated by the FHA (You might want to print this out and post it in your house.)

I will be creating a permanent link shortly on the left hand sidebar to link to important Association news.

What’s New at the Huletts Island View Marina


Artist, Karen Cooper, stands with Ed Curley, President of the Huletts Island View Marina, in front of some of her original watercolors that the marina is selling this year.

I recently stopped by the Marina to learn what’s new for 2009. I visited with Ed Curley, the President, and was extremely fortunate to meet artist, Karen Cooper, when I stopped by.

Karen is a watercolor artist who draws her inspiration from the environment in upstate New York. She has studied with several master watercolorists including American Watercolor Society members Cecile Johnson and Claude Croney, Mario Cooper and Dale Meyers. Her works have been accepted and displayed in many prominent exhibits in upstate New York, New York City and Maine.

This year the Marina is offering her original artwork for sale in their gift shop. Karen’s use of color is extraordinary and her pictures of Lake George and the environment are beautiful. I highly recommend them.

The Marina has many things other than just gas for sale. Their giftshop has many unique and folksy items for sale which you have to see to appreciate, and their store has numerous provisions including firewood, milk, cookies and bread. They have car parking and launching for campers and they also rent canoes and kayaks.

Recently, the roads in and around the Marina were taken over by the Town of Dresden. I asked Ed about this and he was extremely positive about the transfer. When I asked his opinion about having the Town in charge of the road’s maintenance, he said it was “Great!” He added, “the Town has done a fantastic job. The potholes are gone, they plow them in the winter and they even maintain our two bridges. I would say everyone is really happy with the outcome.”

The Marina is now open 7 days a week until Labor Day. Its hours of operation are: 8 am – 7 pm Friday and Saturday, and 8 am – 6 pm Sunday thru Thursday. If you need to contact them you can call them at 499-0801 or you can simply stop in and say hello. When you stop by, be sure to look at Karen’s original artwork. After seeing her beautiful watercolors, you’ll want to buy one!

Our thanks go out to all those at the Huletts Island View Marina for the positive things they are doing in our community.

Bits of Everything

Washington County Sales Tax Down

Washington County’s sales tax revenue is down from last year. Please try to buy local when you can. When you shop in Glens Falls/Queensbury, remember you’re shopping in Warren County.

Kentucky Derby Winner Headed to Travers

The Travers Stakes will be run at Saratoga Race Course on Aug. 29. and there are some big name horses coming to run.

What’s named Champlain?

Everything you ever wanted to know that’s named Champlain is in this press release.

LGPC: Thanks for Writing

The Lake George Park Commission released this letter today thanking those who took the time to comment on their proposed stream regulations. The process now moves to the next phase because the LGPC approved the Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement at their May meeting.

To learn more about what happens next, read the letter.

Last Casino Side to be Painted

Bravos to Ed Briody as he finished scrapping the last side of the Casino today. The plan is to paint the remaining side of the Casino this week. I made Ed take off his mask and smile for the camera.

Ed gets the Bravo this week, because he takes the time to see that no paint flakes get in the grass. He carefully places a tarp under the area he scrapes, then vacuums the flakes from the tarp, and disposes of them properly. This way no flakes get in the grass.

I call this the environmentally friendly way of painting. It takes a lot more time but see the result yourself. The paint flakes are on the tarp and not in the grass. Bravos to Ed for doing it the right way and being an example to us all!

“It’s Nicer on this Side”

Yesterday, on the way back from Whitehall, I stopped at the pavilion/walkway out over South Bay on Lake Champlain. I don’t want to beat a dead horse, but this little improvement shows the difference between how Dresden and Whitehall are facing their future.

Dresden Town Supervisor, Bob Banks, spearheaded this initiative a few years back and it’s a nice improvement. I met a couple from Whitehall and they said they loved fishing on the Dresden side because; “It’s nicer on this side.” There’s a parking lot, benches, the pavilion on the end, etc.

On the Whitehall side, there’s nothing and they haven’t even tried to improve things.

I’m going to be doing a story soon, on all the businesses that have closed in Whitehall over the last few years. It’s analogous to not seeing your nieces or nephews for a few months and seeing how they have grown. Except in Whitehall’s case it’s the reverse, when people come back for the summer they notice how things have declined.

I wish there was a concentrated effort by the Whitehall town fathers to do something, anything to stem the decline. It’s always more of the same though; “What can we do?”

Come up with a plan. That’s what. Try to bring business to the town, start or try to attract a college to come here, make the facades of the buildings like an alpine village. CUT TAXES. I don’t have the answer but try something. Use what you have and try. It’s a major thoroughfare to Vermont, get people to stop.

Getting back to the South Bay pavilion though, it’s dedicated to John Brooks who was the conservation officer for many years. I remember him as a child because he would issue permits for burning leaves, etc. and it always amazed me that he carried a gun. (He had to confront poachers and people hunting illegally who were armed so it makes sense.) As a child, he taught me things about the environment that I still remember to this day. I wish there were more people like him. I sense the environmental movement is creeping to an extremism that forgets people are part of the equation. That’s why I took a picture of the dedication to John Brooks that meets visitors to the pavilion.

He always gave me the sense that he would protect the environment but he also wanted people to enjoy the environment also. That’s why the last line of the dedication really hit home for me. He understood that there has to be access for PEOPLE to enjoy the environment.

Vision and enthusiasm are definitely needed on the Whitehall side.