Ice cross-section 7 cm , using the Porsby-Valtonen(*)
method of cutting an ice sample
(* punch two holes with ice pike
and saw a triangle with pruning saw - from Krister
Valtonen and Johan Porsby at
Think Ice)
About 30 of snow came down Dec 4, but after 2 days the snow
had completely slushed down and refroze to a skatable surface. Even after
5 more cm of snow on Dec 8 it was still skatable, at least by double-poling.
Skiing conditions were excellent.
Jan 27 2008; Wrights Lake, Upper Tantallon
(44-45N 63-52W) A new lake for ice travel. When we paddling on this lake last August, we
noticed lots of unripe cranberries. Today there were still lots of ripe, preserved
cranberries! Ice surface was variable, some smooth ice, some old snow drifts
made rougher ice, the light snow from yesterday had blown into
new snowdrifts. Skating was possible but we mostly stayed on the kicksleds,
completely circumnavigating the lake, in all its coves- about 21 km.
Feb 01 2008; Westhaver Lake,
hither but no farther,
open water at north end of lake, where Timber Lake Brook flows in.
When I checked the map later,
I found out that it was only a 2 km portage to the end of Panuke Lake,
where I had been several winters ago!
Feb 03 2008; Big Mushamush Lake, near Bridgewater
(44-29N 64-31W)
Lunenburg County is one of best areas for tour skating and kicksledding
in Canada! Within 30 km of Bridgewater there are over 50 lakes of various sizes.
Big Mushamush has a shoreline of 32 km. Today was mostly grey and we would
have liked less wind, but the ice-sailors liked the wind! Total distance on kicksleds
and skates was 38 km.
Feb 05 2008; Susie Lake
, nice wild lake only 700 m
from Nova Scotia's biggest shopping area
Feb 17 2008; Big Hubley Lake, near Halifax
We finally got John and Ruth out on both kicksled and Nordic skates. So
today we had 4 kicksleds and 4 tour skaters on one lake- a new Nova
Scotia record!
Feb 21 2008; Wrights Lake, Upper Tantalon
Return to Wrights Lake. Heavy rain a few days before raised the water level
about 50 cm, flooding the shoreline, making it difficult
to get on and off the ice.
Mar 16 2008; Spider Lake, Dartmouth,
a lake with 8 arms
(44-45N 63-32W)
Spider Lake is a small lake but its 8 arms give a shoreline of about
12 km. It was covered with 10-15 cm of new snow so we skied instead of
skating or kicksledding. Athough small, this would be a nice skating lake.
Heavy rains the week before had seriously damaged the ice on most lakes
in the Halifax area, but Spider Lake was intact.
