Chickawaukie Ice Boat Club

Just to keep the juices flowing, here’s a shot of the narrows on Damariscotta Lake, looking north.

The ice is about 3/4”, and was strong enough to withstand the gusts of wind which caused it to heave up and down, crackling in the pebbles and bullrushes alongshore. The main body of the lake is still open. This might not survive the warm front moving through Sunday through Tuesday, but what that front might do is give Plymouth Pond a surface. It hasn’t been checked since before this deep cold snap but it’s bound to be a few inches by now.
Anyone close by there willing to go have a look?

buchholz sent a photo
–twas a nasty low-down trick—
a northern lake had frozen
you could hardly tell how thick

We love that lake quite dearly
it forever stretches west
with Katadn’s peak just northward
this jewel of lakes is blest

but my kids are heading homeward
from the south and even Spain
and here comes this great temptation
holy jaysus what a pain

just imagine ’round the table
“where’s dad?” “Oh, he’s away
You know he loves you dearly
But some ice got in the way”

So I looked at maps quite closely
and the spouse’s list to-do
by gosh i’ll have that cake
and somehow eat it too.

Tomorrow night at sunset
there’ll be exciting tales to tell
Or you’ll find me sipping brandy
in a sleazy bar in hell

Analyze This:

Millinocket Maine Luxury Bed and Breakfast Baxter State Park Mt. Katahdin Lodging Inns

It’s been a bit touch and go in the past week. The pond was reported to be still open a few days ago and the hope was that it’d stay open until the small disturbance today and tomorrow passes through. Then it’s deep cold right through the weekend. But:

Bryan Hitchcock Presents this horror story. He was alone and without gear so he only jumped heavily on the ice near to shore and found no cracking. We’ll have another look Wednesday, at the tail end of this little storm.

We really shouldn’t complain about a little snow on the ice, however. A DN regatta held last week in Novosibirsk, Russia, encountered a bit of snow but they had a great time anyway.

Novosibirsk is just north of the point where China, Mongolia, Russia and Kazakhstan meet. This is Jorg Bohn, one of a group of Germans that made the trip. So, let’s hear no whining about long drives to distamt lakes this winter! Speaking of which, just one more tip of the helmet to Rick Bishop and the Cape Cod boys who drove to Moosehead last spring, found slush, had breakfast and went home. That’s sisu.

This boat spent most of it’s life on lakes in the Augusta, Maine, area. Most recently she’s called Cobbosseecontee home. As a matter of fact, the same day we were sailing that lake two years ago from the south end she was ripping it up on the north end.

The owner’s father bought it for ten bucks in the early thirties and has been in the family ever since. It dates from around the turn of the century and still sets the original sails.

The owner has no interest in making a profit on the sale, but does ask that the boat be well stored, sailed and cared for. Call Everett at 207-395-4221

Meanwhile, in the frozen lake department, the small ponds are skimming over. No word on Plymouth, but the hunch is that it is still open due to the tremendous amount of wind over the past few days. Snow is coming tonight followed by deep cold next week. The snow will seed the water, super cooling it, so there’s a very good chance we could be sailing next week. Got gear sorted?