The Lake Where You Live

The pier is removed, the boats stored, the leaves raked, the gutters cleaned, the snow blower gas can filled, the deck furniture stowed inside the screen porch. Now I can think about winter and days on the Birch Lake ice.

Mainly I think about being careful on that first venture onto the lake. That’s because twice in recent years I have broken through. Two years ago in April a cousin and I were walking on the small lake where his family has a cabin. Although starting to melt, the ice seemed sound. Then it gave way under me. Fortunately the water was only thigh-deep, and I easily scrambled out.

Then last year, returning to shore after fishing on a Sheboygan County lake with my son-in-law and grandsons, I encountered unstable ice next to shore. It broke. I slipped and fell. The water was only a foot deep, but the ice was so slick that I struggled to drag myself onto land. I emerged thoroughly soaked with ice water.

So now as I contemplate ice fishing I’m more resolved than ever not to go out until I am certain the ice is plenty solid. And I refer to my favorite source of advice on winter lake safety, https://lakeice.squarespace.com.

In particular I review the section called Key Points for Ice Travel. You might want to do the same as you prepare for fishing, skating, hiking, skiing or other recreation on your frozen lake. Here are a few recommendations to keep in mind.

1. “Use your head. Outcomes (good and bad) come from a combination of competence and luck. Competence comes from a combination of experience, understanding, skills, proper equipment and prudent judgment.” 

2. Think like a Boy Scout. In other words, be prepared. Especially the first time venturing out, take along a pair of ice claws. Also practice using them. They make it much easier to pull yourself out if you fall in. Other useful items: throw rope, cellphone, flotation device and, more important…

3. Take a companion or two along. If one breaks through, the others can help: “Your safety margin is worse if you are alone.”

4. At night be extra careful, or stay off the ice. “You find most ice problems with your eyes, so finding them at night is much more difficult. Your ability to rescue yourself or others is also diminished.”  

5. Leave the car on shore. Some of the worst ice accidents involve cars or pickup trucks: “A pickup truck on ice has a lot in common with a two-ton stone … Vehicles and darkness are an especially bad combination.” 

6. Think about the kids. Don’t let a young person who trusts you get into serious trouble from your bad decision. Check the ice thoroughly before taking kids out. If in doubt, stay off the ice.

7. Watch the weather. Hazards increase in temperatures near or above the freezing point. “Thaws…are a significant factor in about half the ice fatalities. The early season has its share of warm spells. Thin new black ice can weaken substantially in less than an hour.”

Lake ice is a glorious thing to enjoy. Don’t let carelessness turn fun into tragedy.