It all started in 1987, my husband (Steve) and I “went for a drive”. A real estate agent appointment had been set up to look at lake front property. It was March – we all know what March is like in Moultonborough. Cold, soggy, muddy and generally not everyone’s favorite month. But March did not deter us, we found this little cabin on a lake called Kanasatka.

The first challenge was learning how to both pronounce and spell the name of the lake. The second challenge once we owned the property was to remove the years of old tires and decks below the deck. What we learned was the area below the deck was a repository for every old tire they ever had and when the previous decks rotted, they just tore it down and left the old deck on the ground.

The property was purchased as a rental, yet like so many others, we fell in love with the little pristine Lake Kanasatka. Friends came and shared both the love of the lake and the upkeep that was required. When we lived in Massachusetts we loaned the house to friends from Sunday to Friday, we returned on Friday to hear their stories of love, creating memories and relaxation.

Those years of sharing the lake with friends have lead to many stories of first dates, engagements, honeymoons and at least one conception – that we were told about. Family reunions, both ours and friends, have kept the stories and traditions alive and well.

In years past we had a power boat and would be one of those (we didn’t know better) who did circles in the middle with tubes on the back. Anyone who challenged me that I couldn’t dump them off the tube, learned not to challenge. The only one that became a draw in the competition was a 16-year-old male who let go since his swim suit was around his ankles and he was afraid of losing his suit and the resulting embarrassment.

The years went by, our son came along and one more generation fell in love with the lake. There also came a time when the old cabin began to sag, became uneven and major work needed to be done. We would need to sell or remodel what we had. The choice, obviously, was remodel which we did in 2017 with no intention of moving here full time at any point in the future. Life once again changed and in 2020 we officially moved to NH.

The lake has been a blessing to all of us. Red Hill has been hiked countless times. We swim, kayak, boat and play in the water. However, these days that is hindered by cyanobacteria. This fall the cyanobacteria has been so bad, I haven’t even wanted to open the windows lakeside.

We must change the direction the lake is headed. If we don’t, we very quickly can have a lake that is not swimmable, drinkable or useable throughout the year. None of us want that result. Together we can work to reduce our storm runoff, not fertilize our lawns, plant the right plants, use the lake responsibly and help it return to its pristine state.