Ice-in Watch 2007 [Archive] - Winnipesaukee Forum

Island Girl

01-05-2007, 06:02 PM

Greetings All.... I know it seems like wishful thinking.... but here is this year's Ice-In Watch (http://www.rattlesnakecam.com/icein.htm) page.

Anyone who is willing to take a daily picture to post I will put it on the page... (email: rattlesnakecam@comcast.net (rattlesnakecam@comcast.net))

We have never had representation from the Moultonborough area... is anyone there?? (even a weekly picture would help)

Use this thread to comment about Ice-in.... here we go!

The babes are dancin' again.

:coolsm: Island Girl, who really wants to go snowmobiling this year!

If you cannot click on links go to: http://www.rattlesnakecam.com/icein.htm

Island Girl

01-05-2007, 06:59 PM

Quilt Lady

01-05-2007, 07:23 PM

Island Girl meet FLL . . . FLL meet Island Girl. OK?

I have been doing my best, dancing my boots off but alas . . . the ice that was out to Sandy Point has receded back toward the Bandstand. It's open water at Mee N Mac's. If this keeps up, we may have to wait another year for our overwhelming win in the bed race! Can we party anyways?;)

Merrymeeting

01-05-2007, 07:57 PM

Ladies, I'm telling you. You are working too hard! Grab a drink, put your feet up, and relax. Then maybe we can do some winter sports! :rolleye2:

LIforrelaxin

01-05-2007, 09:13 PM

No snow? ... well I have to tell you, the snow gods of the west are doing a great job

Ok I am jealous...First you had all that wonderful snow for the holidays.... Second the second I looked at the picture in the thread, I got homesick...and I new instantly where you had been....and then I confirmed that by looking at the additional pictures you linked....I miss Washington....Having been born there There are many images I remeber....being in Snoqualmie Pass in that very parking lot many times is an image ingrained in my memory....

I just thank the lord you didn't put a picture of Rainer in the Post...I would have had to plan a trip had I scene that image....I hope you enjoyed your Visit to Washington the Pacific Northwest is truely a Gem.....

Drummer Girl

01-05-2007, 09:18 PM

FLL, so sorry to hear of your trouble. Things generally happen for a reason. Time will help you. Anybody that would do that on Christmas Day, is just not nice. We second quilt lady's suggestion.... We'll be thinking about you and sending positive thoughts your way. Chin up!!

Hermit Cover

01-05-2007, 11:36 PM

If there's no ice in 2007 does the person that won the 2006 Ice Out Contest win again with his April 3, 2006 guess by default....thus placing DRH in third place again??? Or is the winner Al Gore? And does the 'Mount' get out of Center Harbor whenever it pleases. Lots of questions to be answered. Too many things to think about during periods of hibernation.....

Merrymeeting

01-06-2007, 08:36 AM

Someone else posted an earlier question that would be interesting to debate.

Do we declare ice out for 2007 as January 1st at 12:00 AM?

By the definition, it qualifies.
Official ice out is declared when the M/S Mount Washington can reach all 4 of its ports without touching ice. This usually occurs during April. The earliest recorded ice out was March 28th, 1921 and the latest was May 12th, 1888.
However, this brings up the interesting debate of whether you can have ice out when you've never had ice in.

Cutting the point even finer, one could argue that there was at least a momentary qualification point within the last week or two as there was a point where the Mount could not have reached all of it's ports without touching ice, even if that ice was just a momentary thin layer. Was that "ice in"?

Ok folks. Time to determine case law here! :idea:

Island Girl

01-06-2007, 08:53 AM

If iceout has been declared... I am going to put in my jetski... Woo Hoo!!

IG

(I am still looking for a ride out to Rattlesnake Island to fix Snake Eyes.... there must be someone brave out there!!!)

NonVoting Taxpayer

01-06-2007, 11:03 AM

Let's remember last May when we were saying how low the lake was because of the lack of rain. Two weeks later we had more rain than we could handle and some were talking that the lake should be declared head speed only.
Watch out when it finally gets here.
Look at the amount of snow Denver has reeived in the past two weeks.

John A. Birdsall

01-06-2007, 01:00 PM

Here is another theroy, Camp usually opens with the Mosquito's at least for me, and I think a few others. Yesterday in Newmarket my daughter killed her first mosquito for 2007.

ghfromaltonbay

01-06-2007, 01:22 PM

I have been doing my best, dancing my boots off but alas . . . the ice that was out to Sandy Point has receded back toward the Bandstand. It's open water at Mee N Mac's. If this keeps up, we may have to wait another year for our overwhelming win in the bed race! Can we party anyways?;)

QL,

I'm doing my darndest down here in NJ as well, but at 1 pm it's 71 degrees. I'll try leaning to the right as suggested, the left coast has enough snow. We need some of Denver's leftovers. We need some ice for February so our bed race entry can kick butt! We can party anyway just to celebrate being in NH instead of NJ or MA, right IG and Island Sib?

DRH

01-06-2007, 03:06 PM

I almost hate to tell you all this, but it's 62 degrees in West Alton today! Will winter ever come? :eek:

gravy boat

01-06-2007, 03:59 PM

We woke up to 58 in Gilford (I took advantage of the rain this morning and slept until almost 9 am). :D

Later we went food shopping at MB in Tilton and the temp was 68 at about 1 pm.

At least we went skiing a few times last weekend at Gunstock...looks like it will be some time before we get to do that again. :rolleye2:

GWC...

01-06-2007, 04:30 PM

I almost hate to tell you all this, but it's 62 degrees in West Alton today! :eek:

Must be those quilts... :D

(Doing my best to encourage Global Warming ... one quilt at a time!)

fatlazyless

01-06-2007, 05:37 PM

...talking about insects, saw something yesterday that looked like a large mosquito flying around in Meredith. Hmmm.....how about that, and today it felt like a sunny 70 degrees, shirtsleeve weather, in the very busy Wal-Mart parking lot in Plymouth? Thirty minutes later, it was raining and overcast?

Rattlesnake Gal

01-06-2007, 05:39 PM

Island Girl meet FLL . . . FLL meet Island Girl. OK?

Quilt Lady, I think IG knows him too well already to go out with him!
Fatlazyless, I am just kidding. (Perhaps you should post your photo in your user profile.)
By the way, Island Girl definitely would be a wonderful catch for you. She’s cute, likes to have fun and l-o-v-e-s the lake!
You could butter her up real nice if you could get her out to the island A.S.A.P. to fix her webcam.

If this keeps up, we may have to wait another year for our overwhelming win in the bed race!

It sure isn't looking good right now for the bed race, but this is New England.

Can we party anyways?;)

Sounds like a great plan! :cheers:

wildwoodfam

01-06-2007, 09:45 PM

Kinda sad to see the boat covered up in wrap on such a gorgeous day!! Has there been ANY ice on the lake? :rolleye2:

Island Girl

01-06-2007, 09:53 PM

I hope you enjoyed your Visit to Washington the Pacific Northwest is truely a Gem.....

The trip was wonderful... especially my little grandchildren on Christmas morning...

I was at Snoqualmie Pass a couple of years ago.... but we did not tube. This time after a long, very long wait in line we got the last of the tickets. It was so cool.... just maybe my only snow of the season with the El Nino winter we are having. I did not see Rainier this time.... it is very impressive, though.

Where did you live there... my daughter is in Sammamish.

IG

Merrymeeting

01-07-2007, 08:11 AM

As amazing as it may seem, despite the weather we've had the water temperature is only about 2 degrees off from the historical records on this site for early January. Now I know that it takes a lot of lost energy to drop that much water by 2 degrees. But if we ever get a few days/nights in a row where it stays below freezing, I'll bet it will skim over quickly.

Frank

01-07-2007, 10:01 AM

No snow? ... well I have to tell you, the snow gods of the west are doing a great job http://www.rattlesnakecam.com/newyear2007/northwest.htm

My recent trip for the holidays saw the most lovely mountains just full of snow.... I think the Babes on Sleds have been leaning a little to the left in their dancing... lean to the right, lean to the right ....... get those snowflakes falling!!

Island Girl - they cancelled my kids' ski lessons at Snoqualmie West this morning because of too much snow! Unbelievable. We leave windy and warm NH a few days ago to return to icy and snowy WA. Must be a consequence of global warming... :confused:

- Frank

Island Girl

01-07-2007, 07:34 PM

Answering my plea for a ride to Rattlesnake Island to fix Snake Eyes, FLL (FatLazyLess), who is neither fat, nor lazy, and most certainly not less, traveled from Flashing Light 3 in Meredith to W. Alton over a quite windy broads... to pick me up at the home of DRH and Quilt Lady. The ride out was nice... but quite rough on the broads side of the island. It took a while to get the cam operational and tested (more trouble with my router than the cam). FLL patiently waited as the day wore on and I worked on the tasks at hand.

Snake Eyes is now back so we can watch ice-in... if we ever have one... and it is all due to the courage of this great friend of the forum. If you think this is all bull... think about being alone for more than 10 miles on a lake where there is no one else and the water temps are less than 40 degrees...

Thank you so much FLL for spending the afternoon so forum folks can get their lake fix!!!!

Applause... Applause.

Here is FLL relaxin' on my deck

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/photopost/data/506/medium/DSC03033-1024w.jpg

FLL waving goodbye as he heads back across the pond.. to get home before dark

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/photopost/data/506/medium/DSC03050-1024w.jpg

DRH

01-07-2007, 07:42 PM

Kudos to IG and FLL! Snake Eyes is back!

And IG's right ... FLL is not "Fat", not "Lazy" and certainly not "Less"!

GWC...

01-07-2007, 07:52 PM

I sure could use a ride out to Rattlesnake Island to fix Snake Eyes..... I will bring chocolate or cheesecake as a bribe!!!!

Curious minds need to know...

Did FLL opt for the chocolate or cheesecake?

mcdude

01-07-2007, 07:54 PM

FLL to the rescue! What a great story and thanks FLL!

IslandSib

01-07-2007, 08:34 PM

:D Fll and IG...finally tommorow a new day.
Since it stopped working everyday I would still check it out...kind of like the movie "Ground Hog Day" hoping eventually it would go back on...
Yes, I listened to IG's technical explaination but still held out hope it would just reset..
Now, lets have some weather with that cam;)

Weirs guy

01-07-2007, 08:36 PM

I whacked 2 unidentified flying insects yesterday, one here at the Weirs and one in Laconia!

JTA

01-07-2007, 10:49 PM

Hoorah!! Every day I look at the Weirs cam to see how things are at the lake and to check out the air temperature. Then I click on Snake Eyes to look out at my little piece of heaven (also known as Cow Island). I have sure missed Snake Eyes and I was fearful that it wouldn't get up and running until Island Girl was able to get there by snowmobile (which as we all are fearful, might not happen). So, thanks to FLL and Island Girl both whose posts I faithfully follow on the Forum. Hoorah!!

Island Girl

01-08-2007, 07:09 AM

Curious minds need to know...

Did FLL opt for the chocolate or cheesecake?

I forgot them.... he brought a couple of Walmart junior pies and I broke out the Pirate's Booty... we ate well! I will have to supply the chocolate and cheescake another time. (I am whispering here so maybe FLL won't notice I forgot the goodies)

Rattlesnake Gal

01-08-2007, 09:31 AM

Bravo fatlazyless! Today you are my hero! (How did you come up with such a name? It sounds like it's so wrong! :confused: )
Were you at all nervous being on the lake for such a distance with the water temps so low? Was I right that IG is a lot of fun to be around? ;)

Thank you Island Girl for sharing this excellent story. (You lucky woman getting out to our island!)

Many thanks to both of you, nice job! I bet many of your forum friends will be smiling all day. :D

Sparky

01-08-2007, 10:40 AM

I still see Snake Eyes with the December 10th date::-(

DRH

01-08-2007, 10:47 AM

I still see Snake Eyes with the December 10th date::-(I think you just need to refresh your browser. The Snake Eyes picture shows today's date, Jan. 8, 2007.

Island Girl

01-08-2007, 10:47 AM

I still see Snake Eyes with the December 10th date::-(
Refresh your browser a few times... also you can try clearing your browser cache. If you are using internet explorer, click of tools, internet options, in the middle section called "temporary internet files", click on the delete files button and wait until this is finished. There is no danger here of deleting anything important... it is just a storage place for frequently used internet pages.

IG

SteveA

01-08-2007, 12:08 PM

Interesting story in todays Citizen...

Everything you ever wanted to know about ice formation.

http://www.citizen.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070108/CITIZEN_01/101080081/-1/CITIZEN

ghfromaltonbay

01-08-2007, 12:15 PM

Yeaaa! :) The Snake Eyes view from here in NJ is great!! I nominate FLL for hero of the month (maybe even the year). Perhaps we can bring some NY style cheesecake when we drive up next month.

Hopefully we will soon be able to see some ice forming on the breakwater. I'm still dancing in the hope that by the time we arrive in Feb. the Babes On Sleds will be in action.

Weirs guy

01-08-2007, 12:56 PM

FLL, accross the broads in that boat this time of year? You've got a set big enough to bring in a dump truck!

LIforrelaxin

01-08-2007, 01:06 PM

The trip was wonderful... especially my little grandchildren on Christmas morning...

I was at Snoqualmie Pass a couple of years ago.... but we did not tube. This time after a long, very long wait in line we got the last of the tickets. It was so cool.... just maybe my only snow of the season with the El Nino winter we are having. I did not see Rainier this time.... it is very impressive, though.

Where did you live there... my daughter is in Sammamish.

IG

I lived in two locations in Washington. I was born in Seattle, and lived there on two seperate occasions...I first time we lived in Renton, and the Second time we lived in Federal Way. I also lived on the otherside of the mountians down along the Columbia River, in an area known as the Tri-Cities (Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland). It was always amazing to travel around out there, so many climates...I can remember early winter trips leaving Seattle in the rain, finding snow in the mountains, only to some out the other side of the the cascades into tumbleweed and brush......In fact...this year winter out here reminds me a lot of winter in the Tri-cities, small amounts of snow that disappear with in days......

gtxrider

01-08-2007, 02:20 PM

FLL, accross the broads in that boat this time of year? You've got a set big enough to bring in a dump truck!

It takes a real man to be out in what appears to be a Starcraft Islander. :cheers:

Ah, I can see the lake now!:)

Island Girl

01-08-2007, 02:40 PM

It takes a real man to be out in what appears to be a Starcraft Islander. :cheers:

Ah, I can see the lake now!:)

I do believe it is a Starcraft Chieftan..

Sunset Bob

01-08-2007, 03:11 PM

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU IG and FLL you are my heros.I am begining to feel normal agian if that is possible.
It really was like groundhog day.
Hope we get some ice for the bed race.:)

csuhockey3

01-08-2007, 04:13 PM

I still see Snake Eyes with the December 10th date::-(
A cool trick if you don't want to clear your cache -- you can add a "?r" at the end of the URL to force a re-fresh, like so:

http://www.rattlesnakecam.com/?r

This tricks your browser in to thinking it's an entirely new URL, and thus a fresh, un-cached copy. I guess my "cammo-nerd" cover has been blown :cool:

Also, Kudos to FLL and IG for getting Snake Eyes back up and running, and I'm sure everyone is jealous of our Colorado snow!

gtxrider

01-08-2007, 04:17 PM

I do believe it is a Starcraft Chieftan..
You are right the cabin is too high for an Islander.

fatlazyless

01-08-2007, 07:32 PM

As always, the wind weather and waves are the big boss on the Big Lake. Especially true for an 18' aluminum boat in January, but I felt safe and secure yesterday as I boated from Meredith Neck to Rattlesnake Island. The earlier white caps had calmed away so the water was smooth enough. Rounding the south end of Rattlesnake with Island Girl, a couple of large swells definately got my attention but otherwise it was a fun-run and good for repairing the Snake Eyes web-cam.
About my boat; it is a '74 Starcraft Starchief with a '00 Suzuki 70hp four-stroke. It has an enclosed bow area with a high windshield so spray coming over the bow is not too much of a problem. Suzuki makes a terrific outboard, or at least my Zuki is terrific! It always starts easy, runs quiet, is reliable and sips gas. I can go all over Winnipesaukee on a six-gallon tank with a two-gallon backup spare.
While an 18'er is probably considered too small by many, it works for me and it definately gives you that feeling of being close to the water, like a surfboard or something, that you just don't get in the bigger boats.

"...boats are like people; it's not the age, it's the condition!"

Grant

01-08-2007, 08:10 PM

Wow. Now my mental image of FLL is forever shattered.

;)

playinghooky

01-08-2007, 09:20 PM

Saturday was so beautiful that I took out my kayak and paddled from around Echo Point down to Sandy Point and back. It was an amazing day. I didn't have to worry about any boat wakes for the whole trip! Soon after I got back a big rain and wind storm blew through which seemed to clear out any ice that had formed down by the beginning of the bay. Does that count as ice out?
I also saw my first robin of the year so I guess that oficially makes it spring.

Island Life

01-08-2007, 09:46 PM

I also saw my first robin of the year so I guess that oficially makes it spring.

And my forsythia is blooming!:confused: :confused: :confused: Only one small, but quite noticeable yellow flower. Hope the others sit tight for several more months.

FLL, I was jealous to see the pix of you out on your boat in early January. If mine wasn't deep in a storage shed, I'd be out there, too - if only to say I've done it. And 18' is just fine. Mine is a 15 year-old 20 footer, a real beater of a boat but I love it. I have no desire for anything newer or bigger. :coolsm: :coolsm: :coolsm:

gtxrider

01-08-2007, 10:07 PM

Down here is was over 70 on Saturday so I washed the truck. So blame me for the rain today. The blue berry bushes where I work are starting to bud it is so spring like I can't stand it.

Will the lake freeze this year? I hope so. Perhaps if every one puts their boats back in the lake the temps will drop and the snow will fly. I have not even looked at my snow blower in the hope it will snow. Reverse psychology!

And 18' is plenty. We have a 20 year old 19 footer and that handles what we need. The first boat was a 15' Starcraft and that boat was used more in two weeks of vacation than many of the big boats are used all season.

Remember it is not the size of the boat but the motion of the ocean!

KBoater

01-08-2007, 11:11 PM

I understand some of the kids in Wolfeboro went swimming last weekend. At least they got their feet wet. Anyone else go in.
I walked the beach in FLorida.

LIforrelaxin

01-09-2007, 12:28 PM

SIKSUKR

01-11-2007, 10:14 AM

Yup,I have to say I see FLL in a different light now.Great job,Great friend!

rander7823

01-11-2007, 11:35 AM

Just looking at the Weirscam and I thought I saw a hint of white up in the mountains.
Wishful thinking?

Island Girl

01-12-2007, 08:17 AM

I see ice in Smith Cove, and snow on some mountains from one of the BearCams. All of our wishing is having an impact! lol :D

... and speaking of the BearCams.... the owner of them, Bear Islander, is in Antartica... pretty amazing pictures if you are interested. http://www.rl99.com/.

If the wind gods could just cool their jets and let the lake skim over we could be on our way to some winter fun!

IG.... who is tired of looking at the snowmobile in the garage.... wants to see it at the lake!

Island Girl

01-12-2007, 10:33 AM

Go and look at the webcams.... it is 10:33 am on Jan 12 and the various cams are showing particularly gorgeous views of the lake.... wish I was there!!! :emb:

http://www.rattlesnakecam.com/icein.htm

codeman671

01-13-2007, 11:56 AM

The views from the summit of Gunstock were magnificent yesterday. I wish that I had my camera with me!

Smith Cove has lost ice cover over the last few weeks, it was locked in pretty well but is back to a skim.

mcdude

01-14-2007, 10:02 AM

I'm seeing a light coating of snow on all the cams this morning except snake eyes which, once again, appears to be plunged into darkness. Looks like another trip to the island may soon be in order! More snow predicted over the next two days! I like to check out THIS WEB CAM (http://www.eastaltongeneralstore.com/webcam.html) for current conditions and rate of snow fall since it is "near" real time. I'd like to help you out Island Girl....do you think we could make it over to snake eyes in kayaks like this guy photographed recently in Alton Bay? (http://i5.pbase.com/o6/55/599955/1/73044005.iCbzCJ7L.kayakinice.gif)
(courtesy photo by George Murphy as seen in the Baysider)

HomeWood

01-14-2007, 03:29 PM

I shaved off all my hair today, so get your skis and sleds out folks. The cold air should be here any time now. :D

HomeWood

01-14-2007, 03:54 PM

Low and behold!:eek: Ya'll may be interested in seeing the forcasted temps on Accuweather.com and Weather.com. I should have shaved my head two months ago!

Island Girl

01-14-2007, 07:17 PM

I'm seeing a light coating of snow on all the cams this morning except snake eyes which, once again, appears to be plunged into darkness.

The power seems to be off on Rattlesnake... phones just ring and ring... no answering machines... and the power company's boat is not in the water... so we wait for another solution!

HomeWood

01-15-2007, 04:58 PM

Check out Lake Wentworth cam!

Island Girl

01-15-2007, 05:42 PM

Here is the link.... now if the wind would just die down.

http://www.lwa.org/index.php?option=com_wrapper&wrap=webcam&Itemid=5

IG

CanisLupusArctos

01-15-2007, 11:58 PM

Winnipesaukee's waves rolled a lot more sluggishly than normal today as nearly a half-inch of sleet fell on top of 2 inches of snow, and the temperature remained around 21 F all day.

It is ready to freeze, and the shoreline ice formations that formed from splashover 2 days ago still have not melted which is a great sign. Now the computer models show Wednesday's daytime high struggling to reach 10, and two straight nights of below-zero followed by strong hints of another cold wave for the upcoming weekend.

We're going to see this thing freeze by the end of the week!

fatlazyless

01-16-2007, 07:16 AM

Is the ice-in finally gonna get here.....the temp has dropped over ten degrees down to 18 in the past two hours....should I play it safe and remove my boat...or leave it in....are these colder but not real cold temps just a temporary cold couple of days before it goes back up to the mid thirties or what? Think I'll pull my boat before the launch ramp gets iced and wait for a big fast ice-in................swoooooosh......the sound of water changing to ice!

Blue Thunder

01-16-2007, 07:46 AM

FLL,
It's time to get that wonderful craft out of the water while you can! The 6-10 day outlook for temps is for way below normal through the end of the month. Real winter is just around the corner.

http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/610day/610temp.new.gif

BT

SIKSUKR

01-16-2007, 09:06 AM

You know Les,I don't agree with a lot of your views but my hats off to you for your failure to give in to the end of summer.Are you sure your not a true old time yankee rebublican in liberal clothing?I think I'd get that aluminum yacht out of the water today or at least by the end of the week.God bless you,you old yankee!!

Weirs guy

01-16-2007, 12:07 PM

CanisLupusArctos

01-16-2007, 06:02 PM

Winds gusting to 22 mph out of the northwest, temps falling from a morning high of 20... this is more like it! The only thing out-of-place is the white-caps where ever-flowing rivers of blowing snow (atop a smooth hard surface known as ICE) should be.

Winter's here for at least the predictable future. Got two more storm systems coming up the coast, and regardless of their track (snow or no snow?) they'll pull down more Canadian cold air as they exit. For more info I maintain a weather page geared toward New England at www.blackcatnh.com/weather.

Check this graphic out - it's this afternoon's watch/warning summary from the National Weather Service. Look at it and ask yourself, "Global warming?"

GWC...

01-16-2007, 08:07 PM

These two tell it like it is - cold in those southern homes...

http://image.weather.com/images/maps/current/acttemp_600x405.jpg

Click here for the USA map with weather system looping (http://www.weather.com/maps/maptype/dopplerradarusnational/index_large_animated.html).

fatlazyless

01-16-2007, 09:32 PM

gee whiz.....thanks for all the moral support....ran into a not-so-minor problem(s) today.....first, after cleaning about two inches of crusty frozen rain-snow-slush off the boat and boat cover....one side of the boat lift was frozen in the up position....after tapping on the lift and ice w/ a small mason's hammer, got that free'd up pretty easy.....next problemo and a bigger one....it's the normally terrific Suzuki outboard.....I think probably the Suzuki is not getting any gasoline....it started right up and ran for three minutes and then died and will not restart....it cranks good and there's enough juice in the battery to work the trim & tilt, but the engine won't fire up, like it's not getting any gas.....maybe a .......something frozen(?) except gasoline does not freeze .....it's a problem that needs to be addressed probably before the looming ice-in. While there is still absolutely no ice to be seen within miles I know it's out there.....da-da.....da-da-da..(theme from Jaws the movie here)......later.....tomorrow should be another day?

Island Girl

01-16-2007, 09:43 PM

Hey there FLL,

The forecast for Wed night from 10pm on is for low temps and no wind... the lake could skim over and you would be SOL. Is your gas line frozen?

IG

CanisLupusArctos

01-16-2007, 10:13 PM

Only the wind is keeping it liquid now. A Thursday Ice-in will depend on how much ice can form Wednesday night with calm winds and temps near zero. Thursday afternoon's temps near 32 and winds from the SW would break up any ice that's too thin to survive, but a few more snowflakes are moving in for Friday so anything that's not frozen by Friday night will freeze within a few days.

Tom Chisholm on Ch. 8 tells of models hinting at a cold air mass that's as cold as air gets in North America, coming out of Siberia and crossing Canada, arriving here by the end of the month. Winter, at last!!!

BTW does anyone know if there are records for Ice-In, and if so, what the latest recorded Ice-In has ever been? I've googled around and found only the ice-OUT records.

Resident 2B

01-17-2007, 12:20 AM

Less,

Unfortunately, it sounds like a frozen fuel line is the likely problem and with these tempatures it will not be easy to thaw it.

I would carefully try a hair drier, but the chances of it working are not high. Warm water poured over accessable areas of the line is perhaps a safer idea. If this does not work, consider running a temporary new line from the tank to the engine. This will cost some money, but you do not have much time to get the boat out. In either case, I would first treat the tank with dri-gas to get at any additional water that may be present and not yet frozen.

If your tank is not full and if you used your boat a when it was warmer, as we know you did, you likely drew in relatively moist air that condensed into water when it got cold. The water likely stayed as water in your tank due to the volume of the gas in the tank, but froze when you pulled it into the feed line to the engine. If you have some metal in the feed line, I would hit it first with the hair drier or even grab it with your hand for a few minutes. Be very careful with the drier and any gas fumes.

I am not up at the lake. If I was I would try to help directly. One good turn attracts another!

Good Luck!

R2B

secondcurve

01-17-2007, 06:47 AM

R2B:

Since these 4-stroke motors are cooled by water, couldn't there be some frozen water somewhere as well???

Pine Island Guy

01-17-2007, 07:03 AM

nice sunrise this morning and shows a skim of ice on the Pine Island Cam!

PIG

Blue Thunder

01-17-2007, 07:13 AM

Boy FLL, I'm really worried for you now. All of the above suggestions are good. I am going to assume that you have a portable fuel tank?? Disconnect it and bring it and the hose into the house to warm up. Go for the dry gas too. If you have the ability to get power to the dock either use the hairdryer (not that you would have one!) or put a floodlight or light bulb directly on the engine power head. You'll be amazed at the amount of heat that will transfer to the engine. Good Luck

Blue Thunder

DRH

01-17-2007, 07:52 AM

Bitter cold weather has finally arrived at the lake. It's -4 degs here in West Alton this morning. The wind howled all night and kept the lake churned up ... we recorded a 44 mph gust about 10:30 PM last night.

When (if) the wind dies, I think we're going to see ice forming quickly.

Here's a photo taken from our window at 8:00 am. (It's too cold & windy to go outside!)

http://www.echoshores.com/ice-in/2007/011707.jpg

http://www.echoshores.com/ice-iin/2007/011707.jpg

Skip

01-17-2007, 08:21 AM

:) ...Bitter cold weather has finally arrived at the lake. It's -4 degs here in West Alton this morning. The wind howled all night and kept the lake churned up ... we recorded a 44 mph gust about 10:30 PM last night.

When (if) the wind dies, I think we're going to see ice forming quickly...

That's great news DRH!

And if we do get the snow & ice predicted over the next two months, hopefully I'll be able to sled up & over the mountain and sneak down your way for a cup of joe!:)

codeman671

01-17-2007, 08:44 AM

Only the wind is keeping it liquid now. A Thursday Ice-in will depend on how much ice can form Wednesday night with calm winds and temps near zero.

I highly doubt that you would see enough ice in the next 24 hours to be considered an ice-in. A lot of the shorelines still do not have much if any ice buildup. I would expect another 4-5 days if things stay this cool before you see anything serious taking place. There is enough wind to keep it moving and it certainly takes a lot to skim over the broads. Some of the channels, coves and between the islands will start but I do not think we are quite there yet. I am hoping for a final boat ride on Saturday.

NHKathy

01-17-2007, 10:29 AM

This morning, while looking at all of the web cams, at two different times - I saw what seemed to be the same vessell in both the Pine Island cam view and the Bear Island cam view.
Now, from the map illustration on the Bear Island site, I know these two islands are next to each other, I guess I just never realized which direction the Pine Island cam was facing. So, I assume the Pine Island cam faces east? So when looking at the Bear Island Cam, are one of the homes that are in view on Pine Island that of the Pine Island Cam?
Just curious...

CanisLupusArctos

01-17-2007, 10:55 AM

I highly doubt that you would see enough ice in the next 24 hours to be considered an ice-in. A lot of the shorelines still do not have much if any ice buildup. I would expect another 4-5 days if things stay this cool before you see anything serious taking place. There is enough wind to keep it moving and it certainly takes a lot to skim over the broads. Some of the channels, coves and between the islands will start but I do not think we are quite there yet. I am hoping for a final boat ride on Saturday.

We'll have to wait and see... I've seen a half-inch of ice form on the open lake overnight (in past years) if the air is cold enough (below zero) and winds are calm. If tomorrow's SW wind doesn't get strong enough to break it up, it will survive to meet Friday's snow and then the next arctic blast on Saturday. This morning we're seeing rapid cooling of the water, with a steady stream of arctic sea smoke blowing down the open lake and a low of -2 on Black Cat Island. If for some reason the ice doesn't thicken enough by Friday, it may stay open till Monday since we have more strong winds coming up for Saturday.

But all details aside, the moral of the story is, "if you left anything in the water that you want to take out, now is the time to take it out."

Check out this morning's cam view...

NHKathy

01-17-2007, 10:55 AM

Bear Island Cam...

Weirs guy

01-17-2007, 12:21 PM

The steam rising off Paugus Bay this morning was blowing over Rt. 3 and freezing into a "ice fog"(?). Does that sound plausible? Either way it was pretty neat to drive through.

This'nThat

01-17-2007, 12:31 PM

Here's the picture of Meredith Neck, noon, 17 Jan -- from a Webcam.

rander7823

01-17-2007, 05:01 PM

Did anyone notice but the water temp now is actually 1 degree lower than it was last year. Was there ice last year at this time?

upthesaukee

01-17-2007, 05:37 PM

The steam rising off Paugus Bay this morning was blowing over Rt. 3 and freezing into a "ice fog"(?). Does that sound plausible? Either way it was pretty neat to drive through.

While stationed in Alaska, we had to deal with ice fog a lot. It would typically form when the temps got to about -20 degrees, and actually is the moisture in the air freezing. It would coat cars, power lines, trees, etc with a coating of "frost", which could build up over a period of time (days). You didn't have to be around any body of water.

I am guessing what you encountered is more like "freezing rain", where the fog, albeit cold, was more like the freezing rain, which freezes on contact with the ground, cars, trees and other surfaces.

Just a humble guess, but you are right, "ice fog" can be a neat thing.

BoulderBronco

01-17-2007, 05:37 PM

Did anyone notice but the water temp now is actually 1 degree lower than it was last year. Was there ice last year at this time?
Sweet. So if it was 35 last year it couldn't have been frozen. I had 4-8" halfway down meredith bay last year. Maybe this year will be enough so I can bring my bob house out. Just built a new one last summer. I just need to get my flight back for the derby.

CanisLupusArctos

01-17-2007, 06:05 PM

The steam rising off Paugus Bay this morning was blowing over Rt. 3 and freezing into a "ice fog"(?). Does that sound plausible? Either way it was pretty neat to drive through.

On Mount Washington it's a trademark, and they report it as "Freezing Fog." It builds into big beautiful feathers of rime ice that are a photographer's dream especially if the sun comes out.

If you want to see some fascinating winter stuff like that, take out a Mount Washington Observatory membership (www.mountwashington.org) and sign up to be a winter volunteer for a week. They'll make you try it this summer before letting you come up next winter, but it's well worth the amazing experience!

fatlazyless

01-17-2007, 07:51 PM

Living down on that poor side of the Big Lake, things just seem to go from bad to worse. Maybe, I'm not the brightest bulb on the tree for leaving the boat in the lake so late into the winter, but what can I say?

Driving down Rt 93 early this morning from WV to Meredith, my car, a real nice '95 Ford Contour with a four cyl-5 speed with only 154k easy highway miles on it decides to stop running. Pulling into the break-down lane and lifting up the hood, hot steam is pouring out from all over the engine. Got it towed into Ashland, and it works out that fixing it would cost way more than its worth; no compression in one cylinder due to a warped cylinder head or cracked block or both. Plus, I ain't got no money for this no way, anyway.

It's about 2pm by the time I get started back on the frozen outboard. First, I bring the six gallon gas tank inside and set it close to the propane heater while the fuel line with primer bulb, that goes into the 103d hot tub, which should thaw it out fast.

Next, it all gets rehooked to the outboard for another try at starting. It's a no-start, so maybe it's the fuel filter or fuel line or something under the cowl. Anyway, with temps running below 10 and it's almost dark out I decide to call it quits until tomorrow. Best to quit today......probably using a hot air heat gun would have me setting the whole engine on fire today....and it is a terrific engine.

No ice to be seen yet anywhere from Horse to Mark to Timber to Gov, but with my 'good' planning that may change overnight.....ugh!

There's not much luck when all you can count on is dumb luck!

HomeWood

01-17-2007, 07:54 PM

Hey Fat, if you leave your boat in, I'll buy you a new one this spring. I need ice!!;)

CanisLupusArctos

01-18-2007, 01:40 AM

It's 1:30 am, and the night's cooling seems to have ended unexpectedly. The day's Northwest wind dropped off to calm for just a couple of hours this evening - not the predicted all-nighter - and now the high pressure has moved off the coast 12 hours early. In the last hour the wind has shifted into the "warm" Southwest, bringing a few clouds like beach blankets in the sky. The temperature has responded by slowly creeping upward - adding 2 degrees since midnight. Out on the porch I hear lapping sounds of wavelets from that SW wind. Freezing tonight? I have to eat my words now. Saturday looks to be a verrrryy windy day to keep the water open. Someone up there might just be waiting for you to get that boat out of the water before allowing the lake to freeze.

Weirs guy

01-18-2007, 05:40 AM

OK, this just in live from the big beach here at the Weirs. During my morning jog I went on down to the beach and low and behold, we have a skim of ice from at least the beach/channel to the Pier, maybe further but its too dark still to tell! It was all wide open last night at sunset.:D

CanisLupusArctos

01-18-2007, 07:19 AM

The skim-over is visible on the open lake, too, as evidenced in this morning's view.

DRH

01-18-2007, 08:54 AM

The temp. this morning is about 5 degs. The wind finally died last night and the lake skimmed over. It isn't very thick, but it's a start. Here's what the lake looks like in front of our house this morning:

http://www.echoshores.com/ice-in/2007/011807.jpg

LIforrelaxin

01-18-2007, 09:21 AM

I hope the wind doesn't pick up over there...In vermont where I have to be when I am not at Winni. lake Champlain is Stirring herself into a frenzy again breaking up what ice has formed....

CanisLupusArctos

01-18-2007, 09:43 AM

The ice that formed last night was just a skim-over and the fist-sized rock I tossed punched right through it, but at 9:30 a.m. it's still not going anywhere. At Black Cat Island it's puffing occassionally out of the WSW at 1-3 mph and the temp is 10 F. If anything has its way with the ice today it'll probably be the sun, but if it can thicken enough to survive Saturday's 40+ mph winds it'll be in for the season. For now here's what it looks like.

Weirs guy

01-18-2007, 12:16 PM

CanisLupusArctos and upthesaukee, thanks for the responses. I missed your posts this morning when I first posted. At least I feel better, I was starting to think I was seeing things before the coffee set in!

SIKSUKR

01-18-2007, 02:30 PM

The ice,the ice,never looked so nice!

Island Girl

01-18-2007, 02:55 PM

From what I can see... there is a lot of open water this afternoon that was skimmed over this morning...

Two years ago on this date it was open water, but on the 20th it was ice. Our dear mother nature will do what she wants.... please please mommy can we have some ice!!! :emb: :emb: :emb:

CanisLupusArctos

01-18-2007, 04:32 PM

Good news from Black Cat Island - the ice between here and Three Mile Is., and as far SE as I can see (Steamboat & Rattlesnake) has survived the day, even with winds gusting to 16 mph and bright sun. These pics are from about 3:30 p.m. One looks SE to Rattlesnake Is. and the other SW toward Beaver Is. The ice between here and Three-Mile is a half-inch thick. There's snow coming tomorrow with more cold on Saturday! Now let's just hope it helps thicken the lake ice enough to survive Saturday's winds.

HomeWood

01-18-2007, 04:45 PM

Do any of you know the conditions in Moultonborough near Buzzels Cove, Trexlers Marina and Randalls Island area? That's where I am scheduled to be in 2 1/2 weeks. I use Randalls island as a shelter from the wind. Thanks.

secondcurve

01-18-2007, 06:35 PM

Fatlazy:

Were you able to get the motor working and the boat out? Hopefully, things worked out for you.

Weirs guy

01-18-2007, 06:58 PM

Weirs Bay and Lake Winnisquam both seem to have kept the skimming they got last night.

BoulderBronco

01-18-2007, 07:04 PM

:banana: Time to buy my flight for the Derby.

Gatto Nero

01-19-2007, 07:59 AM

Looking good in front of Black Cat

gtxrider

01-19-2007, 09:22 AM

Freeze Baby Freeze!

I was snowing down here in Joisey when I left home for work at 6:00AM. The drive way was covered with the white stuff.

Keep on dancing!:banana:

HomeWood

01-19-2007, 09:34 AM

We don't want too much snow, but this should be good for tomorrow since it's supposed to be windy and maybe this will help protect the ice that is there.

DRH

01-19-2007, 10:18 AM

Unfortunately, the ice didn't hold in this part of the lake. It's now open water from the Minge Cove area in West Alton all the way across the lake to Wolfeboro. Here's this morning's view, taken from just west of Minge Cove and looking east. Treasure Island is on the left side of the shot, with the eastern tip of Rattlesnake is behind it:

http://www.echoshores.com/ice-in/2007/011907.jpg

Blue Thunder

01-19-2007, 08:13 PM

FLL,
What's up with the boat...any luck???? Inquiring minds want to know!!!

BT

fatlazyless

01-19-2007, 08:54 PM

CanisLupusArctos

01-19-2007, 09:38 PM

Looking SE from Black Cat I see ice pack down to around 5-Mile Island/Steamboat Island. The ice survived the wind gusts of 16 mph today, but the open spots around Black Cat Shoals grew every hour. Currently the winds are on the increase and we're in a snow squall that's dropped an inch of snow in the last 45 minutes, with forecast for 45+ mph winds tomorrow afternoon. The squall's signature on the radar almost looks like it's an extension of lake effect snow from upstate NY.

19MileBaylover

01-19-2007, 09:50 PM

Anybody up in the 19 Mile Bay area? How's the ice?

BoulderBronco

01-19-2007, 09:56 PM

I know it's windy and all but if it got cold enought wouldn't it still ice up? I am no weather expert but seems to me no matter how windy it was, if it was cold enough the top of the water would freeze. Maybe a temp of say 3*F like it's suposed to be tomorrow?

Resident 2B

01-19-2007, 10:31 PM

BoulderBronco,

The wind has a huge impact on the ability of open water to ice up. If the surface of the water is being moved by the wind, it does not have the ability to freeze. What is needed is a cold night and no wind. That will cause the lake to get a skim coat usually a half inch or so think.

Once there is a skim coat, the wind can still mess up the ice-in process. It works on any area of thin ice and once it breaks through, it continues to enlarge the opening. Once the opening is large enough for any wind-driven wave action, thin ice will get eaten up very quickly, even with tempatures well below freezing. The ice has to be an inch or two thick before it gets "safe" from most winds below 20 mph.

Today, the wind got a lot of the ice outside of the bays. Although it will be below freezing tonight, the ice will be no match for wind gusts of 40 mph on tap for tomorrow. We need the wind to die down for the process to begin again.

With water tempatures at 35 degrees, one cold and still night followed by a cold and rather still day will do the job in many areas of the lake.

Sorry for the bad news, but that is how it works.

R2B

BoulderBronco

01-19-2007, 11:15 PM

trfour

01-19-2007, 11:20 PM

We used to get real winters around here,.. and not that long ago we had a good one where the Lake froze over before the snow flew. We had well over twenty plow able snow storms this winter,.. I remember having to go up and shovel the snow off the back porch roof many times after work to keep the ice dams from building. All of the many wonderful winter activities enjoyed by us tough winter sports, Champion sled dog racers, ice fisher folks, and I recall Alton Bay looking like Laconia Airport. Some friends and I left the camp on Paugus Bay on our snowmobiles to ride around the Lake and check out all the fun and games. Meredith was crowded with the fishing derby go'in on, and we even took a ride up to Mount Shaw and back. It was great to see everyone having fun.

There was an MP dive team over in Winter Harbor practicing ice rescue and they had cut a hole through the ice and had it all cordoned off, so I stopped and asked how thick the the ice was,.. they said oh its safe alright 39 inches thick!!

Let the Lake freeze, and let it SNOW!!!

Oh, PS I caught these guys party'n on my deck that winter with my portable Weirs Bridge Cam too. ;)

Resident 2B

01-20-2007, 12:06 AM

Thanks. But I'm not stupid. I understand that. But at some point the water will freeze. If it was 100* below zero it would freeze in a second no matter how windy. So. I am just wondering how cold it would have to be to cancel out the wind? 10*? 0*? -10*? -50*? What? Any guesses?

I was only trying to help and was not in any way implying that your are stupid.

Technically at absolute zero all motion stops. At reasonably normal local tempatures, there are far too many variables involved to give an answer to your question.

HomeWood

01-20-2007, 12:46 AM

Think of it this way... at least it will be very cold and not 50 degrees right :rolleye2: . The wind will be no help to the bigger parts, but coves and places protected by the wind will only add ice I assume.

Weirs guy

01-20-2007, 08:15 AM

We lost a lot of ice on Weirs Bay yesterday (from as far towards Meredith as I can see to Methodist Circle), and even more last night. Last nights waves ate up even more, its almost down to the channel now.

CanisLupusArctos

01-20-2007, 08:49 AM

On one occasion during the 90s I saw the open lake when it was cooled to 32 and was still open water because of the wind. The water froze instantly to everything it splashed on (freezing spray). Such instant freezing will always happpen if the air temp is bitterly cold, but on that morning it wasn't.

This morning it's open water SE of Black Cat Shoals, with NW wind averaging 9 gusting to 20 mph and increasing, temp 17 F and dropping. The 4 inches of snow we had last night is blowing around out there. Looks like our next chance of calm conditions is Monday night.

DRH

01-20-2007, 09:21 AM

We had high winds overnight, with a 41 mph gust at about 8:30 AM this morning. The ice is completely gone in our entire view now:

http://www.echoshores.com/ice-in/2007/012007.jpg

HomeWood

01-20-2007, 10:15 AM

From what lake Wenworths cam shows, it's holding up and still snow covered. First it's warm air and now it's wind. Give me a freakin' break! :fire:

BoulderBronco

01-20-2007, 12:34 PM

I was only trying to help and was not in any way implying that your are stupid.

Technically at absolute zero all motion stops. At reasonably normal local tempatures, there are far too many variables involved to give an answer to your question.
I know. I didn't mean to imply that. I was just wondering how cold it would have to be.

HomeWood

01-20-2007, 02:00 PM

If we could bring the cold down from Mt Washington that would help. -15 and a windchill of -60! We sure don't need the 90mph winds making that!:eek:

CanisLupusArctos

01-20-2007, 02:52 PM

In howling northwest winds, the ice between Black Cat Island, Three Mile and Bear has broken up like a celebrity couple. It made quite a show, as ocean-like swells came into shore laden with shards of ice and a few good-size bergs 2-3 inches thick. The ice piled around 5 feet high on Black Cat Shoals/"Mousetrap Ledge," and continued drifting southeast. Frothing whitecaps and freezing spray replaced the ice pack.

There is now quite an ice accumulation on shores and objects with exposure to the northwest. The temperature on Black Cat Island is now 13 and dropping, while the winds are now 20 mph gusting to 46. The strongest winds are forecast for this evening.

HomeWood

01-20-2007, 04:35 PM

At least the temp is dropping! :rolleye2:

Grant

01-20-2007, 05:24 PM

Awesome photos -- thanks for the great report.

Resident 2B

01-20-2007, 05:56 PM

CLA,

It is amazing what the wind does to ice and how the wind plays such a big factor on both ice-in and ice-out. Great job in conveying this to those not lucky enought to see it live.

Stay warm!

R2B

HomeWood

01-21-2007, 10:23 AM

Is it still very windy today?

CanisLupusArctos

01-21-2007, 11:35 AM

I'm glad you've enjoyed the ice reports and photos as much as I've enjoyed taking/posting them. Yesterday was truly one of the wildest days I've ever seen in weather. It is one thing to see the ice break up on a windy spring day when warm temps disintigrate it, but it is something much more humbling to see the ice breaking up in such windy conditions when the temperature is in the single numbers, making berg stick to berg and shards pile into cakes and solidify.

It is amazing how the lake has its own weather sometimes. Last night when the airport automated systems around the state had significantly less wind than earlier, we were sustaining 32 mph (the highest of the day) with the day's peak gust to 60 mph at 11:40 pm. The walls and floor shook, the trees bent over, and I was amazed they didn't break. The lights blinked off for a few seconds and that was it. It wasn't like a quick summer thunderstorm - the 45-50 mph gusts kept hitting for an hour straight.

The waves were on the order of 3 feet, and now their splashover zones look like crystal chandeliers.

The winds today have gone below 10 mph at times, and at other times they're more like yesterday's. Currently it's NW at 16 and increasing, with gusts running around 30 mph.

upthesaukee

01-21-2007, 03:43 PM

Here are some pictures taken today, 01-21-07, from Alton Mt. Rd looking out toward the end of the bay.

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/photopost/data/510/012107-altmt1.jpg

and the same shot with a little telephoto kicked in.

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/photopost/data/510/012107altmt3.jpg

and finally a shot from the same location, looking over Alton Bay toward Wolfeboro. That would be Alton Bay in the foreground, with Wolfeboro bay in the background, with apparently ice out to around Clark Point, I think.

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/photopost/data/510/012107altmt-to-wolfe.jpg

Sorry I didn't get any other pictures earlier, but I have been a little busy this month, and when there was ice, I wasn't able to get a picture, til now. :(

Resident 2B

01-21-2007, 04:57 PM

It is looking more and more like we are about to enter a prolonged period of two important atmospheric conditions required for ice-in: low tempatures and low winds. Aiding the ice-in will be a few periods of light snow over the next few days. This should allow the lake to skim over and for the skim to get two a few inches thick by Thursday. From there the ice should continue to thicken.

If this happens, the derby might still happen. I hope I am right.

R2B

HomeWood

01-21-2007, 05:51 PM

I hope you're right too my friend!

CanisLupusArctos

01-22-2007, 03:10 AM

R2B I think you're right! My fingers crossed. I didn't think I'd get to say this less than 12 hours after 40 mph wind gusts, but it's absolutely still out there now. Then again, this is New England and if you don't like the weather, wait a minute (Twain).

Temp is 12 degrees and the radar's showing blue blobs closing in on us from the south and west.

Here's a look at what the shoreline was like today.

-Arctic Wolf

Gavia immer

01-22-2007, 08:12 AM

Thanks for those photos. Not many have seen that sight in late January! I especially like your screen name: CanisLupusArctos? Now, it will be impossible to forget the scientific name for the rare "Arctic Wolf".

Where did the idea come from? ;)

SteveA

01-22-2007, 09:47 AM

Great photos!

Spent a bit of time on your website. Impressive work... reminds me of some of the work done by John Gill.

Glad to have you here.

Weirs guy

01-22-2007, 12:19 PM

CLA, I love the reference to Saturdays swells looking ocean like. Thats exactly the analogy my wife and I used. Darndest thing I saw all weekend (until last nights game, that is:( ). I was surprised Weirs Bay seemed to skim over again Saturday night, but it was short lived.

Resident 2B

01-22-2007, 01:57 PM

It is looking like the calm winds will continue until Wednesday. Then, it looks like 5 to 10 mph Wednesday afternoon and most of Thursday.

The bad news is Friday looks like it will be very windy again.

If the ice thickens enough to handle the light winds of Wednesday and Thursday, it should be able to survive Friday in the bays. Friday will be the big test.

R2B

CanisLupusArctos

01-22-2007, 02:34 PM

Let's try this again! Ice-in, that is. With calm conditions and temps in the low teens, the ice south and east of Black Cat is once again IN. It isn't thick yet, but the long-term weather pattern promises more cold, and windy conditions aren't expected again until the next arctic blast on Friday and Saturday. Hopefully the ice will have more time to thicken before then!

Thank you for your compliments. To answer your question about where my name came from, it was inspired by the career-launching project of my favorite photographer Jim Brandenburg. In the mid-1980s he made several visits to a remote part of the arctic to find arctic wolves. He and the writer, a biologist, not only found them, they became accepted by the pack and were allowed to stay alone at the den with the pups while the adults went hunting. National Geographic put one of Jim's photos on the cover: an arctic wolf in mid-air, leaping between two floating chunks of ice on the bay.

Ever since I was a teenager I've gone out on frozen Lake Winnipesaukee and often imagined I was on the tundra - that Mount Washington in the distance was really Denali, and on those calm frigid nights when the moon lights up the cracking and booming lake ice and the snow-covered evergreens, I want to go out there in the middle, watch the aurora borealis, and listen to a pack of wolves singing an echoing song from the Ossipees.

I've seen the work of John Gill and met him - he does some incredible work - but it's Brandenburg's inspiration that this wolf sniffs out, with the North Star always providing the compass.

HomeWood

01-23-2007, 08:32 AM

I just checked Belknap and Weirs cameras and they are just about ice in and have some snow cover. Hopefully it gets thick enough to withstand some more wind that I heard is on that way.

Island Girl

01-23-2007, 08:44 AM

We have ice!!!!! Now we wait to see if it holds...

Time to fire up the snowmobile!!! :D :D :D :D

www.rattlesnakecam.com/icein.htm (http://www.rattlesnakecam.com/icein.htm)

HomeWood

01-23-2007, 08:55 AM

The high of 5 degrees on Friday should help! :D

My snowmobile is loaded on the trailer. I just got to do some prep work on it and it'll be ready for it's 800 mile journey from down here. I'll bring the two atv's also. Anybody want to go for a ride? :D

Merrymeeting

01-23-2007, 09:43 AM

Looks like ice everywhere when viewing the cameras this morning. Friday's winds may not matter if it's skimmed over everywhere as it appears it will be.

Merrymeeting closed up overnight too. http://65.175.136.103/view/view.shtml

Let's hope that everyone stays off the ice until it thickens enough. Seems every year that we hear an unfortunate story of someone who ventured out too early or too far.

Now all we need is a good nor'Easter!

Weirs guy

01-23-2007, 12:21 PM

Weirs Bay seemed very solid this morning for the short time its been iced in. Oh yeah, a note to any Laconia city workers perusing the forum, time to turn on the town docks bubblers!

Blue Thunder

01-23-2007, 12:31 PM

All the launch ramps are iced in as of today, Shep Brown's, Meredith Town Docks, Glendale, Weirs Channel, Meredith Marina: all inaccessible. The ice looks very thin and tonight's winds and 26 degrees could make some changes.......sorry ice fans! For now, it looks like my boat is ice bound for the duration...whenever? The area from buoy 3-Horse Isl to Bear-Mark-Timber-Governor's is currently totally ice free, and it is a windy night so......?

What will that do to the hull and motor? Aren't you worried? I don't think I've ever seen a boat survive a freezing into the lake. Do you have a bubbler to keep the water open near the hull?

Blue Thunder

Steveo

01-23-2007, 03:07 PM

FLL, I have a spare bubbler if you want to borrow it. Might be a little late to get it in and you'll need power, but it's yours if you want it.

fatlazyless

01-23-2007, 07:46 PM

Yes, it is still in the water. My old yard sale, five dollar, 1/6hp pump wasn't working too well, so I made a major sixty-four dollar purchase of a Lowe's 1/6hp pump and set it up as a dock circulator. It draws only 2 amps. So far, so good. It's keeping the area around the boat motor and 40' dock clear all by itself. I know that's hard to believe. I cannot believe it and I've was checking it out today. Maybe, because the water is 4 feet deep or less. If tomorrow is a good sunny day, I'll try to post a photo.......maybe captioned 'fully winterized,' or 'do-it-yourself boat removal' or 'speed limits totally unnecessary!', or something. Maybe, if it warms up to 40 degrees, I'll get to finish installing that fish-finder & depth guage that I started last April? Hmmmm, maybe some early season boat painting? Oh well, winter has a ways to go here so no need to rush!

Waterbaby

01-23-2007, 09:15 PM

YOU may not be worrying, FLL, and no need to -- enough of the rest of us doing the worrying for you! Best of luck to you -- and only 4' of water? Oh dear, I hope that pump works, seems to me as if the upcoming cold snap could freeze those shallows faster than the pump can circulate! Keep us updated, please.

gtxrider

01-23-2007, 10:01 PM

BoulderBronco

01-24-2007, 01:53 AM

The lake temp went UP to 35*. ???

Resident 2B

01-24-2007, 11:49 AM

For those not up here, there is much more ice today than there was all last year. The only water I see is in the Weirs channel, but even that is closed up much more than last year. The ice is trying to thicken up and I believe we have enough to hold up against the winds coming Thursday evening into Friday.

The ice is covered with an inch or so of powder snow, just enough to reflect the sun's heat, but not enough to insulate the ice from the cold. It is still in the upper 20's at about noon and it will be turning very cold in the next 12 to 18 hours. It should be at or below zero for several nights in a row starting Friday.

I saw one bob house on Alton Bay and someone drilling a hole or two yesterday morning.

Stay safe out there!

Winter has arrived!!

R2B

Island Girl

01-24-2007, 11:58 AM

:laugh: :laugh: The babes are holding off on the snow dancing to allow the ice to thicken some more... Then we will be bouncing off the walls to get a nice comfy coating on the lake .... get those snow machines ready!!!!
:D :D :cool: ;) :) :) ;) ;) ;) :coolsm: :coolsm: :coolsm:

(sorry, for all the smilies... I am just so excited!!)

IG who really really wants to ride out there!!!

codeman671

01-24-2007, 03:09 PM

I plan on taking a ride out to the island early next week by airboat (as soon as my new toy arrives from Canada :D ) and will update everyone on what I see further out.

I am contemplating offering a winter transportation service for those that want to get out to the islands from time to time, as well as cottage checks and dock circulator monitoring for the season. Gotta pay for this thing somehow...

Trips to help fix the Rattlesnake Cam at any time are on the house, although junk food is always welcome :laugh:

Island Girl

01-24-2007, 03:25 PM

Have fun with your new toy.... I suggest you make friends with the other airboat owners on the lake...... get a few pointers so to speak...

I do appreciate the offer for rides to fix Snake Eyes.... that could happen.

(don't let anyone stand behind the boat when you start it.... they could get blown away.... literally!)

IG

Grant

01-24-2007, 03:48 PM

Quick -- check out the Pine Island Cam and tell me those aren't snowmobile tracks going across the ice!

Yow! Seems a little early, don't you think?

http://mysite.verizon.net/pineisland/PineIslandGuy.jpg

Island Girl

01-24-2007, 03:49 PM

Looks like it to me!

mg2107

01-24-2007, 04:14 PM

Oh to be young and immortal again.

Pine Island Guy

01-24-2007, 04:59 PM

good eyes Grant, too bad no one caught it in the cam as they zipped by!!! i thought maybe we could follow the tracks on the Pine Island South Cam, but they must have been out of range in that shot.

with this weather it won't be long before we are trekking out by foot for an island visit (and to fix the kink in the line of the 'ice eater' which is now blowing over to bear island)...

cheers! PIG

codeman671

01-24-2007, 05:17 PM

I find it hard to believe that someone would be out there now, I cannot imagine the ice would hold it there. Of course in my younger years I did some stupid snowmobile moves that I would not do today. :eek:

Quilt Lady

01-24-2007, 05:21 PM

those aren't snowmobile tracks.:( Those are cracks in the new ice and the darker area is where water has seeped onto the ice. We have many of them down near us. Sorry Island Girl . . . but keep slow dancing for the cold and ice! The only things I've seen on the ice near us are some crows and a red fox.

fatlazyless

01-24-2007, 07:18 PM

DRH

01-24-2007, 07:19 PM

Island Girl

01-24-2007, 07:36 PM

Spent some time chopping some lake ice today with an ice chopper, and the very very thickest was about one inch. Last night left a white snowy dusting across the ice and it is checkered with watery dark spots. Even went in in my bathing suit, and guess what, it is definately cold, but that hot tub-icy dip combination is an old Norwegian tradition, according to Uma!

Here is FLL's boat, ready for ice out...

Of course the rest of us are all excited that we are about to have ice-in!!!

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/photopost/data/510/medium/snapshot.jpg

gillis10

01-24-2007, 07:40 PM

I would imagine that Paugus Bay should be safe by now or def. by the weekend. It was about 1-1.5" last saturday. I stood on it but didn't trust it enough to let go of the dock!

mcdude

01-24-2007, 08:01 PM

Here's a view taken from Gilford looking north across the lake.

Excellent shot DRH.:coolsm:

Mr. V

01-24-2007, 11:26 PM

Are there restrictions on boating the lake when it is iced over?

Stated differently: assuming you had the money, and the desire, you could (theoretically, anyway) have a pleasure boat with the ability to plow through lake ice: a small ice breaker.

Sure, ice users would hate you, but would the Marine Patrol be able to prevent you from tootling around the lake, breaking ice as you go?

Blue Thunder

01-25-2007, 06:29 AM

Here is FLL's boat, ready for ice out...

Of course the rest of us are all excited that we are about to have ice-in!!!

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/photopost/data/510/medium/snapshot.jpg

If that's a recent image, I'd feel a little better about leaving it for the winter although I'd worry about water in the powerhead of the motor freezing. Maybe with that strong aluminum hull he can break ice in the Spring if he gets it running!:rolleye1:

BT

fatlazyless

01-25-2007, 09:56 AM

...yes, took that photo yesterday Wednesday Jan 24 2007 at about 1pm....that's Gov Isl in the background on the right and Timber on the Left and Gunstock & Belknap Mts which cannot be seen due to the sun over-exposure (probably due to my el cheapo 60 dollar, two-pixel camera). The boat is out of the water with drain plug removed, the lower unit-gearcase-propeller is under the water which is being circulated. How's that sound?

SIKSUKR

01-25-2007, 10:09 AM

I don't know FLL if your real hearty or just plain crazy!!Either way you you score a lot of points with me.WOW!!!

zawillif

01-25-2007, 10:27 AM

Looks like the ice is receding a little on the weirscam.

This'nThat

01-25-2007, 12:14 PM

Our drive from West Alton to Center Harbor today confirmed that the recent cold weather has resulted in all areas of the lake that we could see being ice now. Here's a view taken from Gilford looking north across the lake.

http://www.echoshores.com/ForumPics/Ice_012407.jpg
Nice picture -- but I'll be more impressed with a view taken from the middle of the lake looking in all directions at the shoreline!

DRH

01-25-2007, 01:48 PM

Nice picture -- but I'll be more impressed with a view taken from the middle of the lake looking in all directions at the shoreline!I'm with you, This'nThat! I'll try to oblige if/when the ice becomes safe and we get some snow!

How about it, Babes on Sleds ... you doing your snow dances? :laugh:

Mink Islander

01-25-2007, 01:48 PM

Looks like the ice is receding a little on the weirscam.

That would be the ice-eaters at work around the docks.

Ice-making is happening 24/7 right now across the whole lake. Interested to hear the ice-thickness reports over the next several days. With the coming temps, an inch or more a day is likely. Unless the winds really pick up, we should be in great shape within a week. This weekend might still be a bit sketchy for someone like me who treks pretty far from mainland to get to my camp. "Great shape" defined as at least 7 inches of black ice over most of the lake and most definitely where I am walking:) . Week after next, I'm there! Here fishy fishy fishy....

LIforrelaxin

01-25-2007, 04:05 PM

If that's a recent image, I'd feel a little better about leaving it for the winter although I'd worry about water in the powerhead of the motor freezing. Maybe with that strong aluminum hull he can break ice in the Spring if he gets it running!:rolleye1:

BT

There is a neat thing about outboards. If they are left down such as FLL has done then gravity takes over and the water flows right out of the powerhead.... I grew up with an old mercury outboard and our winterizing rutine was to lower the engine once the boat was on the trailer and out of the water...let it drain then put it back up and trailer it home and into the Garage.... They only Potential issue I see here for FLL is if the ice gets in around the lower unit...but with a circulator going he should be able to avoid that.....

Steveo

01-25-2007, 05:07 PM

They only Potential issue I see here for FLL is if the ice gets in around the lower unit...but with a circulator going he should be able to avoid that....

I could see that as a potential problem as well though since the circulator is keeping ice from forming in moving water. Any water in the lower unit will freeze since it will be below 32 degrees and not moving.

Resident 2B

01-25-2007, 07:00 PM

I could see that as a potential problem as well though since the circulator is keeping ice from forming in moving water. Any water in the lower unit will freeze since it will be below 32 degrees and not moving.

I agree. Getting the lower unit out of the water would be a great idea. FLL is this possible?

R2B

fatlazyless

01-25-2007, 07:49 PM

Yes, the entire boat can normally be raised up another two feet which would raise the outboard completely out of the water. For now, that is most likely not doable due to ice build-up on a a few areas of the boat lift.....have not actually attemped this yet. Winterizing an outboard always includes replacing the lower gear case 90 weight gear oil just in case some small amount of water got past the rubber seals and into the gearcase. If it freezes, it will expand the non compressable gear oil and split the aluminum gearcase. So, all this knowledge here, but still a major blunder.......boo-hoo! Plus, 90 weight gear oil would probably take a month to drain out at temps of five degrees. And yes, I would be very carefull to not let it drain into the lake water.

As the cold sets in, my single 1/6hp pump was not enough to keep the ice open for the area needed, so now there's two 1/6hp pumps located accordingly. Unlike the much more expensive 1/4 and 1/3 hp pumps which are light weight plastic, the least expensive Lowe's $64.00 pump is very heavy and made in Taiwan so it must be a cast iron body within a plastic shell......hopefully the Taiwan pump builder has built it for the long haul.

Probably, my plan is to raise the boat up high enough to get the outboard all the way out of the water, as soon as the temps warm above freezing so it can drain and I can replace the gear oil.

Like someone likes to say: 'a bad day at the lake is a whole lot better than a good day in Boston traffic.'

The ice got noticably thicker and stronger in the past day. The deep freeze is definately feeding the ice.....and making it strong......like an ox.......aarrrggg!(?)

mcdude

01-26-2007, 07:53 AM

It's ice-in on Lake Wentworth in Wolfeboro and the ice is safe enough to go out on. Check out THIS PICTURE (http://www.lwa.org/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=74&Itemid=39) of snowshoeing on the Lake last Saturday!

riverat

01-26-2007, 08:07 AM

Looks like another case of ECF (Extended Cabin Fever) Snoeshoeing on 1" of snow. LOL:D

PineLedge

01-26-2007, 08:30 AM

Rumor has it the "northern end" of the lake (Greens Basin/Ambrose Cove etc) has frozen enough that ice houses are out.....any truth??

DRH

01-26-2007, 08:37 AM

There was one bob house out in Center Harbor a couple days ago.

FLAG!

01-26-2007, 08:40 AM

It wouldn't surprise me at all to see bob houses on any of the northern coves on the lake. I think by tomorrow afternoon we'll see bob houses in great numbers all over the lake.

rander7823

01-26-2007, 11:36 AM

It wouldn't surprise me at all to see bob houses on any of the northern coves on the lake. I think by tomorrow afternoon we'll see bob houses in great numbers all over the lake.

Did Bob win Powerball or did he inherit his money?:D

gtxrider

01-26-2007, 12:31 PM

Did Bob win Powerball or did he inherit his money?:D

Bob did not win Power Ball or inherit all his money. Just lots of hard work.

Dr. Marvin, Dr. Leo Marvin.........

Ice , ice baby

Weirs guy

01-26-2007, 12:57 PM

I ALMOST walked off Weirs beach and onto the ice this morning, but the thought of running back to the house wet scared me off. Soon though, very soon.

rander7823

01-26-2007, 04:28 PM

Bob did not win Power Ball or inherit all his money. Just lots of hard work.

Dr. Marvin, Dr. Leo Marvin.........

Ice , ice baby

Maybe he wanted some peace and quiet and thought he could get it out on the lake at bob's house

riverat

01-26-2007, 04:40 PM

Saw a guy drive his pick up and tag along 18' trailer on Alton Bay yesterday a set it up near the bandstand. I told him the day before there was only 6-8"

BoulderBronco

01-26-2007, 05:15 PM

Saw a guy drive his pick up and tag along 18' trailer on Alton Bay yesterday a set it up near the bandstand. I told him the day before there was only 6-8"
Thats just stupid. Why risk it? I don't drive a truck on the ice, nevermind a truck and 18' trailer, unless I have at least 14" and thats in the thin spots.

CanisLupusArctos

01-27-2007, 12:31 AM

...Such a good sound that is! At midnight, the lake ice in front of Black Cat is making such noises, noises I haven't heard since last year's ice pack. When the ice is thin, the noises are usually weaker-sounding (crinkle- gurgle.) That's what I heard when I left Monday evening to spend a few days with friends out of state. Tonight I've returned to the CRACK! BOOM! of a healthy, thickening ice pack. It's almost at the threshold of rattling the windows, but not quite. Can't wait to test the thickness in the morning.

HomeWood

01-27-2007, 02:48 AM

Please post results.

You gotta love that sound. Scary sometimes when you are alone and a crack goes right between your legs..woah :eek:

This'nThat

01-27-2007, 09:03 AM

It wouldn't surprise me at all to see bob houses on any of the northern coves on the lake. I think by tomorrow afternoon we'll see bob houses in great numbers all over the lake.
Well, here's one of the houses, early Saturday morning. This leads to some questions, however:
House value?
Property taxes?
View tax?
Lake frontage?

IceCadet4759

01-27-2007, 10:04 AM

Hi Folks,

I'm new to this board, but have been reading and enjoying all your posts. I had my doubts there would be an Ice fishing derby this year, then puff, out of the north comes cold weather and ice in.:laugh: :D :) I'm getting excited as I type. It's time for me to get the gear ready to head up to your great lake and enjoy some winter fun, winning the Great Rotory Fishing Derby...Somehow I think there are many others thinking the same thing:cool: :cool: :cool:

IceCadet

Waterbaby

01-27-2007, 10:36 AM

Our drive from West Alton to Center Harbor today confirmed that the recent cold weather has resulted in all areas of the lake that we could see being ice now. Here's a view taken from Gilford looking north across the lake.

What a fabulous photo, DRH -- love the "winter" colors in it! Thanks for sharing.

Waterbaby

01-27-2007, 10:39 AM

SteveA

01-27-2007, 12:01 PM

Hello all,

I took a ride to Meredith Bay this morning... there about 9 Bob Houses on the bay..

The Meredith Town Tax Assessors Office has set up a booth at the ramp..:laugh:

According to several fishermen I spoke with they have about 5" of ice..

1154

1155

1156

1157

Good News... Ice is Safe... Bad News..noone I spoke with had caught any fish! (Maybe that means there will still be plenty left for the derby!)

SteveA

JTA

01-27-2007, 01:00 PM

Do bob houses have to be registered? They should be, and tack on a view tax at the same time. Since most bob house owners are residents they should pay a surtax if they know someone from out of state. People not-named-bob should consider some kind of legal action against all of these Bobs. :laugh:

Weirs guy

01-27-2007, 02:51 PM

Bobs set up camp in the middle of Weirs Bay, although he only brought a tent!

HomeWood

01-27-2007, 02:57 PM

Thanks a lot for the pics Steve. That makes me very happy to see that!:D

Senter Cove Guy

01-27-2007, 04:39 PM

Drove by this morning and was amazed to see several bob houses AND a truck AND a camper AND several snowmobiles on the bay ice. Hope that no "rescues" will be required.

CanisLupusArctos

01-27-2007, 05:11 PM

There is about a 4 inch thickness of ice to the south of Black Cat Island, and the open spots that were present earlier in the week have re-frozen. The ice is a mix of black ice and snow ice, and the upper 2 inches are very soft in many areas. There is also about an inch of water on top of the ice in many places, that now is re-freezing. Stepping on it causes a disconcerting crack and sinking feeling, but only to the main ice below. However, with just three good whacks of the mountaineering axe, I got through to the lake. The areas of black ice do a much better job standing up to the axe.

As a precaution I tied myself to the shore with a climbing rope, wore a life vest, secured the mountaineering axe's wrist leash, and cranked the wood stove way up before I went out, "just in case." It felt like overkill until I got out there and saw the ease with which the ice broke (in some places).

One family did venture out much farther, on an area of mainly black ice between Black Cat and Hull Island - see photo.

As temperatures hover around 15 degrees, the main pack is cracking and booming loudly. Looking down towards Rattlesnake I can see heat ripples in the air above the ice, a good sign that it's thickening even more.

SteveA

01-27-2007, 06:57 PM

Do they have to take it to a .... TAXidermist? (rim shot) :D :D :D

Maybe a new source of revenue for the state!

Sorry couldn't resist..:rolleye2:

Lin

01-27-2007, 07:35 PM

our local paper in MA this weekend showed an ice shanty being dragged out into Meridith somewhere. Amazing that a weeks worth of cold locked up the ice so much. As a side note our local Rod and Gun club held their ice fishing derby today, they thought with no ice last week they would have to cancel.
wow, what a difference a week makes

Lin

01-27-2007, 07:42 PM

I'd like to say welcome to canislupusarctos. I've loved following your blogs and photos at silentforest. I'm one that told you much earlier in the year I loved your photos from Mt. Washington, especially the fox photos. Good to see you here and I love looking at the Black cat webphotos. Thanks for your photos.

MAXUM

01-27-2007, 09:20 PM

Was out on Lake Wentworth today, ice is between 9-10" thick.

SteveA

01-28-2007, 08:00 AM

From yesterdays Citizen....

http://www.citizen.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070127/CITIZEN_01/101270268/-1/CITIZEN

FLAG!

01-28-2007, 10:29 AM

Was in Wolfeboro yesterday. South Wolfeboro bay near grant island. Was surprised to find that from monday to Saturay only 4 more inches of ice. Maybe I'm naive. Was told once that with temps like we had last week ice should be thickening at teh rate of 2" each night. Anyway, we had between 6 and 8 inches of ice. Unfortunately the earlier break up of broads ice resulted in a massive pile up of ice chunks at the entrance to South Woleforo Bay making for NASTY travel trying to leave the bay to head for wolfeboro bay or anywhere else. Our group of if ice fishermen will be contained to South Wolfeboro bay next weekend unless we get a good 6 inches of wet snow before then. We did sled throuh the chunk field and the ice appeared very solid on the other side. No reason to beleieve there isn't 6 inches of ice throughout wolfeboro bay, but as always test the ice before going out. Don't take this post as gospel that Wolfeboro Bay is safe to drive sleds on.

steadyon

01-28-2007, 07:27 PM

Hi all,
lot's of fishers on Meredith bay today and there is a new fish
that they are all catching, it's called a squat fish!

good news is good ice!

Maxum, do you wish the Wentworth derby?

Steadyon

HomeWood

01-28-2007, 07:32 PM

What in the world is a "squat fish"?

Blue Thunder

01-28-2007, 07:35 PM

What in the world is a "squat fish"?

...that they didn't catch squat!!

BT

RLW

01-28-2007, 08:06 PM

May I ask. How do you feel now. I'm glad you asked before me. :laugh: What in the world is a "squat fish"?

riverat

01-28-2007, 08:48 PM

So, has Ice-In been officially declared yet? All reports I have heard from pilots says lake is locked up.

upthesaukee

01-28-2007, 10:47 PM

Here's a picture of the activity on the bay Sunday afternoon. There were some snowmobiles running around, and more bob houses out by Echo Point. Also, heard that there was an airplane landed on the bay on Saturday the 27th.:eek: . Hope it also had pontoons.:laugh:

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/photopost/data/510/012807-alton-bay-bobhouses.jpg

Oh, and as a point of information for ice fishermen (and ice fisherwomen), you can get Live Bait at Amylynne's in the bay, easy walking distance from the boat launch area in the bay. Bait shop is off the little parking lot next to the store, and if no one is in the bait shop, just go in the store and they will be out to help.

CanisLupusArctos

01-28-2007, 11:10 PM

Are there records kept for official ice-in? If yes, how does this year's measure up to the others?

On a road trip to Rochester and back I stopped at Meredith Bay to take some pictures this morning (see below.) In Alton Bay I was surprised to find a couple of cars and trucks out there in the middle.

South of Black Cat there was a little bit of thawing in the usual rift between the shore and Black Cat Shoals, especially late in the afternoon when a lead tried to open up, but sunset put a quick end to that idea. It's now 18 and plummeting after a high of 31. Seen today: Two snowmobiles riding north of Bear Island, then between Three Mile and Pine, and on to Center Harbor at what looked like 90-100 mph. Otherwise no human activity out there.

The Weathercam (www.blackcatnh.com) now has a time-lapse feature that shows approximately 4.5 hours in 3-minute increments. It makes changes in the ice much easier to see. Click on "Previous images" and then find the timelapse link in the upper right.

Ambrose Angler

01-29-2007, 01:33 AM

Canislupusarctos...can't thank you enough for the great photos. I may not be traveling the furthest for the Derby but I must be close. I'm hosting a large crowd and if it wasn't for your pictures and the reports on this thread I would be a lot more nervous about planning winter activities given the northeast's warm temps earlier inthe year.

HomeWood

01-29-2007, 03:21 AM

May I ask. How do you feel now. I'm glad you asked before me. :laugh:

How embarassing! :rolleye1: I get it now, hardy har har :laugh:

Awesome pictures, you guys and gals have really come through for us who aren't there to enjoy the ice. I'll be up there on saturday though!

Mink Islander

01-29-2007, 07:24 AM

Anyone have a report for the south side of Bear Island through Cattle Landing? Wondering if there were fisherman and sleds around there this past weekend.

Thanks!

Gatto Nero

01-29-2007, 07:34 AM

The Weathercam (www.blackcatnh.com) now has a time-lapse feature that shows approximately 4.5 hours in 3-minute increments. It makes changes in the ice much easier to see. Click on "Previous images" and then find the timelapse link in the upper right.

Great feature Wolfman! I checked it out yesterday after we went for a walk around the island and caught ourselves crossing the path of your cam sometime around noon.

ladybug

01-29-2007, 07:58 AM

On Saturday a bobhouse was set up in Meredith off of Neal Shore Road. The guys were out there for a good part of the day but I didn't see any fish. I also saw two snowmobiles go zipping by heading to Gilford.
Hopefully the nights will be very cold and the ice will keep getting thicker.
Stay safe all.

fatlazyless

01-29-2007, 09:28 AM

...hi Mink Islander....saw two sleds skim around the inside of Horse Island which has water and slush in the short distance between Horse Island and Meredith Neck. Otherwise, about five inches of ice thickness is what I am seeing close to shore. The town bubbler is running strong at the Cattle Landing dock. So far, no bob-houses and no fisherman or anyone except for the two sleds are out on the ice in this area, afaIk.

FLAG!

01-29-2007, 09:47 AM

Here's a shot of the ice conditions just south of Wolfeboro Bay. It seems that when those heavy winds broke up the ice a while back, the chunks landed here and froze in place. It's a nasty ride across it. About 150 yards long. Forget towing a sled full of ice fishing gear across this. It completely cuts off South Wolfeboro Bay.
http://www.winnipesaukee.com/photopost/data/510/icefield3x400w.JPG

We need some snow to cushion the ride over this field.

Mink Islander

01-29-2007, 11:20 AM

Appreciate the update.

codeman671

01-29-2007, 11:30 AM

Appreciate the update.

I am going to Mark either Thursday or Friday by airboat, I can give you an update or a lift if you need it. Most likely Friday.

Mink Islander

01-29-2007, 11:56 AM

Thanks for the offer. Won't be up 'til Saturday, though. I enjoy the hike. I'll definitely be interested in any ice report. Hoping to have at least 7-8" by then.

M.I.

Weirs guy

01-29-2007, 12:14 PM

We need some snow to cushion the ride over this field.

The long term forecast is calling for some snow this Friday!

Senter Cove Guy

01-29-2007, 06:13 PM

10 inches of ice as reported by an ice fisherman. It was a beautiful day yesterday. Here's a few pics.

BoulderBronco

01-29-2007, 06:46 PM

Is anyone else suprised to see so many cars and trucks out there with only 10" of ice? I never go out with my truck unless I have at least 14-15" and thats the LEAST.

codeman671

01-29-2007, 08:26 PM

A TV news van in Milwaukee found out the hard way today of the dangers of thin ice when they fell through, ironically while doing a story on the dangers of snowmobiling on ice...:laugh:

http://www.wmur.com/video/10869522/index.html

webmaster

01-29-2007, 11:00 PM

Is anyone else suprised to see so many cars and trucks out there with only 10" of ice? I never go out with my truck unless I have at least 14-15" and thats the LEAST.According to this chart 10" of "clear and sound" ice will hold a 7 to 8 ton moving truck: http://www.mvp-wc.usace.army.mil/ice/ice_load.html

CanisLupusArctos

01-30-2007, 12:51 AM

In the pale blue moonlight, Lake Winnipesaukee's ice pack is making noises that sound much like the distant but frequent rumbles of an approaching severe thunderstorm in summertime. The sound begins at one end of the pack, over by Moultonborough Neck or Bear Island, then travels up towards Center Harbor over a period of about 5 seconds, and in the opposite direction as well. It reverberates off all the shores and echoes through the air above. It makes me think I'm going to see lightning, but with the air so dry I am getting static zaps of almost cardiac-defibrillation quality.

No visible melting at Black Cat today except as caused by nearby dock circulator, and the wind picked up, which caused the even covering of (insulating) snow to get blown into a patchwork of bare spots and drifts. Now we're down to +6 under clear skies and nearly-calm wind.

Ambrose Angler, I'm glad to know I'm of help to you. Have a safe trip to the derby!

Gatto Nero, I'm glad you made it all the way around the island on the ice! I was still giving it a bit more time- not believing it would be "ready" after just a week. Unbelievable!

I can almost hear Bob Seger singing about it:

It was 18, the winter day was fair
The lake was frozen, solid everywhere
Like a rock...

Mink Islander

01-30-2007, 07:42 AM

Looks like a pair of Merganzers paddling around the open water.

Gatto Nero

01-30-2007, 07:54 AM

Gatto Nero, I'm glad you made it all the way around the island on the ice! I was still giving it a bit more time- not believing it would be "ready" after just a week. Unbelievable!

Actually, we did have one scare, and it happened to be right in front of you're cam. We ventured over to the shoal to check out the pile up of ice and as we got about 3' from it we heard an enormous crack. I'm guessing we had stepped on a spot that had ridden up the rock, leaving no water underneath as a foundation. Regardless, we all stopped dead in our tracks and retreated back to towards shore in a hurry. Thankfully the rest of the trip was non-eventful.

Grant

01-30-2007, 10:07 AM

According to this chart 10" of "clear and sound" ice will hold a 7 to 8 ton moving truck: http://www.mvp-wc.usace.army.mil/ice/ice_load.html

That is a very cool site. Thanks for the information.

CanisLupusArctos

01-30-2007, 12:49 PM

We ventured over to the shoal to check out the pile up of ice and as we got about 3' from it we heard an enormous crack. I'm guessing we had stepped on a spot that had ridden up the rock, leaving no water underneath as a foundation.

You've discovered the odd ways the ice behaves around Black Cat Shoals. I think you were probably fine, since it's been cracking and booming a lot lately during the thickening process. Don't lose that fear you mentioned though. The outermost part is a bedrock ledge that rises gently from the west and touches the surface with the top of a 12-foot underwater cliff facing east. That thing is a trap in all seasons. I've unofficially named it "Mousetrap Ledge." (come over some Saturday afternoon this summer and we'll see boats hit it...)

In winter there is typically a rift in the ice that forms between the ledge and the south tip of the island. It behaves like a geological fault line - creating "mountains" in some seasons, and looking more like the San Andreas in other seasons. Come spring, the rift opens into a lead, then the shoals, and then ice-out is usually within two weeks. In the warm winters we've had lately (example- 2002), the water around Mousetrap never froze, and the remainder of the shoals was only iced-over on the coldest days.

In a normal winter it's just as you say - the ice gets pushed up into hollow mountains with a watery crevasse hidden underneath. Fun fun fun!

When you walked past Black Cat's bridge, how was the ice underneath? I keep forgetting to stop on the bridge and check. If it's frozen its a *very* good sign for the rest of the ice in the area.

Island Girl

01-30-2007, 02:14 PM

My good friend (DBA's husband) did something out there today... (he is out on the island with the airboat today... reports some quality ice). I expect he unplugged the power to the webcam system and plugged it back in again.

Check out Snake Eyes which is back in operation!!!!

Yay, Thanks, Father Nuke!!!

IG

rander7823

01-30-2007, 03:53 PM

10 inches of ice as reported by an ice fisherman. It was a beautiful day yesterday. Here's a few pics.

Which kind of ruler did they use. Hopefully not the one they use to measure the fish:laugh:

JTA

01-30-2007, 04:08 PM

It's great to have Snake Eyes back!!

Island Girl

01-30-2007, 04:39 PM

I see some people are nuttier than others!!! lol ;)

CanisLupusArctos

01-30-2007, 04:54 PM

Last night's low of +2 and today's high of 16 on Black Cat have undoubtedly strengthened the ice further. This afternoon I found Charlie Coffin's amazing bobhouse set up on Center Harbor Bay (for more about Charlie, see http://www.thesilentforest.com/journalism/charlescoffin.html) so that's another good sign winter is definitely here.

Also seen today on Center Harbor Bay: two iceboats, gradually making their way out towards Two-Mile (see photos).

Still very little human activity to the SE of Black Cat/Three-Mile, and no bobhouses visible between here and Rattlesnake, but the ice has blown mostly clear and more cold weather is coming up. The track of Friday's snowstorm still seems like anyone's guess (see Winni Weather thread) but one thing is for sure: More arctic cold will come down behind that storm for early next week.

Gatto Nero

01-30-2007, 05:04 PM

When you walked past Black Cat's bridge, how was the ice underneath? I keep forgetting to stop on the bridge and check. If it's frozen its a *very* good sign for the rest of the ice in the area.

There was only about 3' of open ice under the bridge. I didn't get close enough to the edge to see how thick it was near the water though.

nj2nh

01-30-2007, 05:47 PM

Your website rocks! The pictures are simply beautiful. What a great job you have done with it. :)

Jersey Girl
(who is wishing she were in NH where there is snow unlike NJ):(

snowmobiler

01-30-2007, 06:28 PM

so if today high =was 16 degrees then how come the water temp page sice the temp went up from 35 degrees to 37?

Also, would most be willing to agree that it will be safe to snowmobile on most parts of the lake this weekend? More snow for tonight and even more for friday in addition to the cold temperatures

Island Girl

01-30-2007, 08:43 PM

I think we can declare Ice-in... I am sure there are still many unsafe places on the lake... please use care out there and take all the recommended precautions.

Have fun... and see you out there.

Think snow!!

RI Swamp Yankee

01-31-2007, 02:46 PM

... Check out Snake Eyes which is back in operation!!!!
IG

:banana: :banana: :banana:

JTA

01-31-2007, 03:12 PM

This has been one of the best threads ever IMHO. Especially the pictures seconded only by the adventures of FLL. I'm down in Connecticut and won't be visiting the Lake this winter due to a mending knee injury (Doc thinks I'll slip and fall on the ice, silly man). It's been great to watch the progress of the ice-in and now the various adventures on the ice. Thanks all!!

BoulderBronco

01-31-2007, 03:35 PM

Yes. Definitely a good post. But I am trying to find info on Meredith bay specifically. Most of what I hear is Alton. Anyone know what the ice is like in Meredith bay? Close to the docks and farther out towards the weirs? I bought my flight and am trying to figure out if I will want to drive a truck up there and out on the ice or if I am going via snowmobile. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Pics are always good too.:D

donnamatrix

01-31-2007, 03:48 PM

Hey: I saw two trucks on CH bay around 1pm today... but still none on Meredith Bay.

I have a photo taken on Monday by Lakes Region Aerial (from CH) showing ice everywhere. How do I post it?? I'm fairly computer savvy, but brain dead this afternoon.

BoulderBronco

01-31-2007, 04:05 PM

thanks for the update. If you ever hear of more info let us know. To post a picture just hit reply as normal. Then on the reply page, if you scroll down a bit, there is a box that says "manage attachments." Click that box and upload your pics from your computer. Just be sure they are small enough or they will not go through.

webmaster

01-31-2007, 04:33 PM

How do I post it?? I'm fairly computer savvy, but brain dead this afternoon.Donna, I just tried to reply to your email but it was returned as "User Unknown". It looks like BoulderBronco gave you good advice anyway.

There is more on posting and editing pictures in the Support Forum.

Kona Family

01-31-2007, 05:17 PM

Fished ESE of Black Cat Saturday and Sunday in between Blueberry Island and Kona, plenty of ice 5-6" average. Solid all the way to Black Cat. No one else out this way, I really didn't want to be the first !!

Island Girl

01-31-2007, 07:00 PM

Take a trip to Photopost and see the four aerials of the lake posted by flyguy.... If there was any doubt about the ice cover this removes it. Thanks flyguy!!!!

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/photopost/data/510/thumbs/Ice_9728AsW.jpg (http://www.winnipesaukee.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=10725&limit=recent)
Blue Bobhouse

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/photopost/data/510/thumbs/IIce_9719BsW.jpg (http://www.winnipesaukee.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=10724&limit=recent)
Natures Trails

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/photopost/data/510/thumbs/Ice_9712AsW.jpg (http://www.winnipesaukee.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=10723&limit=recent)

Winter in Center Harbor
http://www.winnipesaukee.com/photopost/data/510/thumbs/Ice_9707AsW.jpg (http://www.winnipesaukee.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=10722&limit=recent)
Almost time...