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Venturing on the river

Adult and child on the Charles River

Michele Connors watched an adult and child walk across the Charles this afternoon, reports they were met on the shore by police officers, who escorted them away.

Meanwhile, Greg Hum reports the water's just fine for biking on. He took this photo from his helmetcam near the BU Bridge this afternoon:

Bicycle on the Charles River

He writes:

The Charles River is very frozen. The Esplanade is not very well plowed...

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Comments

The cops used to greet you on the other side, and proceed to tell you the story about the dog that drowned in the river. Do they still do that?

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Because that's the only time it has ever been this cold for this long. Ever.

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I seem to recall the river being frozen quite solid back in the winter of 1993-1994. Unless this is a false memory (quite possible), there were lots of skiers. But I don't remember if you could (theoretically) walk across. It was my first winter in the area, so I thought it did that every year!

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When MSP and DCR say "the ice is unsafe because we say so" they lack credibility.

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To where did they escort them?

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I posted about a ski "race" from Harvard to the Hatch Shell. Boston Magazine picked it up and so did State Police and DCR. State Police emailed and Tweeted at me and basically said "this is a bad idea." They also said that there was a current under the ice that would pull someone further in, as if there was flowing water in the river and not a big dam at the end. Right …

Basically, bureaucracy is refusing to look at science, and the fact that water freezes when it's really cold. Which it has been: 13˚ below normal, second coldest month on record since 1872, colder then the average February in Minneapolis (where they drive 10 ton grooming machines on the snow to prepare ski tracks). It hasn't been 40˚ since the middle of January. The snow reflects the sunlight and keeps the water and ice cold. And, no, there's not flow in the river when there's a big dam at one end and very little water flowing in the other. Their reasoning was "The ice is unsafe because we say so." They haven't been out on the ice. They haven't drilled any cores. They haven't even had a look at the 6-8"+ of black ice under the Harvard Bridge. They sit in their offices and manage risk without any credibility.

It's also not illegal unless the DCR explicitly posts it (see 302 CMR 12.04(14), page 17 here):

No person may enter upon the frozen water of the DCR for the purpose of ice skating, ice fishing, or for motorized or non-motorized purposes, when a prohibition against such use has been posted. A person utilizing said DCR bodies of frozen water engages in such activity at his or her own risk, and DCR assumes no responsibility either implied or express as to the safety of any persons who voluntarily engage in such a known, obvious and inherent risk associated with such frozen water activities.

This is the nanny state keeping you from doing something which is not even illegal according to their own statute. Should you use common sense? Hell yeah, use common sense. Stay away from the marinas which bubble water to keep their docks unfrozen (which apparently the DCR is fine with). Stay away from open areas and visible inflows near the shore. If it warms up or rains, stay off completely. But ignoring the fact that the ice is safe and having the party line be "oh the Charles is notoriously dangerous there's all sorts of currents and stuff" when that's just bunk, and it's never been this cold anyway, is silly. Better to say "we don't recommend it, but the law says it's at your own risk, so do it at your own risk." You know, like the law says.

Which is exactly what we did. After MSP Tweeted at me and DCR called my office (thanks, Google!) and a DCR ranger showed up to yell at us, say to someone "I hope you fall in" and quash our fun, we went out tonight. It was amazing. The ice was safe. The crust supported skiers well. It is remarkably quiet in the middle of the river, and the views are something you may never get to see again in your life. Squeamish? The lagoons on the Boston side are frozen very, very solid. But so is most of the rest of the river (avoid the Cambridge side east of the BU Bridge, the Longfellow; construction has opened the water there). It won't last more than a few more days, but by gum go and take advantage of it this weekend.

Not that I am taking any responsibility if you fall in. But if you use common sense (don't go near open water or inflows, don't drive a truck out on the ice even though we saw tire tracks) you'll be fine.

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Actually, there is a flow in the river. Wait till the spring and hop in a canoe if you don't believe me.

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You wrote an awful lot of paragraphs to prove you lack conmon sense with regards to ice / water safety. It's one thing when a child runs out onto the ice when it's not safe, but it's quite another thing when a grown adult does it simply because he has a problem with authority. Educate yourself.

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is that it's a river, not a lake. The water underneath is moving along, which I think means it needs to get colder than a lake would in order to produce ice thick enough to walk on.

That said, it sounds like you did your research, so go have fun!

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This headline and story make me steam. Going on how I've observed transactions between authorities and peasants to play out, if that adult approached for 'escort' had said "Sure officer, but give me ten seconds to take in the view and appreciate this moment" it would be met with "No ma'am/sir, you need to come right now"

: (

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the "big damn at the end" of the river is to keep tidal seawater out of what was once a tidal bay, not to keep the river water in.

If the damn didn't let the river flow out we'd be talking about skiing the Charles Reservoir, not the Charles River.

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"dam". A "big damn" is something else entirely...

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I suspect the ice is plenty safe at this point, and am glad people are enjoying the outdoors however they can. Shame on everyone who knows nothing of the conditions but scolds people nonetheless because "it could be dangerous" or "rescuers could risk their lives". The river is a natural resource and despite your sense of 'common sense', we should be very wary any time a government agency tries to limit or control our use of any natural resource.

Certainly, there are times when the ice is dangerous. But again, I suspect not right now.

As for Ari O, however, there is most certainly a current in that river. Among many other adventures on the river, I've sat in a kayak watching the fireworks and had to paddle almost continuously so as not to drift too close to the fireworks barge. I seriously doubt anyone would fall through the ice right now, but if you *did*, yeah, the current in the middle of the river would be another a factor working against you.

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