Go Ahead, Float Your Boat

     There are numerous places to float your boat on the Gunflint Trail today.  Yesterday’s early morning rain and afternoon sunshine with temperatures into the 60’s was just too much for some sheets of ice to deal with.  They succumbed to the open water and left quietly. 

   We took a boat ride out onto Saganaga to see what the ice situation looked like.  As predicted the ice was gone in the narrows and all of the way out to the main part of the lake.  Clark Island, as seen in the photo, is still iced in, but that is expected to change by the end of today.  The edges of the lake are open and navigable while the main lake remains frozen.   Today’s ample sunshine will work through the layers of the ice and the open water attempting to beat the ice down.  Will the ice on Sag be off by opener?  That remains to be the number one question and my answer is yes, it will be off by Saturday.  This is by no means a scientific answer, it’s just using the S.W.A.G. Theory(Scientific, Wild Ass Guess).   

 We don’t have to use the SWAG Theory to know there are open lakes to enjoy.  It is a fact Sawbill’s ice is off, Iron, Little Iron, Larch Creek, Seagull River and many of the small lakes of the BWCA are as well.  The USFS plans to assess the situation by air later today, so we’ll see what they have to say.  Until then go ahead and find a small lake to float your boat and remember to wear your life vest, that water is cold!