Those who know lakes never completely trust the ice,
ever.They always are on the lookout for
thin places.The thin places are
sometimes in predictable places but not always.If you know a particular lake, you know where to expect open water in
the middle of the coldest months but every season is different.
Somewhat valuable prize for guessing when the lake is completely free of ice. Get your guess in before the March 15th deadline. See left hand column for how to enter.
After black ice for skating on the days surrounding
Christmas, there was snow and then thaw and then the lake was not suitable for
skating and the ice boaters kept their boats at home.Since then, there has been a foot of snow and
then rain which melted most of the snow on the lake and left an icy surface
that is OK for ice boating but not for skating in most parts.Before the rain, the snow on the lake was
“delightful” for skiing and snowshoeing.
Ice-out
is always interesting as it shows the change of seasons, but “ice-in” does the
same. When the lake freezes, it is the beginning of winter. If you
haven't been here to see it, it is worth coming up for it. The only
problem is that you never really know when it will happen. Last year, the
lake froze in fits and starts for about a month. This year it happened in
about two weeks.
Many people who enjoy Lake Wentworth could give a gift to the lake that is also good to eat. Vegetative buffers are important to the health of our lake and one plant that qualifies as a native species is the blueberry. You can plant blueberries along your lake shore, help prevent runoff into the lake and harvest a delightful treat in the process.
Vegetative buffers are important for the health of our lake and you can help. When you are thinking about what to give this season as a gift, why not visit the web site of a company that sells blueberry plants, order a few and then plant them along your shoreline next spring. The Comprehensive Shoreline Protection Act strives to keep nutrients out of New Hampshire lakes and your blueberry plants can help to do that. It may take a few years for the plants to start producing fruit, but then they will produce healthy berries for years.
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