May 10: West and South

At this time of year, Ice Patrol shifts it’s focus from trying to find open water to chasing down the surviving ice.

There’s more of that than you’d think.

I’ve been disappointed that I couldn’t find out how things were on Shoal Lake. So I was happy to get this photo that Ian Bruce took yesterday from a Citation on the way to Winnipeg at about 35,000 feet.

Due to haze and cloud shadows, you’ll need to zoom in to make out the shoreline. Click on the picture to see it full screen.

Shoal Lake.

Looking south with Shoal Lake in the foreground, and there’s still a large ice sheet in the southern part, and smaller, weaker sheets north of Dominique and Stevens Islands. Further back, that’s Big Traverse Bay on Lake of the Woods ahead of the wingtip.

Here’s one that shows more of that area.

Big Traverse, Big Island, Little Traverse.

In this southward looking image, The big patch of ice sprawls from the west half of Little Traverse Bay to the west part of Big Traverse Bay. Big Island is near the centre of the frame. Thanks Ian.

Now some lower altitude shots of the Big Traverse Bay area courtesy of Kim Beach, who was out flying in Josh Broten’s Super Cub, also yesterday.

Four Mile Bay and Currys Island.

This looks north from the mouth of the Rainy River. There’s lots of open water here, but further north, towards Garden Island and Big Island, there’s a large sheet of soft ice.

Looking north west from Morris Point to Long Point.

Turning the camera more to the north west shows where the ice sheet meets the shore at Long Point.

Lastly, here’s a shot looking north over Warroad.

Warroad and Muskeg Bay.

This gives a good overview of Warroad, with Springsteel Point at the left and Buffalo Point beyond it.  This part of the lake is still almost entirely iced over. Thanks Kim.

Even though these ice sheets are big, I don’t think they’ll last long, because weather forecasts are calling for mostly seasonal or better temperatures for Warroad, Morson, and Kenora. Saturday could be the exception, with cooler, wetter weather, but high humidity takes a toll on ice, too.