Chickawaukie Ice Boat Club

Lee hiked out towards the new ice in 6-7″ of snow, coming across a section of newer ice with only an inch of snow about a hundred yards out. Phil Lowe had mentioned this new inshore plate as well. Unfortunately the ice there was three inches of snow/slush ice. Plenty strong to walk on, but probably not great for any sort of iceboating, even though one could have sailed through the snow covering it.

At this point he was still a ways from the black ice sheet, but felt it wasn’t safe to continue any further.

Snow is forecast for Sebago from late today well into Monday.

This from Chris Gordon on Nantucket, who sailed with us on Pushaw Lake:

First time in ten years we are sailing our largest pond in Nantucket. If the weather man is on with rain for Monday and more cold, we would welcome all to join in on the fun.

And from Lee Spiller:

It may be a fools errand but I’m heading to Nasons Beach first thing Saturday morning with skates, wing, and DN. Maybe a one day window for black ice. Not sure I’ll bring my drysuit…but if there ever was a time for it this is probably it.
If it doesn’t work out I’ll turn my nose back towards the deeply snow covered hills and climb or ski something.
Lee

Anybody want to join him?

Dave Fortier just checked in with the results of his Sebago Expedition. Nasons Beach is plowed, but the launch ramp is not. The black ice begins a hundred yards from the shore, defended by a layer of snow two feet thick. He decided not to walk out and chop a hole, but continued north checking down every small road he could. Same story everywhere. Even worse on the east side where there is a much wider plate of snow covered ice.
So there it is: set up last night, probably and inch by now; with tonight in the sub-zeros an easy two inches tomorrow. Are we mere men, or are we iceboaters? Will we mobilize machines from Nasons Beach to blaze a trail to the ice? Will we snatch this precious gift from the calloused hand of Mother Nature as she prepares to dump snow all over it on Sunday?

Hurray, we’re sinking again. Snowshoe report: 1 foot of snow, moderately wind packed BUT 6 inches of that snow is slush! Of course the surface is a bit wrinkly from wind. The slush seems to have discouraged the snow mobilers.

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Under this pile
if you dig for awhile
there’s an oddly-shaped trailer
by a fellow ice-sailor

and a stunning ice yacht
the very best of the lot
is snuggled inside
hey! come for a ride!

i’ll meet you some day
in the middle of May
we’ll shovel some snow
and be ready to go

our runners will hiss
we’ll recover that bliss
and if someone should blab
of the skiing he had

we’ll unrove our sheet
tie a hangman’s knot neat
and hoist him quite fast
for a view from the mast.