More from the ice and some drama

[MattBurt]

I slipped out for a quick afternoon skate yesterday and met an acquaintance there. This is a new piece that recently froze and it about 3" thick. Just enough for my comfort level. We agreed on some boundaries to stay within for safety's sake and were skating away and I was looking for interesting bubbles. The first guy, Rich was skating close to the open water and commented he likes to do that and I responded that I was more comfortable farther from the edge than that. Another skater we know showed up and we were all skating along and then we heard a big crack. I looked up and the first guy, Rich had gone through just beyond the line we had discussed not crossing earlier. 
The other skater and I got close-ish and I was getting ready to deploy a throw rope but Rich managed to extract himself on his own. He said he just forgot about the line we had identified as the one not to cross earlier and just skated on to < 1" thick ice. He also has a skate system that uses ski boots and attaches blades to them and one of them came off in the water so that is at the bottom of the lake now.
Thankfully it all ended up ok besides the lost blade but it was a real eye opener. I re-thought through all my decisions there and I'm still good with what I was doing.

Tempting fate


"Challenge accepted" -Fate


Some bubbles

[francois]

Glad it ended up well! The last shot is real outstanding, those bubbles are magic.

PS: it looks like Rich was wearing a dry-suit or is it just a vest over something like a Goretex jacket??
PPS: a very long time ago, when in the army, we were walking along the Rhine river at night and under a heavy rain. It was muddy, on a very narrow footpath and the platoon leader told us to be extra careful and one slip and we would be gone forever. This is maybe why I may look a bit scared with those situations.

[MattBurt]

Glad it ended up well! The last shot is real outstanding, those bubbles are magic.

PS: it looks like Rich was wearing a dry-suit or is it just a vest over something like a Goretex jacket??
PPS: a very long time ago, when in the army, we were walking along the Rhine river at night and under a heavy rain. It was muddy, on a very narrow footpath and the platoon leader told us to be extra careful and one slip and we would be gone forever. This is maybe why I may look a bit scared with those situations.

Yeah he skates in a dry suit and is also wearing flotation. Good thing! It makes him a little bolder too which I'm not convinced is for the best but if he's going to go in he might as well be ready.
 
Glad you like the bubbles. I love them and I'm always on the lookout.

[armand]

I find these bubbly ice very appealing, and the light is welcoming also. As for the skating and falling in the ice, that's a big no. I decided long ago that skating is not for me (I do ski) and falling and being trapped under ice is not how I want to go.

[MattBurt]

I find these bubbly ice very appealing, and the light is welcoming also. As for the skating and falling in the ice, that's a big no. I decided long ago that skating is not for me (I do ski) and falling and being trapped under ice is not how I want to go.

Thanks!
Definitely not my first choice either! I'll keep doing my best to avoid that fate (and some others).