Chickawaukie Ice Boat Club

Lovely ice, grade 10 in Northern zone, 8 in Southern zone. Rare patches of dry thin shell, nice breeze this AM. You are welcome to leave boats for days, beach is strong enough to roll trailers on today. See website for details.

W. H. Bunting wrote:
“Fred Musser and I will arrive mid-dayish and at least set-up, but hopefully sail. Buchholz will call Breck to tell him of our plans; they were intending to sail on Meguntacook – so possibly we will have 3 Nites and sail around some marks. My plan would be to leave my boat there through the week-end, and catch the good ice after Sunday’s rain.

Lloyd Roberts replies:
“I just got home after sunset. We will be doing an ice bike or skating survey Thurs AM to be sure the deeper puddles are navigable. Friday should be a sure thing, Saturday’s warm temps may make the lawn soft by afternoon. We will check out the Public beach in the AM, the ice was tight to the shore a couple of days ago but the ramp was open water. You are all welcome but don’t rush out onto the ice at day break. We should have a good survey by late AM.”

To which W. H. Bunting wrote:
“Just for the record, I took a look at Dammy, and Chickie is obviously much better.
I plan to set up at Heron Beach tomorrow after lunch, if that is acceptable to the land owner.
Bill
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We will inspect the ice Thursday AM and report here by noon. It looks possible Thursday and promising for Friday.

The tea leaves were well focussed. There is no snow left on the lake and little around the edges. The foundation in a recent fish hole is 8 inche. Most all of the surface is finely granular, about grade 9, ice 1/4 inch thick over 1/2 to 3 inches of water in some places. There is no sign of shell ice with air under it. This might be great tomorrow, Thursday, except for deeper water areas that may need two nights to freeze solid. An inch of ice with 2 inches of water under it and good air and fast ice is a recipe for runner break through and serious trouble. Friday looks better to me, Saturday spring conditions in 40’s and rain on Sunday to start the cycle again with a fresh cup of tea.

Snow cover on Chickawaukee yesterday was a uniform 3 inches of settled powder with a soft easily broken non crust, just firmer powder, apparently stiff enough to resist drifting. Friday we had a report from Damariscotta of 4 inches of the same.

It is now 40F at the shores of Chicky with creeping overcast. Forecast snow turning to up to an inch or more rain Tuesday night and Wednesday and temps in high 30 ‘s sound like slush time Wednesday, perhaps wet enough to absorb a little snow from the coming front and cold air for the rest of the week. It would be nice if the rain was would be in the 50’s but it seems not to be a tropical storm. The timing looks good for an ice sailing weekend.

Lloyd

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.