As of 6:15 this morning your docks were all clear with ice about 25 yards off their ends. On the north end of the bay I watched the ice drift in today so you should be even better than this morning.
This will be an interesting next few days with the drifting ice.

I declare "ice out" on the broads side of Big Barndoor Island...

Ice as of 4/17/14
 

Attached are a few photos from today 4/17/14 (views from Lock's Hill and my first trip out to Rattlesnake)... Still lots of ice on the lake but the Broads are mostly open and Rattlesnake Island is substanially accessible (note, you may need to push through some ice). Minge Cove is open. I suspect West Alton is good too. Watch out for huge-moving ice-flows which could lock you in if you are not paying attention.

Another photo from Rattlesnake...
 

Actually this is my neighbor's dock... as my dock was locked in with ice...

Reflections
 

Good to see reflections on the water..won't be long now.

dock damage
 

Im at 301 weirs blvd we have 14 docks half of them got wiped out this week it happens here every few years and we wait in line to have them repaired due to the lack of dock repair companys on the lake
my dock is the most south dock and is still their today

if possible if paugusbayfirefighter can declaire ice out in the bay when it happens
that will ease some worring

Thanks

The View This Morning
 

From Dockham Shore Road. The southern tip of Governor's Island is to the left

[ATTACH]Attachment 9246[/ATTACH]

Looks like things refroze overnight.

It appears that the ice flow was blown back into Wentworth Cove from Saunders Bay. :(

1st trip to Welch
 

It's always nicer to be looking outward from Welch than it is to be looking at Welch from Belknap Point as we did all winter.

No floating hazards noted, we probably were just lucky. Also no ice at all between Glendale and Welch.

The is still a lot of ice to the north, however much less was visible at 3 pm then there was at 11 am.

I have been sitting at the end of my docks watching the ice drift in and out. I can see where you are if it's the area just north of the white/green boat house with stained stairs. There's a lot of ice between your docks and a strip of open water about 100 yards off your shore. The ice is climbing the rocks in some spots but nothing in others. Not too much wind now. I hope this ice disappears as fast as Lilly Pond did. That was a crazy 48 hour transformation.
Paugus has many open areas of water now so the masses of ice are just going where the wind takes them.
If there's anything I can do let me know..

Lucky dog!
 

Way to go Slickcraft! Must be nice. I'm jealous. Thanks for posting the pic. Looks like you've got plenty of stuff on the other side of your breakwater to put into a celebratory beverage.

Happy Spring
 

Please wear your life vest if your going to be going out on the water :)

Weirs Beach
 

Looking From Weirs Beach towards Spindle Point today.

I sure hope whoever is in that kayak is wearing a dry suit! That's pretty close to some dangerously cold water. :eek:

Visitors
 

I guess the season has officially started, our first visitors have shown up.

From Lincoln Park this morning (4-19)
 

Still a bit of floating ice, taken just after sunrise.

Attachment 9255

The Ice is Going Fast!
 

These pictures were taken at 11:30 AM today.

The first picture is looking at the Northwest side of Welch Island.

The second picture with the two boats is Saunders Bay with the Gilford Town Beach in the background.

The third picture is looking from the north with Varney point on the right and Locke's Island on the left.

Gilford Island Assoc
 

I just received an email from the Gilford Island Association saying that "Ice Out was declared April 17". I'm looking at TiltonBB's pictures taken today and reading other posts, and it sounds like Alan Emerson hasn't made any official call. Anybody know what GIA is using as the authority to declare ice out, or did I miss a post or two??

I also got the note, April 17th was last year's date. I just sent them a reply and suggested that they check this thread to get this year's news when it happens. I was on the lake yesterday the 18th and there was still much ice to the north.

got the GIA email too. guess they were just testing the ice out broadcast system :confused:
just checked varney point and still iced in there
but it won't be long:)

it appears that Meredith Bay is clear. Over the last couple of hours, the bay has opened up and only a small amount of slush ice remains on the wagon wheel side of the bay. :)

Paugus Bay is clear except for the drifting floes hitting and destroying most of the docks facing west. The south west end (Margate) is also in trouble with lots of ice piling up on the shores. I feel awful as I saw a few people on their shore lines watching unable to do anything. I'd say Paugus Bay will be ice free by tomorrow, Monday the very latest.

Merrymeeting has ice-out as of mid-afternoon today. The last large ice floe was moved around by the wind quite a bit during the past 24 hours. It started breaking up around noon and the lake is mostly ice free other than some slush in remote coves.

Unfortunately, all the movement and bashing did do a number on several of the north and east facing shorelines/docks.

Big Difference in 6 Hours!
 

The same pictures 6 hours later:

The first picture is Varney Point on the right and Locke's Island on the left.

The second picture has the southern tip of Governor's Island on the left.

Mouth of Alton Bay towards Wolfeboro
 

This was taken from the Scenic Outlook on RT 11 in Alton Bay. You can see the ice in Wolfeboro Bay. Most of that is gone now from the images on the Wolfeboro Web Cams... just a little left.

Rattlesnake Island
 

Pictures from a visit to the south side of Rattlesnake today. Water is very high! Some ice floating around

To the north up thru Tuftonboro and moultonboro there is a lot of ice and it is fairly thick. It's going to take a few days before it melts but by next weekend I bet it is gone. Winter harbor had a lot of ice as well today but it has gotten much darker. Mirror lake was almost gone at 4 pm

Better up dates here than the 5 o'clock news with a breaking story.:)
The humor with those anticipating the open water has been great. Now the boaters getting their quick fix is hilarious, doing what they have to, in order to float around on the lake where ever they can.:):)

dock is gone
 

Well the winds took out my dock today and many more along weirs blvd looking for a dock to rent docks will be repaired months from now if that. Thanks pbff For you offer to help. Most likely rent a dock for now I was watching the ice today wow it does some serious damage

Moultonborough Bay
 

Ice is receding from the shoreline and two (very large) loons appeared today,
swimming and diving. I hope they found some fat fish.

Winnisquam
 

From the road Winnisquam looked ice free from the bridge south ( saw several boats) Got to the cabin about 8:30 AM yesterday; no ice up against the west shore. Looked like one large sheet of ice from Laconia north past Pot IS.

Once the wind picked up it really started moving south and melting. By 1 pm lots of open water south of Pot island in the wide section of the lake. It's really impressive watching these large sheets of ice move past each other .

We saw a loon, a woodduck pair and some merganzers yesterday in the open water. It is coming!! I feel so sorry for those who are losing their docks. The heavy ice blowing around is going to make it hard on the docks this year I am afraid. Funny as we long timers said before, how mother nature makes up for things-suddenly warmer so we are not that far off from a normal ice out. It is so amazing. I just love watching the ice go out!!!
Oh, and we also saw the eagle.

Sorry to hear you confirm what I thought I saw yesterday.
Not sure about this season but last year they were renting out seasonal slips at Christmas Island Motel. I could try and find out some details if you want.

From the north end of Paugus it looks clear but that's not really the case. These pictures are from the Margate property and you can see lots of ice creeping on shore. Looks like the same places hurt last year are getting it again. Hopefully there's no wind in that cove today.
AC2717...so far you guys are fine, but you're living on the edge.

First 2 pictures are looking just to the east of the Margate going up Weirs Blvd. The third is The Margate docks. They already have damage and are in serious danger since the ice snapped a prop on one of the aerators overnight.
The last picture is looking south at the ice area. Yes, that beautiful dark spot is the returning loon. One end is heaven, the other not so nice.

SAB1 or anyone else, any updates or pictures of 19 Mile Bay would be very appreciated! Thanks

19 mi bay a few days ago..

dock damage
 

PBFF yes if they are renting a phone number would be great
also my boat lift hydraulic lines got pipped out need to pull out lift
thats going to be a pain owell all in the love of boating

Happy Easter to all! :D

As far as I can tell from my Skype cam, Wentworth cove is ice free this morning.:)

Large wood pieces floating in Paugus Bay
 

We stopped to check on our landing at the water this afternoon and saw some very large pieces of wood floating out in Paugus. One looked like a big piling with lots of other large debris. Be careful. We are about 7/10 of a mile up from the Margate.

Our poles on the landing took a direct hit. More repair again this year. The ice tore one pole right off and it's laying in the water. We had lifted these OUT of the water, pretty high up, so I can't imagine how much ice piled up against us and the shear power of it.

Bill and Sue

http://i44.tinypic.com/1499wms.gif sbtgregg, I just noticed that you are fairly new to posting on the forum and glad you have joined us. Have fun and enjoy the Winni Forum while making many new friends.

Great to see you joining in with the members, please come more often.:)
Happy Easter

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