By Jon Bodell - Jun 27, 2017 | 2 comments

The M.V. Mt. Sunapee II takes passengers on relaxing cruises around Lake Sunapee. She's a fine ship, for sure. JON BODELL / Insider staff

The views are great no matter where you sit aboard the M.V. Mt. Sunapee II. It's especially nice when you get picture-perfect weather like this. JON BODELL / Insider staff

The snow-free Mount Sunapee is visible for most of the cruise around Lake Sunapee. JON BODELL / Insider staff

It was the perfect day for a sail around Lake Sunapee last week. We can't stress enough that it was an absolutely beautiful day, making for one of the more enjoyable assignments in recent memory. JON BODELL / Insider staff

M.V. Mt. Sunapee II Capt. Al Peterson lets Olivia Dorion, 12, of California drive the ship for a little bit. The vessel didn't crash or sink, so we say Olivia did quite a nice job. JON BODELL / Insider staff

We can neither confirm nor deny that this house may or may not be owned by a legendary rock singer with strong ties to the Lakes Region. Apparently a certain frontman really likes Livin' on the Edge, if you know what we mean. JON BODELL / Insider staff

We do plenty of cruising for work, but not usually the kind that involves bodies of water and large motor vessels. So when we got the opportunity to board the M.V. Mt. Sunapee II to cruise around Lake Sunapee, we knew we had to jump at the opportunity.

The ship departs at 2 p.m. daily from now until Labor Day for 90-minute cruises around the scenic lake. As well as the pleasant views and cool breeze, you also get a little history and geography lesson, courtesy of whatever all-knowing captain is on duty that day.

When we went last Thursday, we had the pleasure of Capt. Al Peterson, a 36-year veteran of boat-steering, pointing out sights like Mount Sunapee, several lighthouses, a private island, Mt. Ascutney in Vermont and even a few celebrity homes. We also got to enjoy some of the nicest weather we can remember, with picturesque skies, calm waters and a gentle breeze to accompany our trip.

It all works pretty simply – you can basically just show up a few minutes before the 2 o’clock departure time with $20 in hand (or $10 for kids ages 6 to 12 or $55 for two adults and two kids) and hop on, paying on board. If you like to plan ahead, you can also get tickets ahead of time at sunapeecruises.com.

Once you’re on the boat, it’s all about relaxation. There are no assigned seats, so you can feel free to walk around the enclosed cabin or the open deck up top as you please. You can also grab some snacks and beverages – including the adult variety – from the little bar in the downstairs portion of the ship.

We skipped the refreshments and went straight for the roof deck, snagging a seat near the front of the boat. It turned out to be an excellent decision, as the views were movie-like and the breeze was just strong enough to cut some of the heat from the sun, which was shining bright all day.

On that note, though, it’s worth mentioning that if you’re sensitive to the sun, it would be a good idea to bring some sunscreen and/or a hat – as long as you’re able to hold onto that hat, because the wind will try to take it (I almost lost mine four or five times).

On our tour we learned a lot of fun facts about the lake and the general surrounding area. For instance, did you know that Lake Sunapee is the fifth-largest in New Hampshire, and that it’s 1,100 feet above sea level? Did you know the deepest part of the lake is about 110 feet deep? Well, you do now!

Peterson, the likeable captain, also told us about some celebrity homes on the lake, including properties owned by filmmaker Ken Burns and Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler. Peterson said he wasn’t supposed to point out the rocker’s home, but he gave some hints that allowed most of us on board to figure it out (don’t worry, Steve, your secret is safe with us!).

Although the tour was narrated, it wasn’t remotely annoying – Peterson has a good feel for when he should say something and when he should just let the passengers enjoy the cruise. Some light-hearted and borderline cheesy jokes were sprinkled in as well, keeping the atmosphere very pleasant and fun – who doesn’t love a nice cheesy joke? The boat also had some speakers mounted in the front and back playing, what sounded like, some Jimmy Buffet (the wind was fairly loud so it was tough to make out exactly what was playing on the stereo).

After about 45 minutes or so, Peterson opened up the cabin and let some youngsters take the wheel. The second kid to steer the boat, Olivia Dorion, 12, came all the way from California, but she wasn’t exactly a stranger to the Granite State – she used to live in Concord for about a year.

Even though she was 12, making her the oldest of the three kids to drive the boat, she did a fine job, keeping all of us dry and afloat.

As the M.V. Mt. Sunapee II headed back to the dock, it was a bummer to have to disembark and get back to reality. After spending exactly 90 minutes on the lake with tailor-made conditions, the last thing anyone wanted to do was get off and get back to the daily grind, but such is life.

Next time you have a few spare hours, head up to Sunapee and go for a cruise.