Most lakes in the Annandale area spent only about three months covered in ice this winter.
A windy Wednesday, March 16, overcame the last of the ice on Pleasant Lake, Clearwater Lake, Cedar Lake and Lake John, setting or equaling records for earliest ice out date on several of those lakes.
A few thin sheets of ice survived on Sugar Lake and continued floating at the north end until shortly after midnight, so its official ice-out date was Thursday, March 17.
The east side of Lake Sylvia was clear last week, and less than 10 percent of the ice remained in the west portion on Monday, March 21, meaning Monday was the official ice-out, missing the March 20 record set in 2012 by a single day.
"It’s not unusual (for Sylvia to be last)," said Al Ostlund, keeper of the ice-out records for that lake. "I think a lot of years we are a week or two later than the last of the surrounding lakes. And it’s the same with freezing. We’re the last to freeze."
Various lake associations define ice-out in different ways, with Sylvia’s criteria being 90 percent clear. In the absence of longtime expert Bruce Bartels on Lake John last week, association members had a debate on whether the ice had actually gone out on Tuesday or Wednesday, March 15 or 16.
"We were hemming and hawing. Was it the 15th or the 16th?" said Elaine Fleskes with a laugh, adding that the 16th was finally settled upon as the date that no ice remained.
Setting records
Lake John’s ice-out records date back to 1972, and this year’s early thaw was unprecedented. The previous record had been set in 2000 on March 17.
It was somewhat unclear whether a record had been set or merely equaled on Pleasant Lake, where the criteria is that the lake must be completely clear. Records kept by the lake association said the previous early ice-out was on March 16, meaning this year’s thaw was a tie. But other record-keepers have the previous early ice-out as March 18, meaning this year set a new record.
"It was so windy (on Wednesday) that the ice had blown all the way over to the east side, and by the afternoon it was all gone," said Julie Sedey.
On Clearwater Lake, Bill Hohenstein of BJ’s Bait and Tackle said the March 16 date was the earliest thaw in his 27 seasons on the lake. The previous record, according to his own reckoning, had been March 18 or 19 in the year 2012.
"That year was just so warm, but this year it’s definitely just because of a lack of ice," said Hohenstein. "There just wasn’t much ice to get rid of."
Hohenstein said he typically doesn’t open the bait shop until mid-April, but he might open late this week and put in a few docks as a result of the open water.
"What’s crazy is the year or two after 2012 was the latest ice we’ve ever had, so it’s just been a huge swing," said Hohenstein.
A record was also set on Sugar Lake. Though its history is incomplete, Karen Sutherland said the only previous March thaws were recorded on March 19 in 2012 and March 24 in 2000.
Cedar Lake has had one year with an earlier ice-out. In 1988 the ice melted on March 14.
Short season
Thanks to warm temperatures in the first part of December, it has been a short season for ice cover.
Each lake mentioned above froze on either Dec. 19 or Dec. 28 this past winter. The early wave of freeze-ups occurred on John, Pleasant and Clearwater, meaning that each of those lakes actually fell a few days short of three full frozen months.
The second batch of lakes that froze over on Dec. 28 included Cedar, Sugar and Sylvia.
With a warm 2012 followed by record or near-record late ice-outs in 2013 and 2014, it’s anyone’s guess what will come next winter.
"It will change next year. It always does," said Sedey.
While open lakes might be good news for some, it also brought an early dose of summer reality to a few Lake John lots.
"We have a huge floating bog off our shore already," said Fleskes.
At least there is still some time until the mosquitos hatch.