The ice will be coming.
Be ready, be safe.
By BOB HARRIS
Outdoors and Free
Friday, Dec. 8, 2006
As I write this column, I can’t believe we are into the first week of December and skim-ice is barely forming on small ponds. Given the weather patterns we have experienced this year, I am wondering what kind of ice conditions will prevail this winter and when. Hopefully, when ponds and lakes begin to ice-up, the snow will stay away and allow a decent freeze-over, giving us a minimum of three to four inches of good solid ice, before the snow comes.
Ideally, a good freeze would remain for at least two weeks before any heavy snows falls upon our winter wonderland. However, when ice is formed, anglers and others need to use extreme caution before stepping out upon it. Indeed, early ice formation generally provides a great time of fast ice-fishing action. However, all too many people take solid ice for granted. In doing so, lives are lost every winter in the
Granite State. Whatever we do upon the ice requires us, as with most other pursuits, to use "good old common sense" and take safety precautions. When it comes, a snow cover can hide the actual ice conditions that lie beneath. In addition, snow acts as a natural insulation which can drastically slow down the process of the ice thickening. Unfortunately, this scenario is not only cause for alarm, but also for alertness and extreme caution on the part of those who utilize the ice.
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Ice-cold water and wind or bone-chilling air temperatures are unforgiving environmental elements to deal with. Any unsafe or irresponsible behavior can result in a very costly lesson for those who may unknowingly tread upon thin ice.
Under sub-freezing temperatures, two or three inches of ice is considered minimal for widely spaced anglers and/or skaters. Ice that is three to four inches thick is usually sufficient to support small groups of people. Prolonged periods of freezing will produce good, hard ice with sub-zero temperatures making up to an inch of ice per day. Exceptions to this would be climatic conditions and when there is snow cover.
No person should ever assume that the thickness of the ice is the same throughout a lake, pond or river. Ice freezes first along the water’s edges. Consequently, ice will be thinner as you approach the center of the body of water. River ice is weaker, in general, than lake or pond ice.
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And, warm springs and/or currents will (and often do) produce areas of thin, unsafe ice. The outside of river bends, the areas along cliffs and sunny hillsides, or the points jutting out into a river, are all potential locations for thin ice. The wise will approach these areas with extreme caution and avoid, at all costs, areas of ice that seem dark in color or that appear "crumbly" or "honeycombed".
Areas over reefs, around bridge abutments and in-between islands are also risky and should be avoided. A single, unbroken pressure crack in the ice is often described as, or considered to be probably safe to cross. But, ice-users should stay away from where other cracks meet or intersect. Ice users need to test the ice thickness often as they head out toward their destinations. Doubts regarding ice thickness can be satisfied by making test holes with either an ice-chisel, a power-auger or an axe. It is advisable to have a minimum of six to seven inches of
solid ice before even considering operating a snowmobile over the surface.
Unfortunately, there are still those people who think nothing of driving their car, truck or camper out onto the ice. In doing so, they endanger themselves, their passengers and others who are on the ice. Driving any conventional vehicle onto the ice is a foolish and very risky business, mainly because of the greater weight factors involved. Every winter, we read or hear in the news of a dozen or more vehicles going through the ice of New Hampshire lakes and ponds, some even resulting in deaths. A congregation of vehicles puts a hefty strain on even the most solid body of ice. Ask yourself this question. Is it really worth the danger of driving onto the ice when you could walk (pulling your gear on a sled or toboggan) or use some other means of transportation, such as a snowmobile or ATV, that could get you there safely?
Encountering pressure ridges also presents a very real danger, too. It is here that many breakthroughs occur. The pressure ridges form when air is trapped between layers of water and ice. As the gravitational pull of the moon changes, it causes a shift which forms the dangerous weak spots in the ice. Although pressure ridges are sometimes visible from a moving vehicle, they most often are not, especially when the surface of ice is snow-covered.
A snowmobiler has a better chance of escaping a sudden encounter with a pressure ridge than does someone who is driving a conventional vehicle or an ATV. That’s because the snowmobile is a lighter and quicker machine with much better traction, easier maneuverability and has more sensitivity. It’s smaller size also means that it is spread out over less area than a conventional four-wheeled vehicle. Risk is also lessened because the operator is more likely to feel or sense the danger and therefore more likely to move quickly to avoid a catastrophe. However, even with these advantages, an unknowing or careless snowmobiler can get into serious trouble on the ice.
Before riding onto any frozen body of water, be alert about present ice conditions. If you have been drinking, do not venture out on the ice, particularly at night. Just remember to use good common sense, to be responsible and to always practice safety on the ice and your ice experiences for the winter of 2006 and 2007 will be a wonderful one.
Bob Harris can be reached via e-mail at:
outwriter2@aol.com |
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