Annual April Ice Out Tour -2005

Island Girl · 04-13-2005, 01:52 PM

Island Girl's April Ice Out Tour 2005 - Part 1

Each April I take pictures of the lake to compare yearly ice conditions. I started a few years ago just at the town docks at Glendale in Gilford. Some years there was ice, another no ice, etc. Last year I expanded the tour to lots of pictures around the lake as far east as Moultonborough. It was great fun traipsing around places where I had never been. I posted some of those pictures in an album on Photopost.

This year there are a lot of webcams and a lot of people taking pictures from various parts of the lake. This is the most photographed ice-out ever. The ice-out page at Snake Eyes is getting lots of daily visits. I am taking a different approach this year. I have pictures and video from the lake from the weekend of April 9-10, 2005. I hope you enjoy my tour. I certainly did.

I hope to add Part 2 this weekend, unless the ice is out!

I left my house just before 6am, Saturday morning to head to the lake. I got to Alton Bay just before 8 am to find many people fishing or watching the fishing. At the tip of the bay, several boats are in the water... all dressed up and no place to go.

People were fishing and watching the fishing, canoeing and kayaking.

The ice was out to the bandstand. Though chilly, the boaters did not seem to mind

A couple of older viewers taking in the sun and the scenery from the Mt. Washington dock.

The sun glimmers on the bay giving hope to an ice-out soon.

Sandy Point cottages iced in, still.

Heading up the bay, the Scenic overlook tells a different story. Ice everywhere.

Looking the other way out to the open lake, a few melted spots, mostly gray and white ice.

Little Mark Island and Moose Island behind. You can still see the tracks of vehicles of a few weeks ago

..........continued

Island Girl · 04-13-2005, 01:52 PM

Island Girl's April Ice Out Tour 2005 - Part 1, page 2

Minge Cove had lots of open water, but like Alton Bay, still iced in.

A closer view of the edges of the ice and water.

Heading out, we see open water, ice, open water, ice... the yearly ritual performed by Mother Nature.

Treasure Island awaits its summer residents

Onlookers watch as we go by. Can you find them?

The ice is variable here past Flashing Light #73. Still some thickness

Echo Shores in W. Alton

Looking west toward the West Alton Sand Bar.

A glimpse at what that gray ices looks like up close. This is Cub Island off the W. Alton shore.

This is what that gray stuff looks like up close.

.... continued.... on to Cub, Sleeper's. Diamond in the distance

Island Girl · 04-13-2005, 01:53 PM

Island Girl's April Ice Out Tour 2005 - Part 1, page 3

Cub Island, a two home island between Sleeper and Treasure Islands.

The ice just glimmers and melts in the sun. This is the view between Cub and Sleeper Islands looking toward W. Alton

Diamond Island looms in the backdrop of varying stages of ice melt. The white is thick and the gray is very soft and porous.

To the west, there is still snow on the trails of Gunstock. There is more open water here near the shore of Rattlesnake Island, with gray ice further out.

A closer look of Diamond Island and the north eastern shore of Rattlesnake Island. Open water, gray ice, open water, gray ice. It is spring on this side of the island.

Close to the north shore of rattlesnake, the mountains loom in the distance.

Further along... it is winter again on this side on the island. The ice is thicker at the tip of Rattlesnake, and there is snow.

From the NW side of Rattlesnake Island, that is Welch Island in the background. Lots of shore melting here. Click here for a movie of this view. (takes time to download)

...Next a walk to my house and island wildlife

Island Girl · 04-13-2005, 01:54 PM

Island Girl's April Ice Out Tour 2005 - Part 1, page 4

On Rattlesnake Island, a deer comes by for a snack. He stayed a while. Right-click save as for a movie. (Please do not click and try to open. This takes a while, turn on the sound and hear the birds.)

The sparrows have returned for the season. There were lots and lots of birds here.

The path to my house. Saturday was a delightful day for a walk in the woods.... so quiet.

The Ossipees... I never get tired of this view. Notice the ice blocks under the water. This is prevalent along the shore here. As the day progressed, the white ice turned to gray.

Getting ready to leave my beautiful island. A last look down the lake until next time .......

To end the tour.... here is a movie view of the northeastern shore of Rattlesnake Island, April 10, 2005

Thanks for sharing my tour... more next weekend, if there is still ice.

These pictures all reside on photopost in an album under Island Girl's Gallery. Users can run a slide show.

upthesaukee · 04-13-2005, 04:21 PM

Great tour, IG...It gives us a great view of the world away from shore at this time of year, a view most of us would never see. Thanks for taking the time to put it together and sharing your wonderful day with all of us.

mcdude · 04-13-2005, 04:40 PM

How nicely done Island Girl! I enjoyed that immensely. I feel like I just spent a beautiful Spring day at the lake. Thanks for taking us all along with you! McD

Pepper · 04-13-2005, 06:22 PM

Absolutely wonderful! Thanks for letting us all hitch a ride on your photographic tour.

DRH · 04-13-2005, 07:48 PM

Thanks, IG. Even though Rattlesnake Island is only about a mile out from our shoreline, you gave us some views of it we have never seen! Well done.

Merrymeeting · 04-13-2005, 08:01 PM

IG,

I've already reached the point where I look forward to your tour each year! Thank you for sharing it with all of us.

My only regret is that you didn't swing by and pick me up on the way up Saturday morning!

Merrymeeting

Just Sold · 04-13-2005, 09:21 PM

IG

Thanks for the great post. I loved each of the videos too. The ride was wonderful.

You made my day.

trfour · 04-13-2005, 08:01 PM

Awesome tour Island Girl! Love the new movies as well!
Thanks for sharing.

Mee-n-Mac · 04-13-2005, 09:47 PM

Reminded me of UTS's "walk in the woods".

Resident 2B · 04-13-2005, 10:11 PM

IG,

Fantastic!

It is great that you share this with everyone.

Photo journalism at the highest end! The photos really tell the story.

Thanks!

Alsobig · 04-14-2005, 04:20 AM

Your the best, Great Pics... Wish I was there right now... Will be this weekend... See how much we all love this place... It is the best place in the world...!

spotsink · 04-14-2005, 06:41 AM

IG

Thanks for sharing your tour with us all. If I may ask, how are you getting around out there? Not walking I hope...

Steve · 04-14-2005, 09:38 AM

Wow, that looks like it was a lot of work to put together. Thanks so much for taking the time, I really enjoyed the pics!

Rattlesnake Gal · 04-14-2005, 09:56 AM

Wow IG! You never disappoint and the movies are a great touch. (Is this your new camera?)
Almost felt like I was there. It was so nice to hear the sounds of the island again. (Sigh.) Can’t wait to be back.
Thanks for making my day!

RG

SIKSUKR · 04-14-2005, 10:18 AM

Ok IG,great photos but how did you get to Rattlesnake?Hovercraft or is the ice still safe to walk there?If you walked your a brave girl.Thanks so much! SS

tricia1218 · 04-14-2005, 10:55 AM

Great pictures! I also will be heading up either this weekend or next, cannot wait to get there.

Island Girl · 04-14-2005, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rattlesnake Gal

(Is this your new camera?)
RG

Yes, I bought the movie camera just before Christmas. I am still learning to use it. I will try for more movies tomorrow. With the ice breaking up in places, it should be a different scene.

I may not be able to upload movies until I am back on a high speed connection, however.

... and the mode of travel? not a hovercraft....listen to the movie... think Florida!

Island Girl · 04-14-2005, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rattlesnake Gal

(Is this your new camera?)
RG

Yes, I bought the movie camera just before Christmas. I am still learning to use it. I will try for more movies tomorrow. With the ice breaking up in places, it should be a different scene.

I may not be able to upload movies until I am back on a high speed connection, however.

... and the mode of travel? not a hovercraft....listen to the movie... think Florida!

Sunbeam lodge · 04-14-2005, 01:29 PM

I got it! An airboat, like in the Everglades.
I am in Florida and leave for the Lake next week via the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina..

lakegirl · 04-14-2005, 01:36 PM

What a great tour!!!!I'm hoping to get up this weekend and get ready for the summer!!! I love the movie feature on my camera. Hopefully you will enjoy yours just as much!!!

04-13-2005, 01:52 PM	#1
Island Girl Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Central MA Posts: 2,352 Thanks: 18 Thanked 535 Times in 179 Posts	Annual April Ice Out Tour -2005 Island Girl's April Ice Out Tour 2005 - Part 1 Each April I take pictures of the lake to compare yearly ice conditions. I started a few years ago just at the town docks at Glendale in Gilford. Some years there was ice, another no ice, etc. Last year I expanded the tour to lots of pictures around the lake as far east as Moultonborough. It was great fun traipsing around places where I had never been. I posted some of those pictures in an album on Photopost. This year there are a lot of webcams and a lot of people taking pictures from various parts of the lake. This is the most photographed ice-out ever. The ice-out page at Snake Eyes is getting lots of daily visits. I am taking a different approach this year. I have pictures and video from the lake from the weekend of April 9-10, 2005. I hope you enjoy my tour. I certainly did. I hope to add Part 2 this weekend, unless the ice is out! I left my house just before 6am, Saturday morning to head to the lake. I got to Alton Bay just before 8 am to find many people fishing or watching the fishing. At the tip of the bay, several boats are in the water... all dressed up and no place to go. People were fishing and watching the fishing, canoeing and kayaking. The ice was out to the bandstand. Though chilly, the boaters did not seem to mind A couple of older viewers taking in the sun and the scenery from the Mt. Washington dock. The sun glimmers on the bay giving hope to an ice-out soon. Sandy Point cottages iced in, still. Heading up the bay, the Scenic overlook tells a different story. Ice everywhere. Looking the other way out to the open lake, a few melted spots, mostly gray and white ice. Little Mark Island and Moose Island behind. You can still see the tracks of vehicles of a few weeks ago ..........continued __________________ Island Girl ....... Make Lemonade Last edited by Island Girl; 04-13-2005 at 02:11 PM.

04-13-2005, 01:52 PM	#2
Island Girl Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Central MA Posts: 2,352 Thanks: 18 Thanked 535 Times in 179 Posts	Ice Out Tour page 2 Island Girl's April Ice Out Tour 2005 - Part 1, page 2 Minge Cove had lots of open water, but like Alton Bay, still iced in. A closer view of the edges of the ice and water. Heading out, we see open water, ice, open water, ice... the yearly ritual performed by Mother Nature. Treasure Island awaits its summer residents Onlookers watch as we go by. Can you find them? The ice is variable here past Flashing Light #73. Still some thickness Echo Shores in W. Alton Looking west toward the West Alton Sand Bar. A glimpse at what that gray ices looks like up close. This is Cub Island off the W. Alton shore. This is what that gray stuff looks like up close. .... continued.... on to Cub, Sleeper's. Diamond in the distance __________________ Island Girl ....... Make Lemonade Last edited by Island Girl; 04-13-2005 at 02:06 PM.

04-13-2005, 01:53 PM	#3
Island Girl Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Central MA Posts: 2,352 Thanks: 18 Thanked 535 Times in 179 Posts	Ice Out Tour page 3 Island Girl's April Ice Out Tour 2005 - Part 1, page 3 Cub Island, a two home island between Sleeper and Treasure Islands. The ice just glimmers and melts in the sun. This is the view between Cub and Sleeper Islands looking toward W. Alton Diamond Island looms in the backdrop of varying stages of ice melt. The white is thick and the gray is very soft and porous. To the west, there is still snow on the trails of Gunstock. There is more open water here near the shore of Rattlesnake Island, with gray ice further out. A closer look of Diamond Island and the north eastern shore of Rattlesnake Island. Open water, gray ice, open water, gray ice. It is spring on this side of the island. Close to the north shore of rattlesnake, the mountains loom in the distance. Further along... it is winter again on this side on the island. The ice is thicker at the tip of Rattlesnake, and there is snow. From the NW side of Rattlesnake Island, that is Welch Island in the background. Lots of shore melting here. Click here for a movie of this view. (takes time to download) ...Next a walk to my house and island wildlife __________________ Island Girl ....... Make Lemonade Last edited by Island Girl; 04-13-2005 at 02:05 PM.

04-13-2005, 01:54 PM	#4
Island Girl Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Central MA Posts: 2,352 Thanks: 18 Thanked 535 Times in 179 Posts	Ice Out Tour page 4 Island Girl's April Ice Out Tour 2005 - Part 1, page 4 On Rattlesnake Island, a deer comes by for a snack. He stayed a while. Right-click save as for a movie. (Please do not click and try to open. This takes a while, turn on the sound and hear the birds.) The sparrows have returned for the season. There were lots and lots of birds here. The path to my house. Saturday was a delightful day for a walk in the woods.... so quiet. The Ossipees... I never get tired of this view. Notice the ice blocks under the water. This is prevalent along the shore here. As the day progressed, the white ice turned to gray. Getting ready to leave my beautiful island. A last look down the lake until next time ....... To end the tour.... here is a movie view of the northeastern shore of Rattlesnake Island, April 10, 2005 Thanks for sharing my tour... more next weekend, if there is still ice. These pictures all reside on photopost in an album under Island Girl's Gallery. Users can run a slide show. __________________ Island Girl ....... Make Lemonade Last edited by Island Girl; 04-13-2005 at 02:23 PM.

04-13-2005, 04:21 PM	#5
upthesaukee Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Alton Bay Posts: 5,595 Blog Entries: 2 Thanks: 2,448 Thanked 1,978 Times in 1,079 Posts	Great tour, IG...It gives us a great view of the world away from shore at this time of year, a view most of us would never see. Thanks for taking the time to put it together and sharing your wonderful day with all of us. __________________ I Live Here... I am always UPTHESAUKEE !!!!

04-13-2005, 04:40 PM	#6
mcdude Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Rock Haven Lake - West Newfield, ME Posts: 5,367 Thanks: 374 Thanked 1,055 Times in 494 Posts	How nicely done Island Girl! I enjoyed that immensely. I feel like I just spent a beautiful Spring day at the lake. Thanks for taking us all along with you! McD

04-13-2005, 06:22 PM	#7
Pepper Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Laconia, NH Posts: 1,284 Thanks: 409 Thanked 155 Times in 40 Posts	Absolutely wonderful! Thanks for letting us all hitch a ride on your photographic tour. __________________ Never waste time lamenting what was. Simply celebrate what is!

04-13-2005, 07:48 PM	#8
DRH Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Meredith, NH Posts: 1,686 Thanks: 1,199 Thanked 675 Times in 178 Posts	Thanks, IG. Even though Rattlesnake Island is only about a mile out from our shoreline, you gave us some views of it we have never seen! Well done. __________________ DRH

04-13-2005, 08:01 PM	#9
Merrymeeting Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Merrymeeting Lake, New Durham Posts: 2,226 Thanks: 302 Thanked 799 Times in 368 Posts	IG, I've already reached the point where I look forward to your tour each year! Thank you for sharing it with all of us. My only regret is that you didn't swing by and pick me up on the way up Saturday morning! Merrymeeting

04-13-2005, 09:21 PM	#10
Just Sold Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Suncook, NH, but at The Lake at Heart Posts: 2,612 Thanks: 1,082 Thanked 433 Times in 209 Posts	Wow! IG Thanks for the great post. I loved each of the videos too. The ride was wonderful. You made my day. __________________ Just Sold At the lake the stress of daily life just melts away. Pro Re Nata

04-13-2005, 08:01 PM	#11
trfour Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: The Lakes, Central NH. and Dallas/Fort Worth TX. Posts: 3,694 Blog Entries: 3 Thanks: 3,069 Thanked 472 Times in 236 Posts	Awesome tour Island Girl! Love the new movies as well! Thanks for sharing. __________________ *trfour* Always Remember, The Best Safety Device In The Boat, or on a PWC Snowmobile etc., Is YOU! Safe sledding tips and much more; http://www.snowmobile.org/snowmobiling-safety.html

04-13-2005, 09:47 PM	#12
Mee-n-Mac Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,943 Thanks: 23 Thanked 111 Times in 51 Posts	Very nice Reminded me of UTS's "walk in the woods". __________________ Mee'n'Mac "Never attribute to malice that which can be explained by simple stupidity or ignorance. The latter are a lot more common than the former." - RAH

04-13-2005, 10:11 PM	#13
Resident 2B Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: North Shore, MA Posts: 1,357 Thanks: 993 Thanked 313 Times in 163 Posts	IG, Fantastic! It is great that you share this with everyone. Photo journalism at the highest end! The photos really tell the story. Thanks!

04-14-2005, 04:20 AM	#14
Alsobig Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Merrimack, NH Posts: 30 Thanks: 11 Thanked 9 Times in 1 Post	Your the best, Great Pics... Wish I was there right now... Will be this weekend... See how much we all love this place... It is the best place in the world...!

04-14-2005, 06:41 AM	#15
spotsink Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 76 Thanks: 7 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Great Tour! IG Thanks for sharing your tour with us all. If I may ask, how are you getting around out there? Not walking I hope...

04-14-2005, 09:38 AM	#16
Steve Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Southern NH Posts: 109 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Wow, that looks like it was a lot of work to put together. Thanks so much for taking the time, I really enjoyed the pics!

04-14-2005, 09:56 AM	#17
Rattlesnake Gal Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Central NH Posts: 5,252 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 1,451 Thanked 1,349 Times in 475 Posts	Nice Work IG! Wow IG! You never disappoint and the movies are a great touch. (Is this your new camera?) Almost felt like I was there. It was so nice to hear the sounds of the island again. (Sigh.) Can’t wait to be back. Thanks for making my day! RG

04-14-2005, 10:18 AM	#18
SIKSUKR Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 5,075 Thanks: 215 Thanked 903 Times in 509 Posts	Ok IG,great photos but how did you get to Rattlesnake?Hovercraft or is the ice still safe to walk there?If you walked your a brave girl.Thanks so much! SS __________________ SIKSUKR

04-14-2005, 10:55 AM	#19
tricia1218 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: MA/Paugus Bay Posts: 155 Thanks: 31 Thanked 4 Times in 3 Posts	it was like I was there Great pictures! I also will be heading up either this weekend or next, cannot wait to get there.

04-14-2005, 01:29 PM	#22
Sunbeam lodge Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Meredith/Naples Florida Posts: 367 Thanks: 135 Thanked 50 Times in 26 Posts	I got it! An airboat, like in the Everglades. I am in Florida and leave for the Lake next week via the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina..

04-14-2005, 01:36 PM	#23
lakegirl Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Gilford-Northern MA Posts: 38 Thanks: 3 Thanked 5 Times in 2 Posts	Nicely Job!!! What a great tour!!!!I'm hoping to get up this weekend and get ready for the summer!!! I love the movie feature on my camera. Hopefully you will enjoy yours just as much!!! __________________ Lakegirl Never leave home without your camera

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