Chickawaukie Ice Boat Club

In a previous post leading up to the two days of sailing at lake Sebago someone used the word “epic”. It should have been EPIC!. Achingly beautiful ice, great wind both days, lots of sailors incredulous at finding themselves on such a plate at this time of year with most of New England snowed out.

Eight inches of clear black ice extended over the horizon. There were a few pressure ridges, but easy to spot with a number of good crossings.
Skaters and skate sailors easily outnumbered iceboats; our hope is that all those gung-ho young folks will find their way into an iceboat eventually.

The boundary between grade ten and grade one:

One could follow along this marge, doing a circumnavigation of the bklack ice and covering about 25 miles in the process.

Right behind these three boats is the end of the black stuff, about half way down the Frye Island shore.

The MIT Iceboating Team came out of hibernation for their fist outing in years. Five students sailed for the first time, all undergrads with more winters ahead. Thanks to Professor John Brisson for making it happen, and Thatcher Chamberlain, one of the founding members of the club now back for grad school, for helping to organize.

There is no wind forecast for the next few days aside from a potential small puff on Wednesday. But the ice will be there until the next snow; just to go for a long walk with cleats skritching and the sun shining will warm the heart of any icehound.

Sharp reader Ben Fuller offers this correction:

The worlds was actually held at St. Michaels on the MIles River. Retired Jersy sailor instigated as everything else was snowed out. Homer Sedar as I recall his name. We used the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum where I was working as the launch spot and boat shop as the warmer. A number of boats ended up in Eastern Shore barns. The winter the Bay froze and the big blizzard hit New England.

Thanks Ben!

The storm is still tracking well offshore, we are building ice as we speak and the launch ramp at Nasons Beach is plowed out. Please don’t drive on the ice, but putting trailers on the ice should be fine. Dave Fortier has set up his big boat with his trailer on the ice so we know it’s ok. Thanks Dave!
There is reported to be a pressure ridge that might need to be crossed to access the big black ice section. We’ll need to scout that for a crossing if so. Please don’t sail into it.
People will be showing up between nine and ten on Sunday.
There are plans to sail Monday as well.

Meanwhile, down on the Chesapeake, Rambin Roger tells us the ice is lovely. After logging thousands of miles chasing ice, he can now sail just fifteen minutes from home. We miss you Roger!

Some of these DN’s are veterans of the 1977 Worlds, held in Annapolis that year.

Hallocks Bay in Orient, Long Island has also been sailed lately. Is Great South Bay next?

Things are firming up nicely on the big lake. The north end is a massive sheet of black ice extending from the state park to Frye Island and nearly to the west side, and our access at Nasons Beach. The slush that Curtis observed Tuesday is now hard and Lee Spiller suspects that one could sail through the thin snow atop that slush ice out to the black ice.

Here’s the view from above:

The view from Nasons Beach:

We are working on getting the rest of the ramp plowed. The road in is just fine.

This photo shows Spider Island, just north of Nasons and not very far offshore. If we can get across the snow field then we’re golden. Thanks to the storm passing just offshore this weekend we will have good wind Sunday and Monday. Not much before or after.

A few folks plan to come Sunday, but if you want to join in, please let Jim Gagnon or myself know. That way if plans change you don’t show up and find yourself alone and confused. Also, this is big ice, serious stuff. We need to sail as a group. So if you do show up, please don’t be late.

We’ll update this report with final confirmation Saturday by 12:00.

Sebago will need a few of these very cold days to make something of itself. Alongshore there is 1.5” of ice covered with 3.5” of slush topped with some snow.

Looking east from Nasons Beach with Frye Island in the background right, the main body is grey. The snow extends out about 200 yards.

There might be a chance to go see the grey plate if the inshore mess solidifies in the next few days. Thanks to Curtis Rindlaub for scouting!

In other news, Red Bank and Long Island appear to have a good opportunity for ice this week.

The start of the North Americans have been postponed until tomorrow, but the starting order just goes to show how wacky the world is these days.