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2-6-2010 Walker Pond |
We rejoined with our boats that we left on the ice last weekend at Walker. Since that time we got 4-5" of snow that had been blown, drifted and packed. There were very few patches of bare ice and they were bordered with packed snow drifts making headway at times-- no way. The fluky Walker winds came on during our attempt and allowed us to take off like a plane from a random bare piece of ice and gain enough momentum to sail through the packed snow drifts until we encountered a drift that was to deep and packed to get through. Then the process would start all over again. Larry and I sailed the entire length of the pond this morning and hovered on the North end in search of that nice ice that we sailed last weekend. While looking for what turned out to be nothing more than a memory from last weekend the wind flunked out and stalled me in a drift that consumed the front runner and stuck it there. As I wrestled my stubborn mule out of the packed drift I had to self examine my reasoning for being stuck on Walker when I could be combing my hair in the reflection of Sebago. Why do I choose to go left when everyone else goes right I asked myself? No further questioning was needed as I sat on the nose of Yellow fever and absorbed the 3 miles of open space between boat and trailer with only one other sail and driver to be seen. C’mon ol girl was my request for take off as we departed on the next patch of ice. My brief talk with myself on the North end made the trip to the South end much more pleasureable. With a Northwest gusto we jibed Walker from shore to shore and plowed through the drifts large and small. Larry and I packed up early this day to go on our weekly scouting expedition. My season would not be complete without a drive around Graham Lake. Graham should be inland far enough to have been spared this last snow I explained to Larry as we sped to Ellsworth. I will not be content till my runners run on this lake that is over 9000 acres in size. As we crossed the dam and pulled into the landing on the SW corner of Graham ooohhhs and aaaahhhs were filling the truck cab. We both departed and scrambled to be the first on the ice. Slipping and sliding on the glass like ice, neither of us stopping to put on cleats. Ice as far as the eye could see with just a dusting of snow here and there. Back into the truck and up the East side for a drive by, then back across the dam and up the west side for a drive by, one trip off a side road that ended in a gravel pit, and a few roadside stops just to gaze at this mother-load of ice. Needing to be home, cleaned up and at a church Valentine’s dinner with our lovely wives we had only precious minutes to further inspect this plate. Back to the SW end we went , this time with cleats, picks and axe in hand. As Larry and I walked a mile and a half straight into a 25 knot headwind the sex appeal slowly started wearing off from Graham. Larry was soon growling about rough ice and pointing out humps, bumps and snow drifts. After 25 swings with the axe I gave up trying to strike water and allowed that was enough ice for me. I repeated this in several locations during our afternoon walk. Graham appears to have the same grade 6 type surface that we have become accustomed to on our local lakes and ponds but we have learned this season not to judge a lake by the first mile of ice you cover. I have been infatuated with this lake for years but can find little to no local knowledge other than to stay off from it, do to the changing water levels caused by dam adjustments. No one ice fishes on Graham, seldom do you see anyone on it. It was obvious that the water level in this lake had dropped about three feet recently. It had the low tide look around the shoreline but we could find no hazards in the area we scouted once we got away from the shore. This lake did have a hazardous look to it and should be scouted with extreme caution. Like many other ponds visited this season we might have to flush out the local knowledge by rigging a boat and sailing past occupied homes. I am thinking that a few boats sailing at slow speeds in tight formation and stopping often for ice checks and coffee in the lee of the many small islands would be a great way to spend a day of scouting and expand our knowledge of this vast ice. Now if I can just get my buddies to share the dream. http://www.pearl.maine.edu/Lake2.asp?Watercode=4350 Sorry no pics today, wife borrowed my camera. Kevin |