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On thin ice?
By adamg on Tue, 02/24/2015 - 1:45pm
JB Parrett watched some folks venture onto the ice off the Esplanade yesterday.
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Comments
Perhaps I am risk averse, but
Perhaps I am risk averse, but this strikes me as not such a good idea.
Perfectly Safe
It hasn't been above 40 since the middle of January. We just had a stretch of 15 days below freezing (second longest ever). Other than areas with open water (near the bubblers near the arenas on the north side) the river is very solid. I went crust skiing out on the water this morning and it was fantastic; I'm considering a ski race from Harvard to Charles later this week. Do stay away from the Longfellow; they've been breaking ice there.
"But it's a river, so it has flow, so it doesn't freeze." A lot of rivers freeze. And the flow in the Charles above the dam is less than negligible, especially given how little liquid has fallen recently. It's a lake. Lakes freeze. Stay away from outflows, marinas and, once the sun warms up the stones, south-facing walls, but otherwise it should be solid enough to cross for a couple of weeks if it doesn't warm up or rain heavily.
Even the salt water is frozen
The Fort Point Channel has been solid since early February. So have Dorchester Bay and other small harbors that haven't seen ice breakers.
The Mystic and the Charles and the Malden were all pretty frozen by mid-January, and the average (average of daily averages) temperature since January 1 is only 22F.
Bubblers, currents, deicer slop and other phenomena will erode ice in some places, but the amount of snow on the river says a lot about how long that ice has been there.
Your choice, but...
...I wouldn't go out on brackish water myself.
Me either
The point was that it has been so extremely cold that even salt water in tidal areas has frozen up.
Fresh water will be even more solid.
still
Is it worth dying over?
97% safe
... means a 3% risk of catastrophe. Yeah, don't do this.
Did you drive today?
Did you drive today?
I see. So every risk is
I see. So every risk is acceptable, or tolerable, if some risks are tolerable?
Awesome...
But hey, just realize that when you do hit a patch of thin ice and go in the drink, the Coast Guard, State/Local Police, Fire Department... None of them can get up river to help you.
Young and foolish
Oh to be young and foolish again.
Why?
Just why? I do not see the appeal in this at all, even if it is safe.
Pretty
It's pretty, and fun if you ski or snowshoe. I wouldn't do it here, but I go out on frozen ponds all the time.
"Because It's There"
-George Mallory, 1923 on climbing Mt. Everest. No oxygen or sherpas required on the Charles.
I've done (and still do) some foolish things
but I would not do this. Especially after the Sunday thaw.
Spy Pond in Arlington is perhaps less picturesque, but also less risky.
Sunday thaw?
Um, it was a few hours above freezing in a two month period that has averaged well below freezing.
That would hardly make a dent.
I think
We're on pace for the coldest February on record, if only by a few 1/10's a degree. Maybe. Today helped.
https://twitter.com/NWSBoston/status/569902706938273793
People were skating on Walden
People were skating on Walden Pond, walking on Arlington Reservoir and Spy Pond at the end of January. My dad went out ice fishing first week of February and had trouble drilling through. We've had almost a record cold February since then. I'm pretty sure the ice is thick enough at this point.
Not quite the the same thing
A river and a pond are two different beasts when it comes to ice, particularly when the river is that close to the ocean and likely brackish.
Nope. Not safe. Please dont listen to people saying that it is
No! The DCR let's water in and out of the Gridley Locks, near EF and the Museum of Science, creating water level differentials that result in air pockets under the ice. This, combined with the brackish water and river current means the ice on the Lower Charles River basin is NOT safe for walking.
I love ya Swirrly, but you're wrong on this one. Let's just hope you're not dead wrong.
Beat the Storrow commute: Ski!
During early morning rush hour on Storrow I spotted an intrepid soul cross country skiing inbound down the middle of the Charles. Sadly in this case, traffic was still moving so didn't have a chance for a pic.
Could see they had poles and a backpack. Still wondering where they left their skis & poles in the office building when they got to work.