Scouting from Colchester Point 2/26/26

[Charlene Wallace]

Went out in search of the black ice... didn't find it... had a great outing in the sun under a big sky.  

Parked at the Colchester Causeway parking lot, skied 1/2 mile on the Island Line Trail out to the water's edge (snow-covered ice's edge), clambered down the bank, skied another 1/2 mile+ out to the frozen lead that parallels the Colchester Causeway. All told 35+ minutes to get out to the ice and back again. Crossed a band of slushy 20' wide snow-covered rubble to skate on a wide lane‚ where the ice conditions were not stellar, and the day was spectacular. Ice thickness was sometimes 3", mostly 4". 

Going north the surface was initially fine shallow shell ice, then it smoothed out, interspersed with many bumpy lumps. We first passed Sunset Island, then approaching Stave Island, we met up with an open hole to the west (the ducks were happy) and snow ahead. We went further on, often finding smooth lanes. Turned back toward the south to skate as far as the ice would let us. It ended just south of Colchester Point—snow on all sides. The lanes along the edge of the snow line were generally very nice.

On either side of the frozen lead, the snow over ice was 3 - 4" deep. 

We saw 3 skaters to the west (between Colchester Point and New York), I wonder what the ice was like there? 

Beautiful day!

Photo album here. 

Charlene