Chickawaukie Ice Boat Club

Not sure if the butler brought out the champagne today, but we here in snowbound Maine certainly raise a glass to toast the fine sailing today on Mecox Bay in Southampton. Warren Darrus with the Skeeter I C Fun, one Arrow, one Gambit, one Mini Skeeter #33 Rolling Rock, and a bunch of DN’s showed up. Fifteen boats are on the ice tonight and plan to sail as long as conditions hold. There is a warming trend in effect there, but today the winds were brisk and the ice is hard.

Just over the far end is the Atlantic Ocean. Chris Miller scouted this fine plate and took the photo.

Rain in Maine not expected ’til Tuesday; what a pain.

 I hear the snowplow’s rumble
 in the muffled grayish dawn
 and inside it brings an echo,
 a mix of sigh and yawn

 in an hour I hear its earthquake
 still nestled in, just so
 but as I lurch to vault the bedclothes
 my spine shrieks out its “No!”

 I lay back, smile, remember:
 Ah, Tuesday’s silky glide
 on green-black ice so hardened
 by the mercury’s downward slide

 Long skating, then the signal
 it was time to don my shoes
 but still I turned yet outward
 and plied those fluid moves.

 I thought of skating backwards
 a joy all skaters know,
 smooth swaying, pushing backward
 and not knowing where you go.

 In an instant: staring skyward,
 head dizzy, back in pain
 I remembered last-year’s listing
 of what not to do again.

 but let’s give our deep heart credit
 she may know a thing or two:
 to take life to the limit
 and later pay what’s due.

                                              (Photo Bob Lombardo)

Cold, steady nice breeze, maybe 10 MHP, NW?, ice grade 6-7 as reported by Squibb Sunday, nice call Jory. Some 15-20 boats launching off the beach uneventfully. The sun hid behind overcast most of the day, a few snow flakes filtered down to make it nice and wintery. A hand full of Whizzes, 2-3 Skeeters, several DN’s and variants, and a gaggle of Cheapskates (one brand new one from upstate New York) sailed around all day. Apparently the narrows and points South were navigable as boats disappeared in that direction from time to time, and returned. It was classic Dammy, too bad about the forecast 3-7 inches of snow Wednesday, Think rain. A couple of the skeeters were wearing black sails, almost invisible against the trees even with their yellow fuselages, kind of scary. It was great while it lasted.

Monday and possibly tuesday look good for iceboating….we launched on Sunday from the beach at Darmiscotta Farm. This is to the west of our old boat launch. Access was a little constrained, but should be better monday….trailers were hand rolled onto the ice, sometimes across planks….definitely no cars on the ice.

Winds were excellent, about 10-15 WNW and sunny….there were six boats: two whizzes, one beautiful rebuildt Nite recently purchased by Breck, Icywood-DN agressively piloted by his son, Brice’s Cheapskate, and my own mini-skeeter. the ice was very hard and very fast….a little bumpy.

tomorrow may have less wind 5-10 perhaps…..(let’s hope for 10!); and tuesday less wind…perhaps 5Kn.

Today, I was hesitant to go all the way south to the narrows sailing alone; but i suspect another very frigid night will further heal any hazards…. and possibly allow a group to explore the south part of the lake.

if you’re hungry for maine ice, tomorrow may be your day….jory

Inspected Sebago from shore today. Started at Lower Bay. The snow is all wet out there, but there were also MANY ice fishermen. From there I continued counter clock wise around observing that the ice was still contiguous from Lower Bay to Raymond beach. The snow was all wet out and will be smooth-ish when it hardens. From Raymond Beach I continued around to Nason’s Beach where it is still wide open and the northeast wind was supplying plenty of whitecaps. As I drove home from Sebago the temps were already below freezing. Here in Biddeford at 1756 it is 27F and I believe it is forecast to keep dropping and as I did not observe any open water wind may be a good thing. That’s the way it looks from here, DaveUS4690