The view out my window has drastically changed. One month ago, it was wind swept water. Now, it's the Great White Desert with dunes of snow, ...and those crazy ice fishermen.
The skeleton of my H-16 sits in my yard, motionless in the snow, except for the Tibetan prayer flags, tied from shroud to shroud. With each flap of the colored flags, a prayer to the Sacred Wind Horse is set upon the wind. The flags are a poor substitute for my Tequila Sunrise sails capturing the wind, but any prayer set to the wind is good. The Great Hobie will have to wait until spring, for his share of prayers riding the winds.

Hey Jeff,

Say a prayer for mine too! If I had left my mast up (like yours) I guess I`d still be able to see my Hobie. Right now, it looks like a big, cold lump.

As for ice-fishing, in another month or so we can drive onto the ice and fish from our cars - no joke.


Dave

Two fellows sailed an H-18 across the northern passage. It took about 3 years overall. They stored the boat on the ice in wnter and went back each spring. The video was shown on public TV some time ago. They dragged the boat across ice at times and one time were tracking a polar bear. After a while they noticed that the polar bear had started tracking them.

Now that was cold.

Howard

Yup...that IS cold ! - until you start running for your life!

I hear that polar bears are probably the least human friendly (large) predators on the planet. Given the opportunity, they are pretty much happy to make a meal of you every time. Even sharks pass people up the vast majority of the time. But, I guess when you present yourself as the only warm dish for hundreds of miles, you get whats coming.

...how fast is an TheMightyHobie18 again?

Ah...correct me if I`m wrong, but there are no humans in that photo. I guess I can assume the answer to my question is...NOT FAST ENUF!

upper right hand corner...an alien, securing the mooring line.

I stand corrected! ...a survivor, or dessert?

I feel ya Jeff. My Hobie sits right outside the window where my desk is. Taunting me, humiliating me, teasing me. A warmer climate is just a rediculously long drive away! I'm planning on going to Mexico hopefully in March. It'll still be wetsuit weather on the Gulf of California, but still better than ice skate weather.

Ahoy, Capt. Dave,

So far, the only vehicles on the ice are 4-wheelers. No cars yet, but it won't be long. Last are the big shiny trucks. Reminds me of a true story:

Two ice fishermen had driven out into the middle of a big lake to ice fish. The driver locked his keys in the car. Luckly he had both a cell phone, and 'OnStar' in his car. He called OnStar and talked with a woman with a heavy southern accent. After the required security procedures, she remotely open the car doors. The ice fishermen were joyful with the OnStar service.
But the OnStar woman said, "Do you mind if I ask you a question ?"
"No, what do you want to know ?" answered the fisherman.
The woman said, "It must be a mistake, but I am looking at the map on my computer, and it shows your car is in the middle of a lake. Just where is your car ?"