After holding back on us for nearly half the season Dammy gives us the gold. Big wind, hard ice and plenty of atv ruts to keep us humble. But in the coves and bays off the beaten track the ice was like glass. Peeling off for a big hike and a jibe after skirting the shoreline was divine.

A small group sailed up to the top of the lake for a peek at the old clubhouse, just to the right of the frame and now inhabited year round, the snow plowed conveniently onto the ramp.

The ice was rougher in the north end so we sailed full speed non stop back to Deep Cove for lunch. The narrows were exceptionally rutted but with this wind you could short tack along the edge, using the coves to stay wound up.

The ice in the river was the best on the lake, and we sailed it twice just to be sure:

Soon after discussing the forecast for tomorrow Jim came across what appeared to be trash but actually was a NOAA weather balloon come to earth. We shook it hoping for an accurate forecast, but indeed we need to mail it back to HQ for processing. We should also include a copy of Ashley’s Book of Knots; the weather boys were obviously never boy scouts. Which still leaves us with conflicting wind reports for the rest of the week. Consensus is maybe wind tomorrow, less Friday and even less Saturday. Then snow.

There are boats on the ice hoping for a breeze tomorrow.