April 7... Gary Jones called at noon today. The Ice is officially OUT at Sylvia Lake. Jeanette Perry was here for the call and did the drawing (from a vintage Easter bonnet) for the Ice Out mug. It was won by Nancy Leonard Bush. Also in the hat were Ice Out winners, Jon Jackson and Sarah Millard. Congratulations to all three, but Nancy will receive the mug. Return to the Ice Out calendar...

Jeanette Perry selects the mug winner, with the assistance of Lea Dickson, who provided the bonnet.

April 6... COLD and COLDER- Here's a shot sent by Ferg of the Ice Out Judge's view of Wintergreen Bay. Most of Sylvia has open water, but the bays are still iced in.

April 5... SNOW and COLD- Here are a couple of shots Ferg sent. He said: "You might be able to launch - but where do you go?" No word from Gary Jones yet.

OK...April 4. BIG WIND- usual for early spring weather. It usually breaks the ice up and Ice Out happens. But the weather is supposed to turn cold in the next few days. Maybe it will all freeze again? Here are a couple of photos Ferg sent this evening. They were taken today. He writes:

It all starts with an open spot created by melting or motion. When large enough that the wind can create a wave action the honeycombed ice crumbles with larger, stronger pieces being pushed by the wind - when the wind is as strong as it was today ice that normally wouldn't break up joins the movement - there was some fairly solid ice piled up on the shoreline. I still am amazed when the large sections moving very slowly but with tremendous mass hit the island or shore and almost climb over the ice ahead of it. Hopefully this weekend I'll have to demonstrate to a number of misinformed folks that ice always floats. You put a few chunks in a glass fill it with any liquid,
empty the glass & repeat ...