Annual April Ice Out Tour - part 2

[Island Girl]

Island Girl's April Ice Out Tour 2005 - Part 2, page 1

Another early morning start on Friday, April 15, 2005, I went a different route than last week. The first stop was Mosquito Bridge over Lake Winnisquam where there were large sections of open water and large sections of ice.

A quick stop at the Glendale Yacht Club in Gilford ... all open water and empty docks.

Just down the street to the Gilford Town Docks at Glendale. This is the site of my very first Ice-out pictures a few years ago. The Marine Patrol boats were in the water, but iced in their slips.

The ice was broken up the day before, but iced together overnight. This is the shot I take each year.

A closer look reveals some open water and the ice beyond in Saunders Bay.

Facing the other direction showed thin ice, but vast... very little open areas on this chilly morning.

Traveling down Rt. 11, a quick shot of Mt. Shaw. That is Welch Island to the left. Again gray ice as far as the eye can see.

A wider shot reveals more of the lake and more of the ice.

Ames Farm had some open water near the shore but mostly ice. This is facing north, with Diamond Island in view.

The cottages along the shore of Ames Farms. The water is crystal clear this time of the year.

The cottages on the other side, facing SW.

The sun is high, the ice shimmering in the distance facing Rattlesnake Island, from Ames Farm's dock. Time to move down the road. I don't want to miss my ride to the island.

.... continued....

[Island Girl]

Island Girl's April Ice Out Tour 2005 - Part 2,page 2

Back on the road, down Rt. 11 in Gilford, a quick stop to get a picture of the ice. I did not stay long here at the side of the road with cars zooming by.

The same story at Rattlesnake Landing, lots of ice, with a little melting at the shore... Remember this is only five days before ice out!

This small marina is clear of ice at the slips but locked in at the entrance.

Finally on the airboat, we begin the ride out to our island. This boat went out the day before and we can see the tracks it left. This is Cub Island in the front, then Sleepers, and Rattlesnake further away and to the right. A gorgeous morning for a boat ride.

Coming around Sleeper's Island there is more open water than last week. That is ice in the distance.

Diamond Island is straight ahead..... the same view as last week's picture.. much thinner ice this time. What looks like open water in the forefront is glazed over ice. It was probably open water the day before.

A view down the lake, more ice.. "Will it ever melt", I wondered. Although thinner than a few days ago, it looks like the ice will be with us another week. (Little did I know what would happen)

Once on the island, a little walk to the NW tip reveals more ice. It is quite thick and snowy at this end of the island.

Off to the north a view of the broads reveals more of the same.. ice... too much ice!

Looking to the west.. ice piled up on the shore and the remains of the last snow. That is Diamond Island in the distance.

Down by the shore, the water is clear and cold. Here thicker ice can be seen. That is about 8". In some places it was 12" on the ride out. The far shore is Tuftonboro Neck and Cow Island.

This was the first boat in the lake this season, contrary to someone else's announcement. It has been in the water since January. My host is off to do some chores. It is quiet and peaceful on the island just before ice out. No boats, no snowmobiles, just us and the wildlife.

.... continued....

[Island Girl]

Island Girl's April Ice Out Tour 2005 - Part 2,page 3

Just before dinner on Friday, April 15 we heard a loud cracking sound. It was like fireworks. We knew what was happening. An after dinner walk revealed a neighbors dock lifted up and the posts torn apart by the ice.

About the same time the dock was breaking up a channel opened up and got wider and wider right before our eyes. These and other ice floes moved rapidly along. We were awed by the sight.

There were many ice floes drifting by... and at a rapid rate.

We stayed in this spot for a while to watch he first island sunset of the season. The ice is going out now! What will tomorrow's warm temperatures bring?

.... Remember this picture, for tomorrow's shot in the same place tells a different story

continued....

[Island Girl]

Island Girl's April Ice Out Tour 2005 - Part 2, page 4

The overnight temperature fell to 28 degrees from the high 60's. The open water glazed over and there was no open water to be found. Today I am off to open my camp. I hitch a ride down the island. This is Saturday, April 16, 2005.

That blue strip that was open water last evening, solidified, but was very, very thin, about 1/3 of an inch. Another beautiful day in the quest for ice-out.

Heading out we can see the variations in the ice.. blue thin ice; thicker, but very porous grey ice and the thick white ice.

Camps along the shore, awaiting their owners; awaiting opening for the season. We glide over the thin ice, opening it along the way with the weight of the boat.

The blue ice becomes liquid again as the warm sun rises, and the temperature increases. I took at least 20 photos of this view during the day to see the changes in the ice.

Same view later

....and then later

During my day at my camp a channel opened up going across the lake and across the Wolfeboro Neck shore toward the Winter Harbor opening. All day long it got a little wider with each hour.

continued....

[Island Girl]

Island Girl's April Ice Out Tour 2005 - Part 2, page 5

Early evening came, April 16, 2005, and once again the lake was on the move. The wide channel that had opened the night before, became almost as wide as the lake.

Ice movement was very rapid as the lake opened up. We were so excited... watching the ice go out... just amazing, just awesome, just wonderful to be a witness to the power of nature.

Same time, a little further north. The gray way out in the broads is a large piece of ice. We were concerned that it was moving so fast that it would pile up on the docks of Welch Island. Using powerful binoculars we could see the ice pile up on a breakwater on Tuftonboro Neck.

As the sun set, the view as far as we could see was open water. Compare this picture with last nights picture. The difference is as amazing as this was to watch.

Sunday, April 17, 2005, with overnight temperatures below freezing, brought a skim coated lake. This ice was only about 3/8 inch thick and the sun melted it quickly.

More of the skim coat and some large floes near the shore, delay ice out a little longer. This was taken around 10:45 AM, April 17, 2005.

Closer in, the snow still clings to the breakwaters facing north.

A walk back to the NW tip of Rattlesnake Island reveals a very different story from two days ago..

... another view.... see two days ago

So clear, so calm, so beautiful is our lake. Beyond Diamond Island there is ice, very thin ice. Though not visible in this picture, there were a couple of fishing boats way out there.

continued....

[Island Girl]

Island Girl's April Ice Out Tour 2005 - Part 2, page 6

Sunday afternoon and time to leave our wonderful island. Watching the ice go out has been an incredible experience, and we were most happy at being there to witness the power and beauty of Lake Winnipesaukee. This was taken about 4:15 PM on Sunday April 17, 2005. This is all open water out there. Any ice floes are dark gray in color.

It is hard to believe that this was frozen so few hours ago. Click for two days ago.

As we journeyed back to the mainland, I took a last look at what nature did this weekend out in the broads. We headed down island and there was open water all the way. We hit a large patch of ice off the south of Treasure Island to the mouth of Minge Cove.

From the W. Alton Shore, the wind had been blowing the remaining ice, east into the coves. It makes a tinkling noise as the pieces bump into each other and break up. See the next page for detailed views of the ice.

One last look before heading home......

next, an ice out lesson ....

[Island Girl]

Island Girl's April Ice Out Tour 2005 - Part 2, page 7

The Ice

Sunday afternoon, the wind blowing, and this ice moving rapidly. Notice the larger gray patches and the masses of little pieces.

Here are the very porous gray patches, cracking and surrounded by broken up pieces. This ice is so fragile it breaks easily as the wind moves it around.

.

The small pieces are actually tubes of ice. This is a closer up look of what looked like masses of little pieces in the first picture. When the hit each other they make the most interesting sound. Some describe it as tinkling, others as a crystal chandelier in the breeze.

These tubes of ice actually form the underneath of the gray sections of ice. They look like shards of glass under the water, and float to the top when they break apart from the gray ice. Click to see the tubes

A final bit of amusement. One of our snowmobile tracks in the remaining ice in W. Alton.

Thank you for taking my 2005 ice out tour. This was a most exciting two weekends at the lake. I thank my wonderful friends for the opportunity to be on the island and to share this great experience.

......... Island Girl

[DRH]

Thanks for those great photos, IG. As Mr. Spock used to say, "Fascinating!"

[Just Sold]

Island Girl, What can I say but Bravo! Thank you for a wonderful tour of the Ice Out Experience.We were out on your side of the island today and it was great to be out on the lake for our first cruise of the season. Nice open water and we saw no debris out there. In other places I saw debris close to shore but not out on the Broads side of Rattlesnake.

[spotsink]

IG: Thanks for taking the time to do your photo tour, it is amazing to see how quickly things change! I'm sure there are a lot of us that wish we could have been there to see it also and so your efforts are greatly appriciated.

[Grant]

Wow -- What a tour. Fascinating stuff, and great photos. Many thanks!

g

[Pepper]

IG, this is truly captivating! I was so amazed to see the difference - sometimes in just a few hours - or even over a one day period! This kind of detail is truly a first, and I'm so glad you shared it with all of us!

I was particularly amazed at the little "tubes" of ice! Who'd have guessed? Isn't nature wonderful?

And aren't you wonderful for taking so much time to put together this amazing thread with so much narration and detail. Thanks for taking us along for the ride!

[rrr]

You're my hero! Thank you so much for all you share with us

[mcdude]

IG: What an awesome post! You really captured the essential moments of ice-out. I especially appreciate this because I understand how much time & effort goes into putting something like this together; Planning and organizing, photographing, sorting and selecting, uploading/posting just the right photos & then putting it all together and launching the thread.

I was privileged to be up at the lake for ice-out this year and it was fascinating to observe. I took over 100 photos but culled them down to just a few I would like to share if I may. I arrived at my little lake on Saturday 4-16 & we declared ice-out at 6:45 on Sunday 4-17 with a toast...
Ice Shadows


This was official ice-out....when you can get the canoe or kayak off the dock and into the lake - 6:45 4-17-05
Ice Crystals klinking...
thanks again, IG! Wicked Awesome job,

[Smith Cove 1]

Standing ovation to you!!!!
Nice job

[Rinkerfam]

What an amazing post. Ice-Out has always been one of those wondered about but never seen "mysteries" for me. Living in the southern part of the state I don't have the priviledge of observing ice-out first hand. I have only imagined what it would look like. Thank you for giving me images that will always be with me, even if I don't follow future ice-outs on line.

[obie]

Thank you "Island Girl" for some great shots! We're getting anxious to head north.

[Gilly 20]

Island Girl-- you are wonderful- to put such time and effort in to those quality photos!!!- Thanks- and God Bless

[SIKSUKR]

That was nothing short of awe inspiring IG.Wow!Wow! Wow!You have a great gift to bring us such magnificent photos.I am truely honered to have veiwed this spectacle through your eyes.I believe Island Guy must have been helping with that iceout from above.Thanks so much! SS

[Mee-n-Mac]

As the others have said outstanding ! Let me comment on 3 shots that I find particularly eye catching. Of course the sunset shot with the channel that leads your eye up past the rock and buoy to get a reward of a sunset at the end of the open water. Did you work to frame it so perfectly or did it just somehow look right to you ? Same thing for the shot off the Ames Farm dock. The 2 empty chairs are just screaming "C'mon ice, Melt !". Lastly the shot of the ice tubes underwater has an almost surreal quality to it, it's a great abstract photo. I mention these because I'm curious about whether you see the "photographic potential" and then work to make them come out so well or just have a natural talent that allows you to use your camera to capture what your brain sees ? Once in a great while I get a good "keeper" but more often than I care to count somehow the camera just doesn't record the scene the way I had pictured it. Must be time for a new camera ... yah that's the ticket ... it's the camera holding me back ... hoo boy, somebody please refill my scotch glass

[KBoater]

IG,
You have done another outstanding thing. I’m sure you not only saw same amazing sights but also heard an amazing symphony of ice booms, tinkles, slides, wind, etc. Next year maybe we can get a recording. I always enjoyed the noises of ice out.

[Island Girl]

Originally Posted by Mee-n-Mac

I'm curious about whether you see the "photographic potential" and then work to make them come out so well or just have a natural talent that allows you to use your camera to capture what your brain sees ?

I think it is a combination of things. I take pictures to record an event and for the art. I do try to frame the picture to get the most artistic view, but that is not always possible. The real key is to take a lot of pictures. I took 1100 pictures in April from which I choose the 60 or so for the ice out tours. I have a very good camera with a fast shutter and very good lens. I also use Photoshop to straighten a crooked picture (my pet peeve) and to crop out unnecessary information or to get in closer to the subject. Every once in a while a picture comes out of my camera that astounds me. That sunset was one of those rare ones. It came out of the camera that way, only needed a little straightening.

Thanks for the kind words. I had a lot of fun doing the tour.

[Just Sold]

IG, I am impressed with your photoposts like many others here are. I would like to know the make and model of camera that you are using. I am thinking of getting a new camera and I immediately thought of you because of the quality of your photo's.

Thanks in advance.

[Island Girl]

Thank you, Just Sold, for your kind words. My current camera is a Sony F717, which is no longer manufactured. I purchased this on ebay this year to replace my Sony F707 on which the flash stopped working.

I like it for the quality of the lens. The new DSLR cameras have drawbacks that prevent me from buying one. First, I would have to carry and change lenses to fit the situation. Second on a DSLR you have to use the viewfinder not the LCD to take pictures. I take most of mine with the LCD viewer on the Sony. My camera acts as a point and shoot, but has very high quality pictures and many non-automatic features as well. I tend to use a lot of the auto features.

When my F707 broke I was in a quandry since there is no other camera like it and its F717 cousin. The Sony F828 which came out 18 months ago suffers from purple fringing and ISO issues. Users have to "learn" to take good pictures with it as one does with a DSLR.

I do like the quality I see from some Canon digicams and would consider one of them. I keep hoping Sony will step up to the plate and produce a viable upgrade to the F717.

The other secret is to take a lot of pictures. Digital film is cheap!

Perhaps others could tell about their cameras and we can all get an education.

IG

[lakegirl]

Hey IG... what a great post. I am hoping to get around to doing a full tour of the lake with my camera. You gave great advice to just sold about purchasing a camera. I might add that you should try to do lots of research on the perfect camera for you and your needs. I just bought my last camera about two weeks ago (the lcd monitor on my previous camera broke after only 8 months ) Doing the research was tedious....but it was worth it in the end.