Who says Friday the 13th is a Bad day? Not if you’re iceboating, on a big plate with great people. Our gracious hosts, Dan and Ellen put on a wonderful day of adventure and food for us to enjoy. Schoodic Lake was hard and flat to the eye. The ice was grade 3-5 depending, some areas were a vibration hazard at speed.

We’ll call it a shake down cruise. Wonderful west wind made it possible to sail about anywhere, giving great views of Mt Katahdin and surrounding ranges. After an incredible lunch, provided by Ellen, we ended up at the south end at Lakeview, one tack up the length of the lake, took us to almost Dead Man’s rock before shell ice halted progress. A slow return back to Dans place, and a full shop tour of the new "last boat" was the ending to a grand day.

Sailing members; Dan Clapp, Jim Turner, Dan Stillman, Michael Young, and hospitality Coordinator Ellen Brattlof.

Friday the 13th on Schoodic

Who says Friday the thirteenth’s a bad kind of day?

Not when the wind finds the ice where you play.

Good friends gather, it’s hardly cold,

And Schoodic is rough as hammered gold.

Dan and Ellen opened the door,

Adventure and laughter and plenty in store.

Warm homemade chowder on a table spread wide,

And runners honed smooth for a bumpy ride.The ice lay hard as the eye could see,

Grade three to five ice and a westerly.

Chatter turned buzz when you picked up speed,

Just a shakey-down run for the boys and their steeds.

Katahdin rising clear and bold,

Watching the winter ranges unfold.

One long tack toward Dead Man’s Rock,

till shell ice suggested we’d run out the clock.Back to Dan’s shop as the daylight thinned,

Pigeons in the coop and the “last boat” within.

Where Clapp, Turner, Young fondled carbon boat parts

Ellen and Danny shared their love of arts.

Friday the thirteenth? Bad luck, they say—

Not on Schoodic Lake on a sailing day.

By Dan Stillman.