Dec. 23rd, ICE IS NEVER SAFE

We came back home yesterday and ran the lake home.  The S lake is a
slush pit with quite a few tracks looking for dryer passage.  Others
have been down as well.  Bob and Heather have made it to the landing as
well Sunday and other campers have been travelling to the E side of the
N lake.  They reported the E side of the N lake at their camp, just N of
Campbells point is also slushy.  They had not drilled.  We broke the W
trail down the N lake, Sunday, and encountered slush, but not nearly as
bad as the S lake and we were pleasantly surprised.
Today went out to drill.  Off my dock aprox 400 feet, we have 2 inches
of white ice, with 4 inches of blue ice.  Out from the big dock around
Marsden point, we found 3 inches of white ice and managed to just hit
water with the tip of the spade bit which is 6 1/2 inches long.  Top of
Indian bay, again the layer of slush ice, and didn’t hit water.  It
appeared to be aprox 4 inches of blue ice.  Carried onto diving rock and
found the same white ice layer, about 3 inches, and managed to just hit
water again.  Headed home.
To review, white ice is classed at 50% strength factor of clear blue
ice.  Watch the forecast, we have another warm-up coming, Wednesday a
high of 0C and Friday +4C with a possibility of rain.