While there’s no mention of this week’s regatta on either the Baikal Ice Sailing or the IDNIYRA sites, the BBC and CIBC are right on it:
There are a few videos showing up from most of the British press. Why the BBC presented it in their business segment is just one of those mysteries that Russia is so adept at creating. It appears from the sail numbers that a few Dutch and Germans made the trip. Considering our conditions, it wouldn’t be a bad pace to be right now.
How is it, in this chaotic and crazy world, that the last day of the general iceboating season should end on the first day of spring? Is that not just too perfect? What do we do tomorrow, start gardening? So it would seem. Even at Millinockett there are no nightime temps below freezing for the coming week. Great for wetting out but not hardening up. Greenville is slightly more hopeful, but not great.
Today at Lake St. George was just about as good a spring day of sailing that could be had. Boats from New York and Mt. Desert and just around the corner. A bunch of wing sailors and a gaggle of skaters. The lake was alive with the sound of sails. Our wonderful island roundings took on new angles in the west wind. As always this time of year, the earlybirds got the best ice, and those with slush runners had the most fun in the last hurrahs.
Up north Frank and Denis found decent conditions today on Lac Ste Francois. They sailed well up the lake and met a gang in DN’s heading south from Thedford Mines. They parleyed a while, but as the ice was softening they didn’t hang around too long. They hope for a sunrise cruise tomorrow before things warm up. (see above!)
Spring meeting tentatively planned for early May. Hopefully most of us will be fully vaccinated by then and we can enjoy our awesome pot luck. Details to follow.
The announcement earlier this week of the HardWay being “in the books” was premature. It was not in the books at that time. The results are tabulated and submitted to the committee for ratification, and only at that time is it made official on theneiya.org. The post was put out in an adrenaline fueled delirium and we apologize for any inconvenience.
With some of the best ice of the season, and a very high islands/broads ratio this lake is sublime. We sailed in near Winni winds today, bringing back wonderful memories of that amazing sail last Monday. We scouted each cove, straight and narrow and found not one ridge, crack or hole. Full bore balls to wall sailing to wherever you pointed the boat. Well, there was one hole, but it won’t be an issue unless you sail into it.
Long wide gybes around a series of small islands led to a deep, fast reach to a back door around large island. A few short tacks put you on a very fast reach across the broads to a peel away around another island. From there you could see the top mark island two miles to windward. All this with the full March sun and a couple of good sailing buddies.
When we posed this shot the bows were head to wind. That’s how shifty it was.
Boats are on the ice. Less wind and more warmth tomorrow, both building in unison, sadly. We’ll get what we get, as always.
Thanks to Bill Bunting for scouting this plate and keeping us up to date on its condition.
Launch ramp right on Rt. 3. We can only speculate what will happen to the water that fell on the plate today, but with the ramp tight to the plate, moderate cold and building dry NW wind there might be something.
Meet 9:30ish? We haven’t sailed this lake in years. Thickness reported to be 14-18″ but that does’t mean there’re no cracks or drain holes. Ice sailing explorers unite! This lake has a nice figure eight course around two islands. Just sayin’…
Chickawaukie Ice Boat Club 