2024 Ice-Out Guess Contest Now Open

[ishoot308]

Originally Posted by codeman671

Pretty confident I'll be enjoying green beer on Bear Island by St. Patricks Day.

I can see open water in the distance from my cameras on East Bear. The Glendale docks should be freed up by the weekend.

I already picked up my Eastern and plan on having an umbrella drink this Friday on Welch!!

Dan

[codeman671]

Originally Posted by ishoot308

I already picked up my Eastern and plan on having an umbrella drink this Friday on Welch!!

Dan

Must be nice! My pontoon is at the canvas shop until the end of next week. I need it in the water to access the island until my dock goes in, and since my slips are still locked up with ice the Eastern will sit as well.

[LIforrelaxin]

Anyone have reports on the condition of the ICE on the norther portion of the lake? (Winter Harbor, Moultonborough Bay etc. )

[mas1992bc]

View from my webcam right now. Still iced in, but very dark. That is Spectacle Island - with 19 and 20 mile bay out of view behind it.

[Lakegeezer]

The ice in Moultonboro Bay is getting grayer, but the cracks and bubbles aren't moving around yet. The rain tonight and wind tomorrow could start the end-game. Here's a shot looking north, with the Ambrose Cove barn visible just left of mid-picture.

[CampEye]

My view looking northwest from Camp Island. That's Mink on the top left and Bear on the top right. If I squint, I think I can see the C-Nile puttering between those two to Mark.

[steve-on-mark]

Originally Posted by CampEye

My view looking northwest from Camp Island. That's Mink on the top left and Bear on the top right. If I squint, I think I can see the C-Nile puttering between those two to Mark.

J, all I can say is it must be a bitch when your eyesight goes away. Everyone knows that the C-Nile would be ripping, not puttering, so it must have been some other fool out there!

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[LIforrelaxin]

Originally Posted by steve-on-mark

J, all I can say is it must be a bitch when your eyesight goes away. Everyone knows that the C-Nile would be ripping, not puttering, so it must have been some other fool out there!

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My guess is the C-Nile, is all gassed up and ready to go though isn't it?

[steve-on-mark]

Originally Posted by LIforrelaxin

My guess is the C-Nile, is all gassed up and ready to go though isn't it?

I wouldn't bet the farm on that...

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[Slickcraft]

Today:

Alton Bay – Open water nearly up to the bandstand, then mostly ice up to the scenic overlook. Lots of fractures.

Glendale town docks – ice cubes shore to about 30 feet out, nothing that Dan can’t deal with.

Smith Cove – mostly ice, some open water near shore.


Alan

[fatlazyless]

On Tuesday, March 5 at about noon, on a very gray cloudy day, the NH Fish and Game had ice diving practice training in Center Harbor Bay. About five pick-up trucks, two dive team trailers, about ten(?) officers and a 20' jon boat powered by a large airplane propeller were present at the Center Harbor boat launch, town docks, and parking area.

Watching the 20' ice air boat moving out across the gray ice, the weak gray ice didn't have strength enough to support the boat so it plowed through it and was partially supported by water and partially by soft ice for about 300-yards. F & G divers in complete black wet suits took turns making practice dives through the ice opening created by the air boat. This went on for a few hours time with repeated dive practice training drills with different divers making practice dives out there through the gray ice. Maybe the ice could support a person walking but could not support the weight and power of the ice boat which looked like it was mostly supported by the water, under the ice, or something, as it has the ability to move across ice, water, and soft slushy ice. It made a heck of a lot of loud noise, coming from the engine, as it powers across the weak ice.

So, the ice dive, recovery team doesn't just magically happen, it takes practice and team work to be able to locate and remove a dead drowned body from under the ice, somewhere down there.

[chachee52]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

On Tuesday, March 5 at about noon, on a very gray cloudy day, the NH Fish and Game had ice diving practice training in Center Harbor Bay. About five pick-up trucks, two dive team trailers, about ten(?) officers and a 20' jon boat powered by a large airplane propeller were present at the Center Harbor boat launch, town docks, and parking area.

Watching the 20' ice air boat moving out across the gray ice, the weak gray ice didn't have strength enough to support the boat so it plowed through it and was partially supported by water and partially by soft ice for about 300-yards. F & G divers in complete black wet suits took turns making practice dives through the ice opening created by the air boat. This went on for a few hours time with repeated dive practice training drills with different divers making practice dives out there through the gray ice. Maybe the ice could support a person walking but could not support the weight and power of the ice boat which looked like it was mostly supported by the water, under the ice, or something, as it has the ability to move across ice, water, and soft slushy ice. It made a heck of a lot of loud noise, coming from the engine, as it powers across the weak ice.

So, the ice dive, recovery team doesn't just magically happen, it takes practice and team work to be able to locate and remove a dead drowned body from under the ice, somewhere down there.

Drove by on Feb 25th and they were out there as well. At first I just thought it was fishermen but then I noticed as I drive by they were really close to the water!! Would love to volunteer one of these times to be a victim and just hang out in the water while they rescue me. I'm sure they don't let just anyone do that, but it's on my bucket list

[fatlazyless]

Originally Posted by chachee52

Drove by on Feb 25th and they were out there as well. At first I just thought it was fishermen but then I noticed as I drive by they were really close to the water!! Would love to volunteer one of these times to be a victim and just hang out in the water while they rescue me. I'm sure they don't let just anyone do that, but it's on my bucket list

What you saw was probably local fire fighters wearing bright red or bright yellow dry suits that was a practice rescue where they drill train for saving someone from drowning.

So, what's the difference between a rescue and a recovery? It could be wearing flotation like a pfd, or a foam noodle belt tied tight around the waist under a coat.

Walking out onto the lake ice can seem so visually safe and solid at first until you go smash, crunch, wack and break through the ice in half a second as it breaks under your weight.

[Slickcraft]

Smith Cove today looking from Fay's dock: Close. Still planning escape on Wednesday.

Alan

[codeman671]

One sliver at the end of the Glendale YC docks to go and we can reach our slips. By the time the Eastern is cleaned this week it will be good to go in.

[Slickcraft]

Alton Bay today- I was surprised with the amount of ice left given the wind. Mostly ice, with many open patches, from the bandstand to at least Loon Cove. Now open at the scenic overlook but the edge of ice may be just below that.

No ice out today. Even if it was, Emerson probably would not fly. The wind at the airport is NW 18 sustained gusts to 31.

Smith Cove - We took just a quick look from the Glendale YC driveway, the ice sheet had moved away from the YC docks. So the ice sheet is free to be moved around by the wind. I do recall that in a recent year the west by NW wind pushed the ice sheet into the neck of the cove. Will take a look from Fay's tomorrow.

[codeman671]

Originally Posted by Slickcraft

Alton Bay today- I was surprised with the amount of ice left given the wind. Mostly ice, with many open patches, from the bandstand to at least Loon Cove. Now open at the scenic overlook but the edge of ice may be just below that.

No ice out today. Even if it was, Emerson probably would not fly. The wind at the airport is NW 18 sustained gusts to 31.

Smith Cove - We took just a quick look from the Glendale YC driveway, the ice sheet had moved away from the YC docks. So the ice sheet is free to be moved around by the wind. I do recall that in a recent year the west by NW wind pushed the ice sheet into the neck of the cove. Will take a look from Fay's tomorrow.

When I headed south this morning, from the scenic overlook it appeared to be out almost to Echo point. Definitely pulling away on the edges, but still ice to the bandstand on the southern end. Our weather station has recorded gusts to 46.8 mph just over the Gilford line.

Lots of ice moving between East Bear and 5/6 Mile. A friend a bit further north has been sharing camera pics all day. We are seeing it roll into our shore and disappear. Lots of wind through early Wednesday and decent daytime temps should still give a solid chance of ice out by the weekend I think.

[ishoot308]

Originally Posted by codeman671

When I headed south this morning, from the scenic overlook it appeared to be out almost to Echo point. Definitely pulling away on the edges, but still ice to the bandstand on the southern end. Our weather station has recorded gusts to 46.8 mph just over the Gilford line.

Wow, you really get the wind up there on that hill!! The highest I recorded today on my weather-station on Welch is 37 MPH...

Dan

[ishoot308]

Originally Posted by Slickcraft

Today:

Alton Bay – Open water nearly up to the bandstand, then mostly ice up to the scenic overlook. Lots of fractures.

Glendale town docks – ice cubes shore to about 30 feet out, nothing that Dan can’t deal with.

Smith Cove – mostly ice, some open water near shore.


Alan

Heading over in a very short while!

Dan

[8gv]

Is it too late to adjust my guess?

[LIforrelaxin]

Originally Posted by steve-on-mark

I wouldn't bet the farm on that...

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I will say I am shocked.... I didn't think C-Nile would be hooked to the truck yet, but gased up and ready to go I didn't think would be out of the question....

[steve-on-mark]

Originally Posted by LIforrelaxin

I will say I am shocked.... I didn't think C-Nile would be hooked to the truck yet, but gased up and ready to go I didn't think would be out of the question....

sometimes life gets in the way of where you want to be and what you want to be doing! Maybe next weekend...it's still early! :-)

[geordie]

If the ice isn't gone by Monday then the higher winds that day should get rid of the last of the ice. Right now the webcams look like they are just showing slush. Unless anyone else sees more ice somewhere?

[codeman671]

Originally Posted by geordie

If the ice isn't gone by Monday then the higher winds that day should get rid of the last of the ice. Right now the webcams look like they are just showing slush. Unless anyone else sees more ice somewhere?

There is still a lot more than just slush out there. Alton Bay looks rough but its not slush. Also a friend a bit further north from us on East Bear sent me some camera shots that show a fair amount of gray ice. I'd say we have a week to go.

[Slickcraft]

Alton Bay still a hold out: mostly ice from the bandstand to the scenic overlook.

Smith Cove: a fair amount of open water, ishoot thinks open to Fay's tomorrow. Our Eastern is now in the water at Fay's but the Monday/Tuesday wind forecast may delay a trip to Welch until Wed.

Alan