Tuesday’s conditions were close to perfect. Clark Lake’s ice cover was smooth and very slippery. A coating of previous precipitation had coated the surface, and beckoned anyone with an ice boat. Phil Schindler took up the alluring invitation today.
Conditions were “close to perfect” because there was also a yawning open area near Eagle Point, as you can see in the photo. Get too close, and it’s disaster. Migrating geese have been using the lake for overnight stays, and some of them were gathered around that open spot today.
Photos: Rick Belcher
i suspect there are more than one mouldering iceboat hulks lurking in the trefoil weeds at 35ft down, testimony to the intrepid winter sailors’ frigid excursions in decades past when the lake froze pretty solid but still had a few such patches here and there. my father used to regale us with tales of his antics back in the roaring teens and twenties of the last century, wheeling his Model T Ford out onto the ice and doing donuts all the way around, avoiding icefishermen, skaters and weak spots alike (thankfully, or i and our extended family might very well not exist)
We saw the ice boat sailing across the west end of the lake several times this afternoon from our second story windows at work. It was a beautiful sight though we did worry about the ice being thick enough! Thanks for sharing the photos and story.
I recall approx. 50 years ago when Jim VanWagnen went thru in the very spot this picture was taken, and that was back when we still had winter! Fortunately he survived!
I really enjoyed watching it. Our dogs…not so much but they are stressed by anything that moves.
Way to go Phil,
So great to see you out in the ice boat on the lake1