Monday 15 February 2010

Family Day 2010

MWT White


Off in the distance, I could hear children laughing. In our neighbourhood there aren't many kids! Mostly old folks, like me!It was a delightful sound.

It *was* a bit bizarre in winter. On an overcast day, everyone dressed in their dark clothes.

The kids laugh and play in the lake in summer, but what could be so much fun one our frozen lake??!!

I walked across the ice. A bit slushy close to shore, especially in the warm bays where the land snow melts and drains in the warm sheltered spots.

I walked closer and closer.
An auger. There's a clue!

A fishing rod, and a tool box.
Monday was a holiday in Ontario: Family Day. It is a statutory holiday in Alberta & Saskatchewan, too.
What do you do in Muskoka on Family Day?

Ya go fishin'!

Our seasonal neighbours invited friends, in order to share their time and place.

What fun. Poor Dad was the one who had to auger the hole.
Of course, everyone wants their own hole.
Dad worked very hard, all for a good cause.
Family fun on Family Day! The fish were nibbling.
The ice was thinner closer to the shore,
Dad had an easier time there! (Those who walk do not understand this.) It was only about 6" thick.

Walking across the lake in the bay, you sink slowly in slush on the top.

You can read my post about lake water temperature if you missed it. (See below!)



The neighbours came by, a bright spot of colour in a dreary landscape, to announce that the lake had been stocked in the fall with rainbow trout. That set hearts aflutter.
I didn't stick around to find out what they caught. It was a damp kind of cold! I did explain that they were right over a wonderful weed bed, dearly loved by our fish.

As a child I used to swim in this spot (beginning since 1960) and my children and I spent many hours on the shoreline nearby in subsequent years.
The sledders told me a funny story about snowshoe tracks from someone on thin ice, up on a shallow pond up yonder. I explained that that was me! I told them how careful I was, and that you can sense the thinness of the ice up there, through the snowshoes, and change your tack, if necessary.The previous evening had been a -20 C. night. And then, off they went to play in the forest.
I do caution those new to the ice. Lake water has its own character.

Jan 14, 2010
Ice floats and water, at temperatures just above freezing, sinks. Water is nearly isothermal with depth. Down in the depths of a lake the temperature is constant. Without any wind, this would be even more true.
Mar 16, 2009

15 comments:

marcia@joyismygoal said...

Children make snow fun and magical instead of wet and bothersome:)

Sylvia K said...

Oh, Wow! That's amazing and it does look cold! The spots of color stand out so against all that white stuff!!! It does look like fun, would like to try it myself someday! Have a great week! Don't fall through the ice!

Sylvia

This Is My Blog - fishing guy said...

Jenn: Looks like great weather to walk on the lake for some fishing.

Louise | Italy said...

What a great photo story. There's a bit of fishing going on in my MyWorld! post today as well. Greetings from Italy! Have a good week. Louise.

Dirkjogt said...

Nice pictures and a nice posting too. What a nice place to live.

Unknown said...

How funny! My photos today are about skating on local ponds. :)

Anonymous said...

As beautiful and as fun as it looks, I would be rather wary of venturing out on the ice.

SandyCarlson said...

What a beautiful day. Thanks for these images. Life is gorgeous.

Yogi♪♪♪ said...

Ice fishing is on my bucket list. I may do it only for an hour but I'd like to try it.

Lorac said...

I loved ice fishing when I was a child! Well, still do in fact! My son went up to the cottage to check on the roof. Hardly any snow on there so they had a good weekend snowmobiling (safely).

Jenn Jilks said...

You're right, Lorac. It is so easy to snowmobile safely. Too many are dying for no reason at all.

Feb. 11, 2010 In Ontario there have been 18 snowmobile-related fatalities already in the 2009.10 season.

Sledders are so good at looking after one another. The stupid ones give them a bad name...

Cathy Olliffe-Webster said...

Hey Jenn: You have just received a prestigious award! Come by my site to pick it up!
http://muskokariver.blogspot.com/
Have fun!
-Cathy

Rinkly Rimes said...

It looks SO cold! And the sky looks heavy with more snow to come!
BB

Mark said...

Well I never thought my daughters would be so excited about ice fishing. They were amazed at seeing water come out through the ice. They toughed it out as it was pretty cold that day but knowing that I taught them how to fish this past summer and now ice fish this winter, I can proudly say that it was well worth the cold temperatures.

Jenn Jilks said...

Good work, dad: Mark! THIS is a family memory they will have forever!
Thank you for sharing the joy!