Lake Erie on March 1

[Ed Schenck]

There's open water! Problem, its on the Canadian side. Now wouldn't you think the ice would be on the north side instead of the south. There must be a slope in the lake.

My boat is south and east of that pointy thing seen near the west end of the lake. That is Point Pelee near Leamington, Ontario. Leamington is a favorite sailing destination, about 45 nautical miles from my slip. The govt. run marina there is super friendly.

Almost looks like you could sail from Sandusky Bay, no ice visible.

 

[DannyS]

Cool, what website is that from? I'm on Lake Superior, I'd like to see how things are up there.

 

[Ed Schenck]

Lots of cloud cover up there Danny. But our friends at NOAA post several days for your viewing pleasure. Where's the ice?
http://coastwatch.glerl.noaa.gov/modis/modis.cgi/modis?region=s&page=1

 

[DannyS]

Cool Ed, thanks! Not much ice out there, but my boat is locked in that south shore ice around the Apostle Islands (approx 80 miles east of the west end). Spooky story about the ice up there. A week ago we drove across the ice road to Madeline Island against the wishes of the wives, maybe a mile and a half at most. On our return, just as we drove down the landing to the ice, the entire sheet of ice shifted, went out a couple of feet to expose open water at the beach, then slammed back in and buckling the ice and shooting water up. We drove over the ice ledge and across the road with no problem. When we got to the mainland, people were all over the beach looking around. We made it off the ice just fine but asked what was going on. We found out that the same thing happened on the mainland side meaning that the whole ice sheet shifted as one unit. They closed the road right then. If we hadn't have moved out when we did, our car may still be sitting out on the island. We had to promise the wives to never again to be Ice Road Truckers!

 

[Ed Schenck]

Every year we lose fishermen down here on Erie. It can shift without warning even when very thick and the weather is cold. We used to do the same thing as kids. Back then it was on the Allegheny River where I grew up in PA.

 

[Scott B]

Ed, we've been melting all the ice on our side with Tim Hortons coffee....

Georgian Bay still covered in ice and our corner of the Bay is solid white.... :cry:

 

[Ed Schenck]

What?! No Starbucks that far north? Melts much faster. Did you ever tell me how close you are to Penetanguishene ?

 

[PrincessoftheLake]

Danny-I heard about that from a friend of mine who was up there when that happened. Glad you are okay but that must have been cool to see-from the safety of shore of course.

POTL

 

[Scott T-Bird]

We have snowmobilers on our lake that like to shoot the open water gaps on their sleds. There is an open water gap of about 100 feet near a bridge with current. Earlier this year, one guy let off the throttle just enough because a flock of ducks distracted him and he sunk his sled. The onlookers pulled him out but his fine was pretty steep for environmental damage and whatnot. It was pretty costly to recover the sled as well but he had no choice in that matter ... it was going to be recovered no matter what the cost to him.

Several years ago a bunch of snowmobilers where out on a windy night with a lot of wind-driven snow so visibility was really bad. One of them, pretty drunk at the time as several people attested to, went into the water at a deep section of the lake and I am sure the whereabouts of the sled is unknown. Nobody saw it happen as most had gone in by then and it was late on a weekday night. Anyway, the guys helmut was found at the edge of the ice. The rumors swirled for a few months, as it was claimed that his credit cards were being used and he was spotted hiding out with a girlfriend in Pa. But he floated to the surface in April and that was the end of the story. I imagine he made it to the edge of the ice and removed his helmut but couldn't claw his way out before succombing to hypothermia.

There is no sign of ice breaking up yet on our lake so it will be later than usual. Hopefully by mid-March ...

 

[Scott B]

What?! No Starbucks that far north? Melts much faster. Did you ever tell me how close you are to Penetanguishene ?

Fairly close..... our marina is IN Penetanguishene....

 

[w4pyleii]

Can't believe how open superior is this year :/ Lake is getting warmer every year, scary. Had aquatic plants growing in marquette harbor this past summer, first time i've ever seen it.

 

[ggrizzard]

Actually Ed, according to geologists there is a tilt to the great lakes basin!
Nat Geo!

 

[BrianH]

Ed,

I spotted a course through the ice that I might just be able to make it from my marina to Put-in-Bay. I am craving lobster bisque at the Boardwalk!!

On second thought, maybe I'll wait a few more weeks.

 

[Ed Schenck]

Scott, look for Garry and Ann on Andantino, a Westerly 32. They were my dockmates and went home to Canada after forty years down here at Goodyear. Garry is real active up there with politics and dog sled racing.

Brian, don't do that. I probably can't over there before June. Just now filling out the marina work order papers. It will include all new standing rigging and a new furler. I won't be able to afford lobster bisque. :neutral:

 

[Scott B]

Scott, look for Garry and Ann on Andantino, a Westerly 32. They were my dockmates and went home to Canada after forty years down here at Goodyear. Garry is real active up there with politics and dog sled racing.

Will do. Do you know which marina they'll be in, there's 4 in Penetang.