Ice Out Time Lapse Video

Now that the ice is out, and the scurry of docks is over, we have time to process some of the videos we took.  It was an exciting exit this year for those great big chunks.  You saw my pictures last week of it all piling up on shore.  Most of that has melted away, with just small heaps left.  Today we have a strong northeast wind, stirring up the waters with huge waves. I watched them crash over the rocks at Diamond Willow cabin a little while ago.  Amazing what the wind can do.

Greg made a time-lapse video with our Go Pro that we want to share.  He set the camera on a tripod at the beach last Wednesday, and left it for several  hours.  He set the camera to take a photo every 30 seconds, and then compiled the 612 shots into this video.  If you watch closely (a bigger screen view helps), at about the 15-second mark, the ice starts to pile up on the point.  It was really something to see, and we recorded it with other cameras, too.  When we have those edited, we will post them as well.

Basically, what happened at that moment was the large, central mass of ice broke loose and began to move down to the east.  It was like the lake had turned into a river, and the edges of our large ice pile were being pushed higher by the moving mass.  In turn, it would crumble and fall from the top, in a slow-motion cascade.  We haven't seen anything quite like this before.  Shortly after it started, it stopped.  We surmised that the large sheet had hit an immoveable sheet down the lake.  The really good thing that it did was to start breaking it all up into smaller pieces, which ultimately led to a faster ice out. At that, it still seems like it took forever!

Opening Weekend

Despite the fact that the fishing opener was actually one week ago, today is our opening day.  A little thing like lack of open water really can screw things up!  Of course, all that changed when the winds and the weather came into our favor the last two days.  Ice-free lake, docks into the water, boats rolling off of trailers down at the landing.  And today----fishermen finally out on Gunflint Lake.

When I first moved up here, twenty-seven years ago, the big question leading up to the fishing opener was always, "Are you ready yet?"  My answer varied, depending on where I was at in my work stages.  Over time, the simplest answer turned out to be like a phrase from Hide 'n' Seek:  Ready or not, here it comes!  And so, here we are, open and ready for business.

Too soon for flowers.

I love the anticipation and hopeful feeling that comes at this time of the year.  Like choosing seeds to plant in a garden or going through the tackle box to assess the best lure to try, it all brings on the feeling of the possibilities that lie ahead. We've made it through the winter, and now we are excited to leap into all that summer can bring. 

Paul at work.

Live Blogging: Ice Out

1:21 p.m.

Docks are going in, ice is going out.  Hope to make a quick ride down to the East End to see what's left, if anything.  More soon, with photos!

Main dock in the water.  First boat in: It's our good friend Swede!

Next up, the beach dock.

Beach dock in...let summer begin!

Piling It On

Time for another slideshow.  The ice is piling up on our beach and point, thanks to strong northwest winds.  While it isn't anything like Mille Lacs, it is still quite something to see.  Here are some photos taken just a half-hour ago.

Ice Out Continues

The ice is not out yet, but progress is being made.  Today, the mass was once again black by mid-afternoon.  Color is one thing we watch closely when it comes to ice.  Grey means that it is decaying, and black usually means that it is honey-combing underneath. On Saturday, with the strong northwest wind, some of the ice pushed up on the beach, and we could see the honeycombs.  When it piles up like this, the ice breaks into little shards that make a tinkling sound.  Very fun to see and hear. 

Of course, lack of open water meant that the fishing opener was a non-starter.  It isn't often that this happens. While it doesn't make us happy, we know that there isn't much we can do about it.  We just keep going about our chores, watching and waiting. This has been such an unusual spring, if I can even call it that.  Will this be one of those years that we actually skip spring and go right to summer?  With temps predicted near seventy this week, it certainly seems like a possibility.  Still, I haven't put away my long-sleeve shirts yet, just in case.  (I did stow the winter mukluks.  The snow squalls that we saw on Saturday were typical for the opening weekend, so I still feel safe with those put away.) 

The docks are perched on the shoreline, in anticipation.  Once that magical moment arrives, we will have a flurry of activity, rolling them in, placing the ramps, and starting the process of putting our boats onto their ramps and into the water.  Hopefully, we will have time for a quick jaunt out on to the lake.  That first boat ride of the season is exciting--a moment to explore how everything fared over the long winter.  The water looks like it will be at a usual level--nothing too high or extraordinary, but decent for getting into Little Gunflint and Little North.  I imagine that Bridal Falls is running well, as the little creek up the road from us continues to pour down the hill. 

If you are headed up the North Shore in the coming days, be sure to catch a glimpse of the Beaver River in Beaver Bay, and the Cross River in Schroeder.  Both of these waterfalls have been spectacular in recent days, as the snowmelt rushes down to fill up Lake Superior. 

Spring fever is definitely running high up here. I hope that we can soon replace that with fishing fever!

A Little Slideshow of Lake and Ice

I thought that it was time to put out a little slideshow of how the ice and the lake are looking these days.  We seem to make decent progress when the sun is shining. Yesterday, we had warm temps, but then the clouds rolled in. Today was chillier, and eventually the sun returned.  It's not easy watching and waiting on the ice. 

With all of the ice expanse still in front of me, I wondered how things were looking on the west end of the lake.  So I took a drive down to the Cross River bridge, and there I found open water.  I could see the edge of the ice as I gazed to the east, but when I turned towards the river, it was purely a spring scene.  The scent in the air was definitely welcome also--one that marks the change of the season towards warmer and better things.

A few water birds were happy with the lack of ice in this vicinity. Though too far away for me to identify, I could still see and hear their happy splashing.  A kingfisher flew by, just as I approached.  He landed in a tree at water's edge, and I inched a bit closer to try to take his picture.  He wasn't having it, and after a few feeble attempts on my part, away he flew.  Thanks to his distinctive profile, he is at least identifiable in my one good picture. 

Someone asked me to predict when the ice will go out.  I won't say at this stage.  I would be better at telling you when it won't be going, and even that is based on a daily assessment.  For now, it looks like it won't be tomorrow, but who knows? Mother Nature could fool me, as she has done before on countless occasions, for all sorts of reasons.  One thing is certain: When it does finally go, I will post it here immediately.  I am so ready for open water and real spring.  Hopefully before the calendar says that summer should be here!