Vermont

Scenes from a Lake Champlain Houseboat Adventure | Little Outdoor Giants

Cruising Lake Champlain in a houseboat is an adventure like no other. Enjoy scenes from one such adventure from photography duo Little Outdoor Giants.

By Heather Marcus|Jun 02 2017|

Coffee By Design | Portland, Maine

Photo Credit : Katherine Keenan
In the summer of 2016, photography duo Little Outdoor Giants (also known as Dom Casserly and Jarrod McCabe) set off with friends on a Lake Champlain houseboat adventure for the May/June 2017 Yankee feature, “Slow Boat on a Big Lake.” Here, they share a collection of bonus images from their Lake Champlain travels, with text and captions excerpted from their handwritten journal.
The Hero's Welcome dock in North Hero with our houseboat docked for the afternoon.
The Hero’s Welcome dock in North Hero, VT, with the houseboat docked for the afternoon.
Photo Credit : Little Outdoor Giants

LAKE CHAMPLAIN HOUSEBOAT ADVENTURE

Goal #1: Make Great Work. Goal #1.5 Catch Lots of Fish. Sitting here at the historic Basin Harbor Club in Vermont, we are on the “blue houseboat” hailing from Chipman Point Marina. We are looking forward to this trip as a photo odyssey, a skills-learning expedition (how to drive a boat, drop an anchor, navigate, read charts, etc.) as well as a real vacation. So far, we already feel like we’ve learned a lot and been out of our comfort zone, and that we’re gonna find tons of picturesque, quaint, storybook moments. Just to start the day at Chipman Point Marina was like a movie set come to life. The marina sits at the bottom of a steep hill sloping down to the water. Lake Champlain down there is so narrow it looks like a small lake. You can see the mountains of the New York side rising right up out of the water. There are sailboats, motorboats, and houseboats all docked at the floating wooden docks, a gravel walkway leading to an old slanted yacht clubhouse that looks like it used to be a stately munitions building from early American history. Then we meet Chip himself! He is like a modern-day pirate, a big strong guy quick and to the point, but so friendly. He goes over the boat with us after we load it all in. We learn to operate the radio, the helm, the batteries, the bathroom, how to drop anchor, how to use the charts, and where to use safe anchorages along with suggestions on what to see. He warned us today the winds might cause high seas and said good luck! And sent us on our way! See more from Little Outdoor Giants here: littleoutdoorgiants.com.
Mickey Maynard, possibly the most sought after fisherman on the lake, spent some time with us sharing lake stories down in the Plattsburgh Marina.
Mickey Maynard, possibly the most sought-after fisherman on the lake, spent some time with us sharing lake stories down at the Plattsburgh, NY, Marina.
Photo Credit : Little Outdoor Giants
Elizabeth takes it all in as we float through the high stone cliffs of Ausable Chasm on a hot summer day.
Elizabeth takes it all in while floating through the high stone cliffs of Ausable Chasm in New York state.
Photo Credit : Little Outdoor Giants
The independence day weekend reenactment at Fort Ticonderoga on the New York side of Lake Champlain.
The Independence Day weekend reenactment at Fort Ticonderoga on the New York side of Lake Champlain.
Photo Credit : Little Outdoor Giants
Summer is in full swing at North Beach Park. We passed this scene on the way to Charlie's Boathouse. You get a great view of the beach from the bike path.
Summer in full swing at North Beach Park in Burlington, VT. We passed this scene on the way to Charlie’s Boathouse. You get a great view of the beach from the bike path.
Photo Credit : Little Outdoor Giants
Charlie himself, of Charlie's Boathouse, an institution on the lake. Follow the bike path north out of Burlington and you can't miss it.
Charlie himself, of Charlie’s Boathouse. Follow the bike path north out of Burlington and you can’t miss this place.
Photo Credit : Little Outdoor Giants
Judy Caldwell of Holderness NH reads a paper at Hero's Welcome General Store. She's en route to visit her mother in Canada and always stops in.
Judy Caldwell of Holderness, NH, reads a newspaper at Hero’s Welcome General Store. She’s en route to visit her mother in Canada, and always stops in.
Photo Credit : Little Outdoor Giants
Nikki Talcott in her second year working at Mallet's Bay Marina pumps gas for the house boat crew. With family in Colchester, she has grown up around boats on the lake and is a self-described "lake girl".
Nikki Talcott, in her second year working at Malletts Bay Marina, pumps gas for our houseboat. With family in Colchester, VT, she has grown up around boats on the lake and is a self-described “lake girl.”
Photo Credit : Little Outdoor Giants
Lemuel Palmer fishes for white perch just below the falls in Vergennes with his friend Bill "Fish Hawk" Dutton.
Lemuel Palmer fishes for white perch just below the falls in Vergennes, VT, with his friend Bill “Fish Hawk” Dutton.
Photo Credit : Little Outdoor Giants
Some great bass fishing on the lake. We ate a lot of fresh fish including panfish like Yellow Perch and Pumpkinseed or Bass.
Some great bass fishing on the lake. We ate a lot of fresh fish, including panfish like yellow perch, pumpkinseed fish, and bass.
Photo Credit : Little Outdoor Giants
Elizabeth just as happy as ever as we row our way back to the houseboat from some time ashore Valcour Island. Summer evenings on the water in New England are priceless.
Elizabeth, happy as ever, as we row our way back to the houseboat from Valcour Island on the New York side of the lake. Summer evenings on the water in New England are priceless.
Photo Credit : Little Outdoor Giants
The sun sets over New York as we lay anchor off Juniper Island for the evening.
The sun sets over the New York shoreline as we lay anchor off Juniper Island for the evening.
Photo Credit : Little Outdoor Giants
Have you ever spent time on Lake Champlain?

SEE MORE: Prettiest Lakes in New England Thoreau’s Maine | A Photo Story of Adventure The Most Beautiful Places in Vermont

Heather Marcus

More by Heather Marcus

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  1. This looks like my Ideal retired life. I plan onm buying a houseboat, a barn & 200k worth of solar panels. Sell power all year, live on the lake 5-6 month a year & Live in the boat in the heated barn in the winter. Anyway it all looks beautiful, have a great day.

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