Ice-Out 2009
 

This is the Official Ice-Out 2009 thread. Its time to drive ourselves crazy over when the ice will be gone from our lakes.

The Ice Out Page is ready for your hourly (lol) viewing. If you have a webcam that you would like featured there just let me know in this thread or a private PM.

Please post any observations on lake conditions here so we can all get ready for the new boating season.

Enjoy!
IG

http://www.rattlesnakecam.com/iceout.htm

Thanks IG, you're the best!

BT

where can we find dates of previous years?

Ice-Out dates lists are here
 

I was wondering when this post would show. Thanks IG!!!

Doesn't Silver Sands Marina usually have a webcam? Haven't seen it yet.

Silver Sands daily pic
 

Sinler Sands usually takes a picture once a day and posts it on their site. They have a great archive of the daily pics from the last few years. It makes a neat way to compare year to year. Here is the link: http://www.nhboat.com/Nhboat/Feature...t_2008_ice.htm

IG

I was just wondering if anyone had any web cams for the Barndoor Island Area

Ice Out Page Additions
 

DRH has begun his daily picture of ice conditions from just west of Minge Cove, facing east toward Wolfeboro. You can see it here with the other webcams, www.rattlesnakecam.com/icein.htm. You can see the progression http://echoShores.com/ice-out/2009/echoshores.htm.
Also added this year is the new Overlook Cam on Paugus Bay.. also on the Rattlesnake Cam Ice-Out page. We love new webcams, keep them coming..

To Island of Barndoor... set a cam up this summer... it is fairly easy to do!!!

IG :cool:

Water temps are rising
 

The lake temp is up to 36 degrees!!!! Last year it was not 36 degrees until April 1st. The temp at ice was 40 degrees... It's coming!!

IG

Bob Houses
 

with the ice melting, I was just wondering how many of those bob houses do you think are on the bottom of the lake? How do people manage to get them off when things get slushy? I was up last week and saw a few folks taking them off the lake but it seems if people wait too much longer it could be a tough and risky task.

Judging by the way things are progressing think there is a very good chance the ice is gone 2 -3 weeks from now. That sure would be nice.

island of barndoor
 

island of barndoor: check your PM

Wow cool... I guess I'll be on the Island sooner than I thought????? :)

Silver Sands Cam
 

Does any one know when Silver Sands starts their daily pictures of Saunders Bay? The ones posted from the last couple of years are awesome.

Thanks,
The Breeze
Wave 'cuz I'll be wavin' back:)

I'll check with Chris tomorrow, I have to talk to him anyhow.

Ice-out
 

DRH
I always look forward to your pictures near Minge Cove, where I keep my boat. It finally looks like Spring is here. Thank you!

This is a riot, I just said to my wife. It's time for my yearly visit to lake.cc to see how ice out is going. I feel like I never left, same people posting the same great info, and still the best place to visit for lake info.

Thanks everyone!

I guess I'm missing something here. I believe Marcucci is refering to this site but what's "lake.cc"?

Mirror of winni.com
 

www.lake.cc is a mirror website to winni.com. I remember a message either posted on home page or sent by webmaster Don that in the event of slow performance due to high volume of users lake.cc was a good alternate path.
It seems to be live if Marcucci posted there and we see it here. Does that mean that all photos are on both sites as well?

Scroll to the bottom of the Home Page

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/

BT

There is only one site. Lake.cc points to winnipesaukee.com. This was done just for convenience since many people have trouble spelling Winnipesaukee.

Can we make it 4-5 weeks! This is my first year joining the ice out contest and I would at least like to come in fairly close! Come on April 29th!

Looks like 2 weeks
 

Judging by the water temps at the dam ( last 3 years spent 9 days at 36 degrees) we have about 11 more days till the water hits 40 degrees at the dam. Ice out occurs at 40 degrees. Forcast for next 10 days is warm. Two weeks to put away that snow machine and get the boat ready!

The three week indicator near me has begun to show, so I'm thinking my guess of the 20'th will be a few days late. Saw five snomobiles on the lake today, some of them were enjoying a skim in open water along the shoreline.

Warm Water and Strong Winds
 

Although warm water certainly is a major factor, I believe the biggest factor is strong winds to go along with the warm water. Once the small areas around the shore and around rocks starts to open, the wind is what rips the ice apart.

Early next week is looking like it will be a bit on the windy side and it looks like it will also be windy from April 6th to April 10th.

It could be an early ice out.

R2B

Those of you who guessed late April in the Ice-Out contest shouldn't give up hope. Just remember 2001. That year almost the entire lake was clear of ice by late April but a strong NW wind created a large ice mass that blocked Wolfeboro Harbor until May 2nd when the official Ice-Out was called. By that time the spring boating season was well underway but since the Mount could not reach all of its ports the official Ice-Out could not be declared.

Check our Ice-Out page for past Ice-Out dates and many webcams where you can view the progress yourself.

Right now there is still plenty of ice. Here's a picture from yesterday. That's Eagle Island in the foreground:

You're Welcome!
 

I'm planning to walk over to the upper parking lot at the marina this weekend and take a picture overlooking the slips. I'll post it here so all who have slips there can see the current ice conditions.

I saw Meredith Bay on the WMUR live cam this morning and there was an entire open strip of water. Looking promising! :)

I'd rather be wrong with my guess (Apr 20) so we can have an early ice out!!!

The extended forecast shows above freezing temperatures at night through next Tuesday. If accurate, the pace of ice melting will accelerate as we won't have the re-freeze at night and the melting will be around the clock for several days.

Great Picture!
Our place is located upper right on Bear Island
Can we get an update of this photo every week:laugh:

I have a feeling my April 11th guess will be right,or pretty darn close!

I should have added that the picture was taken by flyguy from Lakes Region Aerial Photography. He's posted several recent aerials on PhotoPost. I'm sure we'll get some more updates as Ice-Out approaches.

Here's another one of flyguy's pictures from 3/25/09:

Flyguy,

I'm sure I speak for many of the regulars on this site in thanking you for your frequent posts of our beloved area from the sky, especially during the change of seasons. It gives us grounded folk a different and interesting perspective.

btw, Merrymeeting is a lovely lake to photograph from above if you have the time. :D

Question...
 

OK you ice experts, does the darkness in the ice that shows up on the various webcams today really "mean" anything or is it just because it is black ice, not snow ice.

Blue Thunder

Ice thickness
 

There is some water on top of the ice on Meredith Bay and several places around the lake. I think that is what you see on the cams. The ice is still a foot thick at the edge of our bubblers and I saw seven sleds go all the way down Meredith Bay about an hour ago. They were throwing up lots of slush and water as they went by and I don't think that I'd be doing that. :eek:

Minge Cove Marina
 

These photos of Minge Cove Marina were taken this afternoon. The slips are still mostly iced in, but there is now open water at the entrance to the marina.

We've not had much ice as usual over here on Champlain, excepting the bays of course. Looks like they're getting down to the final phase as well. Boats have been out fishing in front of our place for two weeks now.

I found this description of the ice out process while surfing the net. Some of it seems to make sense.

How Lake Ice Melts
1. In the late fall, the lake loses heat to the atmosphere, and then on a day or night when the wind is not blowing, ice forms. The ice gets thicker as long as the lake can continue to lose heat.

2. In most Januaries and Februaries, snow both reflects sunlight and insulates the lake. With a thick snow layer, the lake neither gains nor loses heat. The bottom sediment is actually heating the lake water slightly over the winter, from stored summer heat.

3. Around March, as the air warms and the sun gets more intense, the snow melts, allowing light to penetrate the ice. Because the ice acts like the glass in a greenhouse, the water beneath it begins to warm, and the ice begins to melt FROM THE BOTTOM.

4. When the ice thickness erodes to between 4 and 12 inches, it transforms into long vertical crystals called "candles." These conduct light even better, so the ice starts to look black, because it is not reflecting much sunlight.

5. Warming continues because the light energy is being transferred to the water below the ice. Meltwater fills in between the crystals, which begin breaking apart. The surface appears grayish as the ice reflects a bit more light than before.

6. The wind comes up, and breaks the surface apart. The candles will often be blown to one side of the lake, making a tinkling sound as they knock against one another, and piling up on the shore. In hours, a sparkling blue lake, once again!


BT

1. In the late fall, the lake loses heat to the atmosphere, and then on a day or night when the wind is not blowing, ice forms. The ice gets thicker as long as the lake can continue to lose heat.

2. In most Januaries and Februaries, snow both reflects sunlight and insulates the lake. With a thick snow layer, the lake neither gains nor loses heat. The bottom sediment is actually heating the lake water slightly over the winter, from stored summer heat.

3. Around March, as the air warms and the sun gets more intense, the snow melts, allowing light to penetrate the ice. Because the ice acts like the glass in a greenhouse, the water beneath it begins to warm, and the ice begins to melt FROM THE BOTTOM.

4. When the ice thickness erodes to between 4 and 12 inches, it transforms into long vertical crystals called "candles." These conduct light even better, so the ice starts to look black, because it is not reflecting much sunlight.

5. Warming continues because the light energy is being transferred to the water below the ice. Meltwater fills in between the crystals, which begin breaking apart. The surface appears grayish as the ice reflects a bit more light than before.

6. The wind comes up, and breaks the surface apart. The candles will often be blown to one side of the lake, making a tinkling sound as they knock against one another, and piling up on the shore. In hours, a sparkling blue lake, once again!


Great description. I can visually see it happening from my perch here in hot humid Florida. And I can remember that tinkling sound and seeing that sparkling blue lake. Can the black flies and mosquitoes be far behind. Time to get the flyrod out.

Sitting here in CT looking at the webcams for my daily lake fix, it looks like the lake has taken on a weaker look than it did last week. Is this just wishful thinking, trick webcams or reality?

Reality
 

I would have to say reality, I was up this past weekend, and there were a lot of large cracks and no snow cover on the ice, also you could tell it was getting thin and breaking up, I would not be surprised that if the wind comes soon the ice will be moving out real quick.

One thing to note something I just really took notice of this weekend, despite all the times I head up there during the winter. The whole area just felt depressing with no green grass, no leaves on the trees, no flowers. Just everything about it screamed depressing, even hough Saturday was beautiful day. Also took note of how many store fronts were empty, not just closed for the winter, Memorial day will be interesting

Paugus Bay is starting to turn grey, and I'm sure the lake is not far behind.

It's Darker
 

The surface of the lake is definitely much darker than it was last week. The rain we got on Friday night and again yesterday was a big factor in this. It's drizzling here this morning as well.

Will from Cow Island
 

bark less and wag more little doggie official ice out will be april 18th at about noon.

Hello Will welcome to the forum my man!!! I had originally put the 27th as my guess but now it's looking like that will be a bit late. I'm calling for the 20th now! I'll see you Island side in no time!

I think my guess was the 20th as well. My local ice out indicator used to be 3 weeks. Last year, which was pretty warm in the weeks leading to ice out, it was 17 days. That indicator has just gone ice-free as of today, so I am going to revise my guess to Friday April 17. I know it doesn't count, except for bragging rights. :)

Ice out by April 9th or sooner
 

Water temp over the dam has been 37 for 3 days now. Ice out has occured within 12 days of the temp hitting 37 at the dam each of the last three years. With highs in the 50's, no freezing nights and 5 days of rain (and 5 days of sun) over the next 10 it's hard to think the ice has a chance. Once water hits 40 degrees the ice is history. Time to get those salmon!

26 days in 2007
 

In 2007 the temp hit 37 on the 28th of March. Ice out was April 23rd that year. I am hoping it will be sooner this year!!

This will be the 22nd time I get to witness ice out thru my living room window - lucky me! Looks to me like it will be gone by the 17th - in time for the birthday boatride on the 20th:)

In 2006 the lake temp was 37 degrees on the 28th of March and ice out was April 3rd. I prefer for ice out to be earlier than later. If you look at the weirs cam the ice is starting to look preety black and the ice Meredith was really retreating pretty well this past weekend.

Lilly Pond
 

How is the Lilly Pond doing? Isn't that the usual two week indicator?

Ice-out occurred today on Silver Lake here in Hollis. Lake Winnipesaukee's ice-out the past few years has been two weeks after that.

We can't wait to get back to the lake!!!

I was at the lake on Friday and Lily Pond was frozen and white. The lake looked much darker.

Salmon
 

As I understand it, salmon fishing is best 1 month after ice-out. Anyone want to confirm?:look:

Salmon
 

I believe most find it to be best from ice out till the water begins to warm to 50 at the surface. That is usually the first weeks of May. By June they are spawning and do not feed. I caught a few during the summer of good size. If you watch you will see some cheaters fishing by boat in Wolfboro and Alton on the cams. They will be right up against the edge of the receeding ice. Bet before the weekend you will see some small row boats on those cams fishing near the ice edge. Salmon are usually deep but will be at the surface or in the top 20 feet this time of the year looking for food. Lake trout will also be in shallow water for the same reason.

The difference I feel was that in 2008 the ice was nearly 3 feet thick and this year the ice was about 1.5 feet. It will definitely go out earlier than the 23rd. I guessed the 21st, so the bad news is I won't win but the good news is that I bet I can open the camp the weekend of the 17th - can't wait!

Little help from the wind one might be able to get out on a good part of the lake this weekend. Looks like the broads and meredith bay are about ready to give up

Very dark ice on the Weirscam today:

It wouldn't suprise me if we are now talking in days instead of weeks.

BT

Looking at the Lake Today
 

I took a ride today from the Weirs to Melvin Village to look at the ice. It is looking to me like Meredith Bay will open up in a few days. The ice around Center Harbor and Black Cat Island is looking very gray and there are large areas of water around all rocks.

Looking at the ice out a bit from our dock, it is starting to show the 'candles' that is the last stage of the melting process. With the binoculars, it looks like the gray areas in Weirs Bay are from 'candles'. I'll be listening for the telltale 'bells' ringing tonight. If they can be heard, it will confirm the 'candles'.

I am thinking that unless something strange happens, like an 'ice pile up' blocking the Mount's route, we should see ice out between April 10th and 15th. I guessed the 25th, so I was way off this year.

Get the boats and fishing gear ready!

R2B

I've been ready since last summer! :)

Up here in Plymouth we're finally getting rid of the snow. It's about time, because we've had it since the end of October-very early November. All that seems to be left are the huge snow piles that are now just snow bumps.

The Pemi river has also been free of ice for about a week and a half now.

Let's just cross our fingers and hope that we don't get one of those freak April nor'easters!

KTO

You just HAD to say that didn't you!!??!?! :eek:

Well if one comes along I am blaming you! :laugh:

Thanks for the posts
 

Thanks to all for taking the time to post updates on the lake. Like others, we're anxious to get to our corner of the lake, and it sounds like it will be sooner rather than later. And after this long winter, we're ready for, hopefully, a loong spring.
If someone is driving by 19 mile bay, hope you'll take the time to post its condition.

bilproject....Your are awesome man! Excellent call on the ice line fishermen. There were boats in Wolfeboro today. I thought of you and took this pic.
You must have ESP!

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...g?t=1238619462

First non-ice fishermen of 2009
 

At least they are fishing in Alton and Wolfboro. My salmon are safe for a few more days between Brown's and Bear Island. Hope Dave at Y Landing has my boat ready!!!

I drive by 19 mile everyday. The docks are opening up quite a bit and I noticed this morning coming in to Wolfeboro that the inlet from the wetlands on the other side of the road was opened up twice as much as it was when i went home last night. So it must be getting real thin. It was very dark gray ice yesterday as well. Little Ducky's were floating around in there this morning...:D

I'll stop and take a couple of cell phone pics on my way home today if it isn't raining...

Ice Out Coming
 

See Al Gore is correct the ICE CAP is melting! I guess the ice will be gone by the time of my first trip to the lake in June.

No Silver Sands cam this year -- I'm disappointed. That was always a great one for tracking the ice-out progress. Seeing as it's now 4/2 and it still ain't up, I'd venture a guess and say it's not coming.

Checking the progress on Ossipee's Broad Bay, you can see how quickly everything is melting. Big holes over the past few days, and apparently a large expanse of open water to the left of the Canoeking webcam's view.

Anyone with a digicam or phone passing by 20 Mile Bay any time soon?

Hey Grant...ask and you shall receive!!! I just heard from Barry Uicker at Silver Sands. The 2009 view of Saunders Bay is up and running. He apologizes for the delay this year.
I would like to publicly thank him for his efforts!!

http://www.nhboat.com/Nhboat/Feature...t_2009_ice.htm

Blue Thunder

YAHOO! Thanks to Barry. I was just wondering this morning where that cam was this year. I love that page!

Ice-Out Here We Come!
 

I too would like to extend many thanks to Barry Uicker at Silver Sands! The comparison shots of March 31st over the years is just great!

Ah -- how cool. Many thanks for the heads up. And thanks to Barry.

Love that view.

Thanks for taking the time to get this up and running, it is great to compare each day with prior years while we are wishing the ice away.

I looked forward to this every year, and had been checking the site everyday.
Thanks!

Quick pics off the 19 mile bay docks. Once again, sorry it was with my cell phone. These were taken at around 3:30pm on Thursday.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...g?t=1238764779

Looking over to the beach, you can see the inlet (Just barely) is starting to extend out...

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...g?t=1238764854

salmon
 

bilproject; good post about ice out fishing. actually the salmon fishing stays strong right through the summer, you just have to go deeper as the surface water warms. the salmon like mid 50's temp wise. for the first few weeks after ice out they (and lakers) will be at the surface chasing the smelt. the smelt are the ones getting ready to spawn, atlantic salmon spawn in the fall. but the landlocked on winni really do not spawn in the lake although their bodies do all the biological things towards a spawning run in the fall. it is wise to troll with larger baits in the spring (to match adult spawning smelt) and as the water warms, late june july and august, go to shorter baits which match the yoy smelt (young of the year) that have just been born from the sring spawn. i am not a biologist or science guy, but i've caught hundreds of salmon following these tendecies. good luck to and tight lines.

Thank you Barry!
 

That is funny, I e-mailed Barry yesterday too. He must have gotten a milion e-mails... Thanks again Barry!!!

Thanks -- good stuff. Can't wait to wet the lines in a few weeks.

19 Mile Bay
 

Thanks, Lakesrider. Phone pictures or not, they look great from here. Sure looks like 19 Mile Bay is opening up. Another week, maybe.

Let us know how it is progressing. Thanks.

Two More Degrees
 

The lake temperature hit 38 today... just two more degrees!!!!

IG

Drove down to Lowes via Paugus Bay way. The ice was extremely dark gray. At first I thought it was open water. But the Channel is open down to in front of the Four Seasons Resort now.:D

:) Lakesrider, thanks for taking the time to take and send those pictures of 19 Mile Bay; wonderful to see.

The ice in Meredith Bay is retreating. It seems as though we gained another 20' overnight alone. We have open water to about 160' from shore.:

Lily Pond
 

Lily Pond is almost out... just several feet of ice on one edge....

IG

The Ice on the Broads is moving
 

We are listening to a tinkling as one iceberg rubs against another! The NorthWest_View shows a river that has opened up around the center of the picture. The North_View shows the ice cubes rolling up on the icebers when they rub shoulders. It won't be long now!
DBA

Dark Gray Ice
 

The ice in the Weirs/Meredith Bay area was as dark gray as it gets. I did not see any movement this morning, but it looks like it only has a few days left, at the most.

R2B

The ice really moved today in Meredith Bay. There appears to be alot of standing puddles on the bay which are really holes in the ice. With the high wind gusts tonight, the ice wil be moving alot more.

reading the weather forcasts for the next few days ,it would not surprise me if the ice went out one day this week. I don't see it happening before wednesday ,but I'll be surprised if its still covered on the week end!
Of course I have only been watching the ice out for 58 years now so I might be off a little bit!
Ice on Paugus,Weirs Meredith bay and center harbor is BLACK...you can almost count the hours now ...just pray for a good strong wind mid week and it will be gone .......
If I was younger [a lot younger ] I would be water skiing right now from the 1/3 of paugus that is open ,through the channel and over to the dock for the mount ..used to do that back in the late 50's and 60's

Soon ,very soon .Might not be for another week but SOON !

I was up at the lake yesterday and saw a good sized crack going all the way across paugus bay. It is breaking up!!

Attachment 2452

Am I seeing things or is that open water I see in the Broads

This morning, there is open water between Ames Farm, west end of Diamond Island and Welch Island. Wind is blowing hard, which will chew up more ice. If this keeps up, ice out won't be much longer.

Large section of open water in broads
 

From my vantage point up here in gunstock acres, a large hole has opened in the ice at least a mile + across. Can't see it on anyones cams its going!

At this rate it will be gone by next weekend.

When I guessed by the 15th I was being optomistic at best. Now I think my guess will be late by a few days. If you guessed after the 15th I think you'll lose, Like me! :emb:

As I drove through 19 mile bay, the inlet and the open water by the docks have connected and it looks really thin. But the wind comes into the docks from the west so the ice will most likely pile up in there for a while longer. I'll take another pic on my way home today. I brought a good camera this time....:rolleye2:

Agreed. The wind of yesterday and today will do some damage to the ice...
I just hope no big flows come strolling into town and wreck my docks.:eek:

Preferably Wed at 11:38! :D But with the wind, rain, and temps in the forecast for the next several days, I'm not sure it's going to last that long.

Bigger hole than I thought.
 

Just got ack from walking the dog, the hole is miles across. Big slabs of ice moving accross the opening, this wind is going to help. Heading out for brunch, when I get back I'll post some pics.

Ice Out
 

Hmm...April 9th is looking pretty good to me.
I forget what the prize is??

BIG HOLE open in the broads.
 

Picture off the deck, Rattlesnake is off to the right

Another one off the deck looking out at center harbor
 

Welch is in the center of photo. BIG WATER opening up.. Pretty cool watching large areas open up every 30 mins..

DRH,

Your chronological pictures today are really cool!!

Blue Thunder

great lake shots
 

hey bab1234; those are really terrific shots of the lake, what a great viewpoint you have!!! any future pictures over the next few days would be awesome, i'm in new york and itching to get up to put dock and boat in. thanks