Will the Bay clear of ice by May 1st?

[noelH]

Right now all the recreational fishing boats are launching out of the Bayfield Marina.  Yesterday walked down to the Bayfield Marina ramp.  Full lot, streets for a couple blocks in every direction were full of trucks and trailers.  Huge chunks of ice in the ramp area.  All else is clear.  Too risky to launch at the Washburn Marina even if the ramp is free of ice. 

Ice in the Bay has been moving in and out.  A couple days ago watched a boat that launched at the Sioux R. "ramp" just get to the mouth of the river in time before the gentle breeze pushed a massive (square miles) chunk of ice into the area.   

Again, hardly any ice on L. Superior this season. But again the ice in the Bay is being stubborn. 

[Spot]

For some years I was on Lake Michigan and daily aware of the condition of the lake.
Now it's only through webcams. I saw some from your way and saw the hard water last week.
80's F down here today, having to check the boats fairly often as we are getting rain/freeze/thaw cycles.

[noelH]

Mad Is. Ferry I think ran every day this past winter.  Couple days it looked like a boat floating on ice.   Ice never really formed on the S.Channel. From Long Is. Pt to the mainland opened up in early April.  N and W Channels iced in, but I don't think it was safe enough for people to head out on.  Meyer's Beach Sea Caves opened up for the first time in years.  NPS required pre-booking to visit.  Someone noted sold out fast.  2500 permits.  Caves ended up only open for one day. 

Massive melt down over the past couple days. My pile of gravel finally surfaced above what snow was still around.  70's yesterday.  Hit 80F today. Guessing the "ice" flows are more slush flows.  Huge pile up of ice along the N. side of Oak Pt.  Washburn Marina has webcams.  Was able to finally connect just moments ago. Only one cam working. Marina sill looks to be iced in.  Most of the slip area is clear.  We need a strong NE to shove the remaining ice onshore. 

[rfrance0718]

I'm in Bayfield and Cornicopia right now. Damn cold wind coming off the lake. On the way up here it was 80 degrees just east of here, 47 when we got to the marina at Corny. I've been working on my new ride. She's solid and should be ready for launch in May. She's on the hard and We've been sleeping aboard with a space heater keeping us warm. Getting some glass work done between the rain storms. All good.

[Riley Smith]

I enjoyed my trip up in the Northland a few years ago. Of course it was summer then but I managed to catch the start of winter and the first snowstorm. I had a couple of days to kill and went for a ride to look at the ice and across to Canada. Yes, it was very cold. And I hit a curb and ruined a tire in the slush and ice hiding it. Michelin ($$$$) too. The Southland looked mighty nice with the weather heading downhill and I left for the warm. One customer was contemplating on retiring to Florida and I asked had he ever been there in August   

Those days were not the best in the world. I don't even know why I was there except to see the world. And maybe it was to meet Jose. He lived in an apartment with wife and daughter; real nice old man. They were a crew working with us. We had a lake house until the last two weeks I was there and moved over there before we left. The daughter Ashley and my son flirted and she was very good looking. The MOM.....I didn't like her at first glance. Something recoiled and I kept my distance. I don't think that was Ashley's mother and the bells started going off with that first look into her eyes. And for good reason.

She whacked Jose much later my son found out. Literally.

 We still had a good time up there despite that stain. I managed no boating but it wasn't 100F either! I had told the customer that I had kidded with about Florida, that to have a house in that part of the world in the SUMMER was a dream us Mississippi guys could really entertain! There was a lot of sailing activity nearby but we were teamed up ( son and I) and trying to survive on the road in a strange place. I tried an antique dealer out and haggled to no avail several times on a large blue lamp that would have been perfect in the Labrot House blue room. We kicked around the little towns and places. Yep, would have loved to sail on many of those lakes and we did fish on the one we were on. I've got a picture of our friend Junior with rod bowed up on a pike out of the boat he brought from home.

[Spot]

I'm in Bayfield and Cornicopia right now. Damn cold wind coming off the lake. On the way up here it was 80 degrees just east of here, 47 when we got to the marina at Corny. I've been working on my new ride. She's solid and should be ready for launch in May. She's on the hard and We've been sleeping aboard with a space heater keeping us warm. Getting some glass work done between the rain storms. All good.

It'd be fun to see you and the boat up there in Corni, get some smoked fish at Halvorson's, etc.
 
I am also hoping to get up to Bayfield later in the summer for a flotilla around the Apostle Islands.

[rfrance0718]

I'm also visiting my old racing buddy. He was here when the ice caves opened that one day. He and his lady friend were lucky enough to get out there and see it. They also did the did the 10k night walk from Washburn to Ashland.
 (then they left for Arizona, Costa Rico, and Brazil) crappy day today, won't accomplish much.

[noelH]

More like the "good old days".  Cold and wet Spring days. Had to throw a load of firewood into the wood burner this AM to mellow out the cold and damp air.  Most of the last few March-May (aka Spring) have been too dry and warm.  Huge ice "wall" still piled up on the N. side of Oak Pt. inside the Bay.  Slush ice looks to have finally melted or moved off shore. 

Looked back at some old images of the Ice Caves.  Meta data noted 2008, March 11th.  Probably the last time I visited the caves.  Once "discovered" the quality of the experience was no more.  Remembered it was a cold, but calm day.  Parking lot was almost empty outside of one school bus.  Peaceful and quiet even with the kids.  $5 to park.  Self-service pay box. Over the day I remember only bumping into a handful of people.  The cold. "Undiscovered" beauty of the sea caves in winter.  Now when it does open.  Bit of a shopping mall at Christmas experience. Or a packed subway platform. Or....