Early Season?

[Dale Tanski]

It seems to me, that this could be one of the earliest boating season I can remember here in good old Buffalo, NY.  This past "winter" Lake Erie did not freeze, much to the dismay of our fellow ice boaters.  Two years ago they got out 36 straight days.  Normally the lake freezes from one end all 250 plus miles to the other end.  During a bad year the ice will get 5ft thick.  In 1983 there was ice in the Buffalo end of Lake Erie on Memorial day.  It has been one of the lightest winters I can recall in a long long time.  This morning on the way in I saw rowers from the West Side Rowing Club out there doing what they do. 

How is it by you?  Are you in already?  Have you been out for your first sail? 

The meteorologists on the morning news mentioned the other day that the last time that Lake Erie stayed warm and didn't freeze we had a very wet and cold summer.  If it is the summer I am remembering back in the mid 80's it was a disaster.  It rained every weekend, all weekend long and then it rained during the week just for something to do.  I can remember mowing the lawn week after week in the pouring rain.  I had a Boston Whaler 13 back then and I use to fish a bit when I could.  That summer all you could do is fish... in the rain.  I recall pulling the plug on the Whaler to let the water out it rained so much while I was fishing, week after week.  Let's hope that this summer doesn't follow that pattern back in the day.

Dale