Frozen Great Lakes

[milkman636]

I grew up about just north of Lake St.Clair which is about 25 miles wide. It seemed like almost every winter there would be at least one group of ice fishermen adrift on the American side of the lake after the sheet of ice they were on was pushed off shore by west winds. The local fire dept was well versed at ice rescue and the Coast Guard had a helicopter close by if needed. Occasionally the people would be in their shanties not even aware that it was happening until someone came to get them off.

 

[cqaigy2]

That's amazing to see that ice ridge! My parents grew up in Michigan and talk about how the winters were when they were younger, lots of snow and ice, then it seemed as though they thought the winters had gotten much warmer and would comment about the lack of snow etc.

 

[dave1949]

Growing up, we went ice fishing in the winter. For the adults, it always meant lots of beer being consumed... I don't think that has changed much.

Never went a lot. We had small wooden pull sled-seat things with a flip up lid for bait and poles, etc. An iron bar to spud a hole in the ice. My Dad was a minimalist ice fisherman. :laughing:

I can remember seeing a small fleet of old cars with the tops cut off for ice driving. I guess they would ferry people back and forth to the beer -er ice shacks.

 

[Ken45101]

I grew up about just north of Lake St.Clair which is about 25 miles wide. It seemed like almost every winter there would be at least one group of ice fishermen adrift on the American side of the lake after the sheet of ice they were on was pushed off shore by west winds. The local fire dept was well versed at ice rescue and the Coast Guard had a helicopter close by if needed. Occasionally the people would be in their shanties not even aware that it was happening until someone came to get them off.

Oh oh. With US Homeland Security today, getting rescued could be a major pain! Probably better to keep drifting and take your chances

 

[300UGUY]

Oh oh. With US Homeland Security today, getting rescued could be a major pain! Probably better to keep drifting and take your chances

Along the Detroit river, the immigration people watch things pretty close. And the Canadians do the same. It's a pretty tight border these days.

 

[milkman636]

Along the Detroit river, the immigration people watch things pretty close. And the Canadians do the same. It's a pretty tight border these days.

In the last five years they have installed cameras on towers along the entire St. Clair River. If you pee over the side of your boat it's on video now. I don't think they have the entire lake-shore covered yet.