March 10th Elk Lake
The other posts for Elk Lake were getting so long it was getting hard to find the newest update...So This is the new report.
We have still been sailing every day. We got in 40 miles of sailing today before the winds died down. We also saw 2 DN's running around out there. I assume from the local club, but I am not sure because I was having too much fun to stop. Unfortunately when we went in for lunch the wind died down. It's early still so if it picks back up we'll head back out. Winds ranged from 6-10 most of the time, but we did have about a half an hour with frequent gusts to 13 mph. The wind meter shows 10 minute averages too, and when we came in it showed the averages to be 9mph a couple times and 10mph a couple times.
So even though it is snow ice with a little light fluffy snow on top, we don't need high winds to sail it. Anyone could sail comfortably with winds above 7mph. It's 31 degrees right now with a little sun so we are starting to see some clear spots. The last time we measured the thickness of the ice it was over 10 inches, but that was weeks ago. It's been in the single digits and teens at night and I watched an icefisherman try to break thru the ice. It took him a long time and he took about 4 breaks because he got tired. It has to be at least 10" still.
We should have some incredible late March sailing this year, if the forecast holds we may get to sail into April. I have almost 1500 miles of sailing this year on this one piece of ice. We have been extremely lucky this year.
See you out there...
Jack
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March 11th Elk Lake.
Conditions are improving daily. The ice is smoothing out some and we are losing the tiny bit of snow we have. If the forecast holds we should have a great piece of ice by next weekend.
We had a great time sailing today this afternoon and are planning to go back out again later.
Jack
Jack
March 12th and 13th Elk Lake
March 12th we had about 6 boats sailing from out front of our house and the local club had about a dozen boats racing about 1/4 mile down the lake. The snow cover ranged from clear to 1" with some of the valleys having 2" of snow in them.
We had alot of fun, but the wind died down early (about 4pm)
March 13th,
Conditions appear to be the same, but we have not been out yet since the wind is ranging from 5-8 mph and with some snow cover that is just too much pushing for me. It's still early yet so we may get some sailing in.
We actually spudded the ice yesterday for the first time in a month. We had 14" of ice. 12-13 inches is extremely hard green or clear ice. The top inch or so is snow ice. We are forecasted to be above freezing almost all week with lows in the 20's. So we should have a great piece of ice once the snow ice melts off of it.
Jack
Jack
TWO WORDS......
No wind....
No wind today, but it is above freezing and the snow is melting...
Jack
Still...no wind
But we are down to 1" of snow cover....The wind and ice should be great by the end of the week. Forecast warmth should clear the ice and wind forecast is favorable later this week.
Friday forecasted to be 40 degress with wind 7 gusting to 19 with Fridays low @ 12 degrees
Jack
March 16th
After I posted yesterday, we did get to sail. We sailed from 6pm until we couldn't see anymore. I didn't expect the wind to come up like it did.
We haven't been able to see the lake today. Visibility has been bad because it has been snowing most of the day.
Jack
March 19th
1-3 inches of crusty snow, fortunately this morning and early afternoon we had winds 11-15 mph. It was no problem sailing with these winds. After lunch the winds slowed to 6-9 mph and we couldn't get the skeeter going. The wind was too light for the conditions we have right now. None of the J14's here today tried after lunch. If the winds pick back up we'll head out again. If they don't, at least we got 2 hours of good sailing in today.
Jack
Jack
Elk Lake March 21st
When we started out winds were 8-15 mph and by the time we were completely tired out the wind had died down to 6-11 mph...
We sailed for about 2 hours after lunch today. Dispite the snow it was one of the better days of sailing. The top end was a little lacking due to the snow, but it was still fast sailing and a tremendous amount of fun. You could hike all day.
We had 3 1/2 inches of snow on the ice yesterday. Today we only have 2 " and the forecast for the rest of the week is 40-45 degrees with rain possible this Friday. We should have some incredible sailing this weekend if they don't change the forecast dramatically. Tuesday and Wednesday should almost clear the ice, so Thurs and Friday should finish the job. Winds are forecasted to be perfect...I know they are usually wrong, but they usually err on the light side. Today was supposed to be 2-4 mph.
We sailed the north end and back and forth across the pressure ridge.
Wind and temps forecasated as follows:
Tues...4-14 mph...High 36 low 21
Wed...15-41.......High 40 low 17
Thurs..5-14.......High 43 low 27
Fri....8-18.......High 44 low 29
Sat...10-20.......High 44 low 27
Sun...11-24.......High 45 low 27
Take these wind speeds and temps lightly since they are usually wrong, but it's better to be forecasted near what we want than CALM and cold
Every night is forecasted to be below freezing and we have 14" of ice.
Jack
March 22nd
Sailed for a couple hours again today, the wind got lighter as the day whent on. The snow is 1 3/4" to 2"....forecast for 37 degrees tomorrow so more should melt...forecast for 46 degrees on Thursday, hopefully that will take care of the rest of the snow. The ice underneath still looks great. 0-2" of snow ice on top of 12" of very hard green and black ice
Jack
Jack