This just in from Rick Bishop. Mashpee-Wakeby Pond in Sandwich MA has consistent 3"-4" of black/grey ice with no snow on top. T
Rick plans to set up his DN early tomorrow (Sunday) and sail. Wind prediction is a bit light. Slight chance of scattered showers.
General Information: Mashpee-Wakeby Ponds are two connected Great Ponds generally considered to be one large body of water covering 737 acres. Wakeby Pond is the northern basin and Mashpee Pond is the southern basin. Average depth is 30 feet and maximum depth is 95 feet.
Launch Area: A large paved boat ramp with a 30-vehicle parking lot is managed by the town of Mashpee. It is located on Fisherman’s Landing Road, to the north of Route 130, just after its intersection with Great Neck Road (70°28’53.07"W 41°39’7.24"N).
COVID GUIDELINES:
Be aware of and adhere to all local, state, or federal regulations.
If you have any symptoms get tested and be negative before you go. If in doubt, stay at home!.
Practice Social Distancing – Easy gauge, the length of a DN plank is eight(8) feet.
Keep congregating and socializing in the pits and parking areas to a minimum.
Wear your mask or face covering while setting up, transporting gear to and from your car or trailer, and while setting up.
The NEIYA will NOT be holding any official after ice activities so plan accordingly.
Let’s all be safe and keep the safety of others in mind in everything we do.
Posted by Secretary Karen Binder |
02/13/2021 | Categories: 2021 Season | Comments Off on Ice FOUND! – Mashpee-Wakeby Pond, Sandwich Ma
Our team of ice scouts were out the last few days searching for ice. Unfortunately, there is a lot of great thick ice covered with varying depths of snow.
Worden Pond in Wakefield, RI has about 6″ of ice consistently covered with 4″ of crusty snow.
Ninnigret in Charlestown, RI is a brackish body of water with an outlet to the Atlantic. It has 3-4″ of grey ice and is not currently covered in snow, but the top layer was slushy after a full day of sun which is not great. I will try to check this ice tomorrow.
Pocopoaug Lake in East Hampton, CT has about 6-7″ of ice, but snow depth is about 5″.
Seymour and Long Pond in Harwich were checked yesterday by Rick Bishop and they opened up sometime on Wednesday.
Bob S and his wife, Val, have been cross country skiing across many lakes this week and nothing found so far.
Jay says NH is fully snowed out. Bill reports the same in Maine.
If any things wets out for Monday, we will post ASAP.
Heading back to RI tomorrow after a little more than two weeks in Michigan sailing a total of nine days on Black Lake, Lake Charlevoix, and Elk Lake. In addition to great sailing, elements of the natural world also came into focus for us to enjoy and experience.
Elk Lake was the clearest ice I had ever sailed on.. The ice measured 3.5 to 4.0 inches thick. The water depth here is about 10 feet, but even at 30′ you could see the bottom. We also saw lots of crayfish and Bob Gray saw a 20" lake pike.
outlook dthspnlp
outlook hi0wakds
With so little resistance, we were able to sail all day in just 5mph of wind.
Elk Lake is now covered in about 6" of snow as is Black Lake where the DN Nationals took place, but the snow didn’t stop the annual Black Lake Sturgeon fishing tournament from taking place. It’s the only sturgeon tournament in the state and each year between 500 and 600 fishermen register for the opportunity to catch a sturgeon. Sturgeon have been referred to as living fossils. The species dates back to 136 million years. Lake sturgeon can reach 7′ long 250lbs and live up to 150 years and they are classified as a threatened species in Michigan. The population is slowly on the rise due to careful management of the population.
This year a maximum of six sturgeon could be speared. Then the season/tournament officially ends. Last year the tournament took 20 minutes. When we heard that and that spears were used, we wanted to learn more about it. On Saturday morning we walked out onto Black Lake and talked to a few fisherman. A group of six friends drove five hours to saw a hole in the ice and stand in a fish tent/hut just for the chance to spear a sturgeon. This was their third year doing it and this year they’d brought a special decoy to try and lure one close. We also talked to a young teenager whose grandfather has done the tournament for 40 years and has yet to catch a sturgeon. The bell rung at 8:00 AM and all fisherman were notified of any catches via text messaging. By 8:45 AM three sturgeon were caught. We really wanted to see a sturgeon up close and because any caught sturgeon had to be brought to the DNR office for measurement, we headed to the office.
The spear or trident pictured below. If a sturgeon is seen, the fisherman aims and throws it into the hole using the rope to retrieve it and, hopefully, a sturgeon.
Due to COVID, the DNR office was not letting anyone into the gated parking lot other than those six that caught a sturgeon. We waited for a bit and soon a truck pulled in. I said, "Hi, do you have a sturgeon?" The driver said, "Yeah, we got one!" I said, "We are from Rhode Island, can we look?" Brian had not done the tournament in about ten years, but decided at the last minute to participate. He caught the 6th and last fish of the 2021 season.
We leave Onaway, MI and Black Lake tomorrow morning to return to Rhode Island. Given the uniqueness and importance of lake sturgeon, it’s clear why this sculpture welcomes all visitors to the area.
Lesson learned…ice boating and the traveling involved is also a great way to enjoy the natural world.
In case you don’t already know we are out of business for a little while. A little patience and we should find something. I know some people are hoping there is a miracle body of water that repels but sorry to say, no.
Best grab some skis or snow shoes and head out and enjoy the outdoors some other way.
Next update mid week next week or sooner if something materializes.
It is with a heavy heart that I must let everyone know that Leo A. Healy one of our founding members passed away last week. Leo led a rich and full 98 years on and off the ice. Here is a link to his obituary https://dockrayandthomasfuneralhome.com/Obituaries.html
He was one of the founding members of the New England Ice Yacht Association and had remained active to the end. He was a driving force behind racing for many years and a regular participant both in New England and where ever the ice took him. A brief club history by Bob Kilpatrick https://theneiya.org/neiya-a-brief-history/
This may be Leo’s Last New Englands need to dive into the archives again. Any comments from those that were there?
One of the lasting memories for many of us was his voice on the ice hotline announcing the weekend’s activities. Way back when all we had was the phone to keep us in touch and Leo did it well. His signature sign offline and one that is continuously used to this day. “Remember, there is thin ice someplace”. We all know how true this can be!
On a personal note, Leo and I would spoke regularly both leading up to and during the season over the past number of years. He would preach about unity within the NEIYA and the need to be inclusive regarding new sailors and those wanting to enjoy iceboating away from the start finish line. The last time I talked to Leo was prior to our annual meeting last fall. I knew he would not be able to make it so gave him a call to let him know of our plans. I could clearly hear that he was thrilled that I called and told me that he was wearing a regatta coat that day. He was happy to here that we were continuing under difficult circumstances and told me “John, you seem to have everything under control” Of course, I did not know this would be the last time we would speak but looking back I think he believed that the organization on a good path. The NEIYA was his baby and he cared deeply about it currently and into the future.
At the 2017 NEIYA annual meeting Leo was honored for his years of service and awarded a perpetual membership in the club. That membership is still current and will renew everytime we think about him and especially when we next do the “Hard Way”.
A proposal will be put forward to rename the “Hard Way” in honor of Leo. “Leo’s Hard Way” etc. Submit your ideas.
I have talked and communicated with many of you and need your help in putting together a proper memorial/tribute page for Leo. Need pictures, stories, and thoughts. Please help us preserve memories.
Leo sail fast on boundless ice,
John Stanton DN5023 Commodore, NEIYA john@neiya.org
When I learned to ride a horse as a boy I was told, “There are two kinds of horsemen, those who have fallen and those who are going to fall.”
I suppose one might say the same of ice boaters.
When I started ice boating 40 years ago on a “cheap skate”, I used to carry two Phillips screwdrivers attached by a thin line run thru the sleeves of my parka. I never had occasion to use them, but they were there.
More recently when I started Nordic skating and purchased a DN, I bought a pair of more upscale “ice-claws” that hang around my neck on a plastic holder. Last season after a “wake- up call” on Newfound Lake (sailing towards open water at 30 knots) I bought a dry suit and started wearing it out on the ice.
I am comfortable in the water, a strong swimmer and confident sailor, but having jumped into 34-degree water once (intentionally) I recognized the danger.
Today on Lake Winnipesaukee I went through the ice not once, but twice. The first time was in a trench where one ice plate was subducting beneath another and the surface looked sound, but the boat broke through. Thanks to the drysuit there was no submersion shock of hitting the freezing water.
To my pleasant surprise, my DN floats, though I know most DNs do not. I crawled /swam over the top of the floating hull to the edge of the ice. I was actually quite buoyant in the drysuit. Once there I was confronted by a 45degree angled sheet of slippery wet ice that I could not surmount. Out came the ice picks and I clawed my way up the slippery slope, pulling a line that was attached to the mast (in anticipation of just such an incident).
Once up on the ice I was able to flag down a fellow ice-boater (Randy Rice) who helped me rescue the boat from the “drink”. Thanks to him and my attached line.
Eager to get back to the car, but feeling warm enough and not wet through (due to the dry suit), I headed back to the beach, but wandered off course and found another gap between two plates. Again the boat floated and I was able to get back up on the ice. As I tried to rescue the boat a second time I heard a high pitched cracking and realized the ice I was standing on was less than an inch. At that point, 200yds from shore and with no help in sight I abandoned the boat and walked ashore.
A homeowner was kind enough to drive me back to the launch point and my car.
“After action report”
The point of the story is not to embarrass myself, but to present a cautionary tale and encourage all my fellow ice enthusiasts to consider the merits of dry suit technology, and by all means, keep those ice picks handy.
I was moving slowly, scouting what I recognized as a sketchy situation, so there was no high-speed trauma. I climbed out of the water twice, was not cold, did not end up in the ER with hypothermia, was able to get back in my car and drive myself home.
I notified the people who were out on the ice and knew I had gone in before I went home, so that they would not undertake a search and rescue operation (they had already started looking for me). Luckily my phone was still working. I also notified the local police so that if the boat was discovered by anyone else they would not undertake a search and rescue mission.
All but the very youngest of us (Milo) had blackboards in school. Some of those boards were green. Randy Rice found a beautiful stretch of perfect mirror-smooth Green Ice. Take a look as it will be under a white blanket of grr show soon. We look forward to hearing from Randy when Winni and the surrounding lakes come back into play.
When sailing is not an option, most of us can’t help but skate, walk, or ski on or around our favorite local bodies of water. The Covid grip has pushed us to explore smaller venues closer to home. Even if not sailing, I have not been disappointed in the wonderful winter scenes.
Croton reservoir, NY 1/31/21
Croton reservoir, NY 1/31/21
As veteran DNers and former NEIYA commodore, Eben Whitcomb said to me after returning from a skate recently, “it’s nicer outdoors”. Till our ice returns get out there and enjoy what the cold has to offer us all.
Frosty, Karen, T, Ron, Rhea – Great day of practice!
Hello,
After six straight days of sailing, I woke up this morning with my brain was saying…"I am Living the Dream." My joints were saying, "Stop! Please!"
Yesterday, David Frost, Rhea Nicholas, and I had the incredibly benefit of an on the ice private coaching day with James "T" Thieler and Ron Sherry. Two of the very best….
We set up marks, the breeze filled to 10-12mph, and the drifts seemed a bit smaller. Scratch racing, switching boats, and mark rounding practice all afternoon. During Nationals my mast inverted several times during tacks. That is not fast because you have to bear off a ton and let out a lot of sheet to get it to pop over. I am sure that allowed for boats to zoom by me a few times. So, I asked Ron for tacking advice.
He broke down how he tacks and said I was probably tacking too fast. Ron heads up very gently/slowly. Then scoots forward, bends his knees, eases his body and his head under to slide under the boom, uses his knee to push the boom over to help the mast to rotate, then let’s out a TINY bit of sheet. As soon as the sail fills he straightens his legs by pushing hard on his steps and pulls the sheet hard back in. It worked. I was easing way too much sheet and going into the tacks way too fast. My tacks improved dramatically and no more mast inverting.
So, then I asked him about gybes. At the speeds we were going during Nationals, I felt my boat was floating a bit during gybes so I avoided doing too many gybes. That also probably cost me a few boats in various races. Ron said he does not let out any sheet when he gybes. He scoots forward, gets under the boom, and gybes. Boom. It worked. I felt my boat was staying down on the ice and I felt much safer.
The highlight of yesterday was beating Ron and T in a two-lap race. Maybe they started late. Maybe they were taking it easy. I don’t know. I raced really well and Ron’s tips were extremely helpful. I hope they will be to you, too.
Fun day as the picture shows. Today was a no wind day so no sailing. Joints are happy. We are here in northern Michigan for a few more days. With snow predicted everywhere else in the next few days maybe we are in the perfect spot to sail more.
Sorry for the late post but was waiting for some additional intel. The late returns did not pan out but I was ever hopeful. Hopeful that there would be some choices in other states but New Hampshire. We are out everywhere but NH. There was scouting on Winni but the results were not great and or require further scouting.
Wentworth is back in a limited way but it has been sailed over the past couple days. And what appears to be the best game in town. There are frozen drifts ranging from 1/2 to 3 inches in depth and firmly anchored to the surface ice.
Think Ice and be safe,
John DN5023 John@neiya.org
Before you go:
Be aware of and adhere to all local, state, or federal regulations.
If you have any symptoms get tested and be negative before you go. If in doubt, stay at home!.
Practice Social Distancing – Easy gauge, the length of a DN plank is eight(8) feet.
Keep congregating and socializing in the pits and parking areas to a minimum.
Wear your mask or face covering while setting up, transporting gear to and from your car or trailer, and while setting up.
The NEIYA will NOT be holding any official after ice activities so plan accordingly.
Let’s all be safe and keep the safety of others in mind in everything we do.
16F felt so much warmer than yesterday’s 2F and despite a forecast for light wind, it piped up quickly once we walked a mile out to the plate. The race committee hoped to get in three races for the gold and silver fleet, but with changing wind direction, blowing snow, and huge puffs each fleet was only able to do one race before racing was halted for the day and the regatta called completed. When asked about the racing conditions T said "Hurtling down the downwind leg was equally exhilarating and terrifying! It’s a fine line."
Congratulations to James T. Thieler for placing 4th overall after 9 races, Ron Sherry for placing 1st, Chris Berger for placing 2nd, Eric Smith 3rd place and Steve Orlebeke for his 5th place finish. View the results http://iceresults.org/dn/2021NATIONALS.htm
Here are the conditions on the ice when racing was called due to conditions. This picture does not do it justice. YOU HAD TO BE THERE!
A huge thanks to the race committee for three days of difficult and freezing conditions!
New England Ice Yacht Association 