Increased activity on the ice...
 

We were up in the Lakes Region on Saturday the 31st looking at some land. We noticed several Bob Houses out on 19 Mile Bay and some people fishing about 50' from shore on 20 Mile Bay.

Has anyone been out toward Cow or Little Bear? What are conditions out that way? :confused: With people reporting ice as much as 6" thick already, it won't be long before winter sports are in full swing on the lake. I think now might be a good time to pass along a link I copied last year on ice strength. It should be noted that this chart is for MOVING loads and not for static loads like someone or something sitting in one place for a while. :cool:

http://www.mvp-wc.usace.army.mil/ice/ice_load.html

Someone's gotta be first!
 

Went out and ran some errands and took some pictures for Snake eyes's ice in page, and then went back down to the bay to see what was going on. This plane came in and made a "touch and go" landing, that is briefly touching down and then lifting off again. He then came back around and landed! I jumped out with my camera, and got him taxiing back in to near the band stand. Like I said, someone's gotta be first! :D

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/photopo...bay-010206.jpg

And in case we have any of our Fly-in friends checking in, here's a hazard to navigationfor you. On the WEST side of the bay at the BOAT DOCKS pretty good sized crane

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/photopo...-Abay-by-d.jpg

thanks for the update!
 

I looks like winter on the bay! I hope the crane has a beacon on top for the low flying planes.

Are they building something by the public docks or the the crane just being parked there?

Ice formed on the big lake
 

I noticed that ice formed during the course of the day today. When I got to work this morning I checked out the rattlesnake cam and it showed nothing but open water. This afternoon it was snow covered ice as far as I could see. A quick look at the other cams showed snow covered ice almost everywhere. Now, we just need it to stay cold long enough to form enough ice to withstand the thaw headed our way next week!!! Go Pats!

No, there's no light on the top of the crane.

The crane is there to remove the concrete walkway sections on the town docks, remove four finger docks that need replacing,and to install no "Trex" type docking material on the removed portions. This will make the entire dock area more like the "Shipley at the Pier" end of the dock, and hopefully make the docks actually safer to walk on. The sections being replaced had become uneven, and presented a trip & fall hazard. Can't wait til spring to see how the whole dock area looks afterwards.:look: .

It looks to me like it will be normal or a bit below normal through Thursday, which at this time of year is below freezing most of the time. Thursday and Friday should give us get two days of above normal, but the ice should be set up by then. Then it looks real cold, near zero at night for several nights.

If the wind stays down, and it looks like it will, I think the ice is here to stay.

It is almost time to start the "Ice-Out" Contest, one of the first signs of spring!:)

Ice in watch
 

I was at the Glendale Docks today and all was iced in. Some
was tooo weak to support the snow and looked a bit soggy!
However Lilly Pond had snomobile tracks last week!

Progress, progress, Progress
 

Progress is being made on this project. Here's a pic taken on 01-07-06

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/photopo...cks-010706.jpg

Finally ... the Broads is iced over
 

The Broads looks to be mostly iced over. Let's hope it does not melt as temperatures rise this week... It is time to play!!

Ice dancers, snow dancers.... double up your efforts!!

I'm dancing as fast as I can but all we're getting is fog! Should I lift my feet higher or wave my arms faster?:laugh: The Babes On Sleds are ready to roll if Mother Nature would just get her act together! Maybe we need to wiggle something to get the snow machine to work!

Hot Air
 

Maybe there is just too much hot air where you are.... :laugh: !

You talkin' about ME? :laugh:

Wiggle, wiggle more, wiggle faster
 

We need to do something otherwise we're going to have to put pontoons on the crib and get Pepper to wear a Mae West in lieu of her diaper. :laugh: Don't know what to do about us mushers though .... :eek:

Mother Nature isn't helping us much this week, either. The outside temp. rose by 10 degrees within an hour this evening, and it's now 38 degs and windy.

Funny you mention the temp increase...Wife and I left Alton going to Gilford to do some food shopping. Outside temp as we started down rte 11 by 11D closest to Alton Bay was 29. We got by William Tell restaurant, and the temp was 40! we hadn't noticed the increase. It stayed at 40 past Ames Farm, and about the time we were going past Ellacoya, the temp started to drop. Got to the lights at Patricks, temp was 32. Got to Hannafords and it was 30.

Came out and going by the entrance to the airport, temp was 29. Went by Gilford Yacht club and the temp started rising again, and was at 41 before we got to Ames Farm. It stayed there until we went by West Alton Marina's road, dropped to 40 and then 39 before the road into Minge Cove. Got to the scenic views overlooking Alton Bay, temp was 30!

The time frame was about 5:45 to 7 PM. Once home, I decided to clean the driveway off of the dusting of snow we got today, and while doing that, had a brief moment or two of warm air that felt like walking out of the cold into a nice warm house. Strange N.E. weather. (and that was with no black russians, green creme de menthe, in fact nary a stimulant...:laugh: ).

I know that recently a winter went by without the ice freezing over; could be increasingly common with global warming.

My question: does the failure of the lake to freeze cause any negative things to happen, e.g. high hatch rates for insects?

Warm weather?
 

It's been quite warm down here in North Jersey and I was wondering if it was the same up there and if it has effected the ice-in? I love seeing all those webcams. What a wonderful idea. Keeps me in touch with my favorite place on earth. I especially appreciate whoever it is who takes the still pics on Alton Bay. We could just make out our house on Echo Point in one of them.

Thanks!

Jersey Girl (missing the lake tremendously):(

How depressing...
 

I just can't look anymore... It looks like ice-out not ice-in.

Yes, the high winds of last night and the above-freezing temps. have done a job on the ice, especially in the Broads (as Snake Eyes readily shows).

We still have ice between Minge Cove and Sleepers/Cub/Treasure Islands, but it's open water again from a line between Treasure Island and Rum Point all the way over to Barndoor Island.

Fast forward to Spring?
 

Someone should save the images from "Snake Eyes" and the weather pattern too and then just replay them in the spring... :laugh: If we start in March maybe by April the ice will be out again... ;)

I do
 

I do save a picture almost every day...sometimes more. This is copywrited material, so others should not be.... I allow a little leeway if asked by someone who wants to put that together...

If I had time, I could show a year and a half of that view!!!

IG

What side of Echo Point are you on, JG? Peggy Cove Side, on on the point itself, or the "broads" side? I can try to get a better picture of the general area of your property.

I've been doing most of the "Baywatch" pictures and DRH has been doing the West Alton Pics.

Cheer up, the days are getting longer!!!!!! Take a run up over Presidents Day Weekend. Alton Bay Winter Carnival that weekend!!!!! :)

Sent in the Cold
 

I'm surprised that you are having a mini "Ice Out". I sent all my cold Florida weather north yesterday so I could do some sunbathing today.:coolsm:

Yup, we got it
 

So now we know who to "thank" ;) That's exactly what we've got, FLORIDA style "cold" weather :eek:

Should we start to worry?
 

Good evening.....

I've been following this discussion group for a while now, and watching the web cams. But not being a native, I'm curious....what do the senior members think about ice-in? Will the derby be in jeopardy, or can the lake lock-up quickly if we get the cold weather? Thanks for your thoughts......

A "southern NH flat-lander". :laugh:

Too early to know but,
 

there are a number of variables. Generally, all we really need at this point is a good weeklong coldsnap -- not in the forecast over the next 10 days unfortunately -- and avoid a deep blanket of snow that would insulate the ice and slow it down. In my experience, it's typically the third week of January before the area near my island home is safe (for me that means 7" of ice and plenty of evidence of sled activity in the area) so while we thought we'd have ice early this year with the December cold snap, we're really looking about average or a little worse right now. Got over 3 weeks til the Derby. Lots of time....

This time each year...
 

I would have to say from my experience and this would be the 20th year I've been up there for the derby, there have been numerous years in which we were concerned that the lake would not freeze up solid enough for derby weekend. However It seems to me that the average ice in must be some time in late January. And we'll still have 18" inches of ice in time for the derby (an optimistic thought I know). I only recall one derby in the last 20 years that was postponed a week. So basically, my view is: It's not time to panic... yet.

:rolleye2:

February
 

I would agree ... don't panic yet. I have a week booked for Feb 19th and I expect to be on the lake (and safe). Funny ... I thought Island Girl was playing with my mind as I was patiently watching the Snakeyes cam for ice on the Broads and then one day, there it was! The next day ... open water!

Ice Update?
 

Well here we are again, the temps are there for ice, but the wind wont let it happen. Can anyone tell me if anyone is fishing on Wolfeboro Bay yet?

Doesn't look too safe
 

here's a shot of wolfeboro of the wolfe cam on 011606 late afternoon:

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/photopo...cam-011606.jpg

Ei Yi Yi!!!
 

EI YI YI it's getting harder and harder to see any "real" ice on the lake! :eek: Between the temps, the pouring rain, and this incredible wind the situation is getting worse by the hour! :(

Those of you who've watched the winter weather for years have any prognostications on whether or not we're actually going to have a true "ice in" this year? Any comments on whether or not it will have a chance to knit properly in time for the Alton Bay Winter Festival, the Ice Fishing Derby and the Sled Dog Races? I must admit I'm getting very nervous about this ice situation.

Ice worries
 

Yes, I too am a bit concerned about ice by feb. It's not looking good right now. Long range forcast is no good either. I had planed to do some ice fishing this weekend in Wolfboro, but that doesn't look good. The only thing to keep in mind is that it only takes one dead calm and very cold night to set things up and then a few days of cold weather. If conditions were perfect the lake could theoretically lock in over the course of a couple days. But that's counting on a change in the weather trend...:confused:

Oy Vey!
 

Get those boats ready... Cruising the lake in February... what a concept!

Ugh!

Will the "Iceman" Cometh??/
 

I am also a little nervous about ice for the fishing derby and sled dog races. Have planned to bring five couples up from Connecticut for the derby weekend. We don't need to fish, but it would be fun, and would keep the ladies out of the stores. Well there's always Patricks Pub:D Hope the dogsleds have wheels. I really appreciate the updates on ice in. Down here in CT it's been very warm, windy and wet. Global warming?

It's perfectly legal to fish, rigged for smallies, all year round except for their two week spawning in June. Don't know, but it's most likely too early to put the dock-boatlift-boat back in. Could be the right time of year to try out fly fishing for smallmouth bass and other sunfish from a kayak. ...can't go skiing....and could be that battery operated tip-up jigger, www.naturevisioninc.com, will not be seeing any action any time soon.

Ice Fishing
 

Fatlazyless - Thanks for posting the link. I checked out the battery powered tip up. What will they think of next. Maybe catch some battery powered fish;)

Global Warming? Hardly...
 

All that cold air is locked up on the other side of the planet. All we need is a little and they have plenty to spare!!!! I guess it's all cyclical. We'll get ours (hopefully).

http://www.moscowtimes.ru/stories/2006/01/19/003.html

Let's Ride!
 

The lake is like glass off Rattlesnake this morning. A beautiful sight to those of us who would like to ride our Jetski. Seriously considering it for tomorrow 1/21. If the winds continue to be calm. Does anyone know of an open launch on the south side of the lake? I'm thinking Glendale as water is now open off Varney Point. Alton must be socked in.

I think that's ice you are seeing in the Snake Eyes image. The temp. dipped into the 20s last night and the wind died, resulting in a skim coat of ice. At least that's I see between Minge Cove and the southern side of Rattlesnake.

I wouldn't advise a jet ski ride, even if the thin layer of ice melts (which will probably happen as the air temp. is supposed to get near 40 today). Before the skim coat appeared overnight, there were many chunks of ice floating around the lake yesterday. We can see them frozen into the skim coat of ice this morning. Better to be safe and not venture out on a jet ski in these conditions.

Whoo hoo check out that ice!
 

Let's hope for a cold night again tonight!