Ice Fishing in Lake Erie
What an experience. Can you imagine being on an iced over lake only to discover that the ice broke off and you are now “floating” with no way to get off? This was a major story over the weekend when 134 people had to be plucked off an 8 mile sheet of ice on Lake Erie. In Maine our lakes are not as large as Erie and when they freeze, they stay frozen for winter. In this case, a few anglers put wooden planks over open water to get further out on the lake. Not a good idea as others followed.
Temps climbed into the 30s and the winds were such that the ice broke off and folks became stranded. The Coast Guard came to the rescue but it plays up the fact that ice is tricky stuff. One part of the lake had ice depths of 2 feet and another location was open water. My best advise is “don’t go on any lake that has an open water”.
One friend who used to dive for the sheriff’s department tells me that ice is not consistent. Depending upon the current and other factors, it might be 2 feet thick in one spot and a short distance away it might be 5 inches. Two inches of ice will hold a person and with 6 – 8 inches, you can drive a vehicle on it. I think it was a minor miracle that there was only one death as a result of the ice and think the world of the Coast Guard and others who are so good at what they do.
This looks like an interesting weather switch. It is warming on the East Coast but the West is where all the (fun) cold weather will be this week. Mid January – mid February are generally the coldest weeks of the winter. We think the East will get clobbered in March but some warmer temps in February resulting in rain/ snow storms. Clearly six more weeks of winter and then some.
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1 comment
It’s a fact. You can’t learn common sense by going to a class, you learn from experience or talking to people. Hopefully, this winter educated a few.
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