Lake Hopatcong.

This is the lake I grew up on. The lake I had my first boat on at the age of 13, that I’d wake up at 7am every day of the summer to go out water skiing with my best friend Shawn (who came up with the name Day19) on. The lake my dad lives on still, who’s “summer” house is on an island on that same lake 2 miles from his year round house. I can’t recall ever having a bad time on this lake. My dad had a mortgage burning party (when you pay off your home and you burn the mortgage papers) on the island the 1st of August and I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.
More photos after the jump of jumping off docks.

My dad, getting ready to burn.


It was also the first annual beer tasting party. Everyone brings a 6 pack of their favorite brew and tries others all day. See you there next year.

Claire’s Mum & Dad.

Kimberly came out w/ her boyfriend Brett who documented the day as well if you want to see it thru different eyes @ http://morewasteddays.blogspot.com/.

Eli stoked on the car.

That’s a big flag.

Jumping off the dock time.



This looks like it was taken with a star filter from the 80s.

Karaoke Ryan.

Eli loves a hose.

Flotation device = sliding device.

The 30 year olds had the kids questioning our sliding off the dock set-ups.

The Jeremy x Karaoke Ryan double hand holding slide must have really freaked em out.


My dad became a victim of Eli and the hose.


as did my brother.

Tennis ball canon, what you got?

Potato canon, we are fully armed w/ makeshift firearms at a Weiss household. Eli’s first launch.

3 generations…. of potato gun launchers.




12 Comments
Man, that looks fun.
I was wondering if that was Lk. Hopatcong in NJ? That’s where I grew. Already my husband grew up with mutual friends Erin Garcia, Dallas Clayton, etc. and thought it would be a trip if you grew up where I did?
Hey Kellie, of course New Jersey. What town are you from?
“star filter from the 80s”… you mean I am not supposed to use those any more? Since when? 🙂
Raccoon Island?
I ran into these photos searching around for Lake Hopatcong pictures. The beer on the stump is a classic and I’m now motivated to pay off my mortgage faster to have a party. 🙂
Raccoon Island yes. And Chris, invite us to your party.
Looks like you had a great day! Looks like a really nice place – and I’m actually quite jealous of you having your own boat and being able to jet ski when you was 13! Great photos, too 😉
I grew up in Morristown, later moved to Long Valley. That’s a trip! If you see those guys, you can tell them hi from Templeton and Kellie!
i’m coming with next year..i mean if that’s okay with y’all…never shot a potato cannon before!
i live 10 minutes from here in branchville nj! great site guys i love it! (BTW huge piebald fan!)
I grew up on Lake Hopatcong too, more specifically in Lake Forest. I also have many memories of that lake. I have been blogging about it on my own blog justmeat50something.blogspot.com. I have no pictures since most of what was taken by my father are on slides and I lack the ability to convert them. It was a great place to grow up!