Several firsts today! My image on this blog and Meg's photography of me on the blog. This morning with the temps in the teens I walked out on the pond. For those of you that are not familiar with our pond it is egg shaped and about 60-75 foot across and about 4 1/2 to 5 foot deep at the moment. We are just north of Durham, North Carolina and we are in the Southeastern United States.
The ice is pretty deep at least 8 inches maybe more. Dot was not willing to stay on the ice, maybe she 'is' smarter than I am? Meg had a hard time getting this photo as Dot would not stay still.
Near the center of the pond! The ice was very sound here.
This photo shows the big crack in the ice. The red arrow on the left is where I stepped and heard the cracking. The other arrow shows a right turn in the crack.
Tomorrow I've been invited to join in on a curling match on a smaller pond in Durham. We are going to use gallon jugs filled half way with ice as curling stones. It will be an international event with the USA, Canada and Australia being present and Denmark perhaps too. In the morning it'll be 16 or 17 degrees and what looks like the end of these mornings with teen temperatures. Next week the afternoons will be pushing into 50 degrees. so I doubt we'll be walking on any more ponds.
Great pictures Randy! You bring back memories on ice including the cracks and sound effects! Looks like good ice skating ice. Those were the days. I use to skate over cracks. Watch you do not fall. lol Looks like you are having fun. I love the reflection in Meg's third photo. When was the last time it was frozen 8 inches? Good luck with your curling stone match.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure who I'd like to be out there, you on the ice, or Meg taking photos, and then hearing that crack. I'm glad you made if off safely. I bet Dot, is, too! She does look cute out there on the ice, though.
ReplyDeleteI remember when I was a kid, the pond next to our house in SC was frozen over. The ice couldn't have been more than 4" thick. We were such stupid kids. There's a lesson in that. :)
ReplyDeleteGlad you made it back safely. Here's hoping for warmer weather next week.
The ice brought out your inner child, Randy. If I was your mama, I'd probably spank you. OK, scold. The pictures are good although. Good luck to your team tomorrow!
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome to that ice man !
ReplyDeletesure is hot here....summer breeze makes me feel fine... cheers Ian
Randy, I can remember when I was a Kid (That was many many years ago) skating on some local ponds and going around and testing the ice on others to see if it was safe. On the bigger ponds there was always cracks caused by the ice expanding and moving.
ReplyDeleteHave a Great Day,
John
Glad you made it back safely. It's hard to get back out of these things. The last Sierra magazine had a cartoon style description of how to put one piece of ice on top of each other so you have something sturdy enough to put your weight on, but it wasn't very convincing to me...
ReplyDeleteGlad to read that the story ended happily, and you have photos and memories of that crack, but didn't end up in the middle of it. The curling match sounds like fun, and good use for the milk jugs (at least that's what I assume you were referring to).
ReplyDeleteI would have been seeing how quick I could get off that ice when the cracking started. cute picture of Dot on the ice. Have fun today doing whatever you do with those ice jugs. Helen
ReplyDeleteWow, glad you made it back safely. Hearing that crack even in my mind, makes me freak. Nice to see you and Meg did a great job with the photography.
ReplyDeleteFlowerLady
I can see you have a very smart dog and you are braver that I would be
ReplyDeleteCurling? Brrrrr... though it does sound fun. Nice to see a photo of you. Reading blogs is like reading a book, you visualize the person. Good to have a face with the writing now.
ReplyDeleteWalking on ice can be dangerous. If I heard the loud crack I would have been out of there in a heartbeat! 100 years ago, in high school, we used to skate on a lake in Northern Virginia. One day we shouldn't have....I went in. It was only up to the top of my legs but it was a cold walk home. The next year Hurricane Agnes flooded the area and the dam broke. No more skating. (always thought it was Camille, but the dates didn't match up)
I'm glad you got off of the pond before the ice gave way -- that would have been very shocking!
ReplyDeleteI grew up on a lake in Durham that is 33 acres. It's frozen solid twice in the last 41 years, the last time being in the '70's. It was great fun to sled on the lake.
Thanks to everyone that has commented!
ReplyDeleteI just was out with the battery drill and a 3/4 x 18 inch auger drill bit. Meg advised I not drill the pond with a drop cord in hand. Anyway the rain barrel ice is around 6-7 inches deep and the pond is around 4 inches thick. Yikes half what I thought it was.
I'm glad you made it safely across. I read a couple of news stories today where others weren't didn't.
ReplyDeleteI've seen little kids playing on the ice here and it scared me to death, beause it was barely frozen around the edges. I stopped my car, got out and yelled across the pond for them to get off.
Have fun tomorrow!
Cool, but scary!!
ReplyDeleteYou a crazy man. Didn't you ever see that Omen movie where the hockey player fell through the river ice and was carried under and down river?
ReplyDeleteYou are brave. I don't think I'd want to walk on the ice. Glad you made it back across dry!
ReplyDeletePlease rethink walking on the ice, Randy. There were two tragic deaths and one nearly so of boys walking on ice that gave way. This is not Canada. We don't want to lose you!
ReplyDeleteFrances
Looks like fun--but be careful!
ReplyDeleteGlad you did not go for a cold swim.
ReplyDelete