Best is black

Warm temps today around Central this morning made it an optimistic call to look for ice.   Decided to check out Coalpit as it had the most promise on Saturday.  The ice was hard and dry but not quite thick enough so decided to head to Poolburn to have a look.  Despite being above zero there was still a bit of snow on the way up - a good sign.  Walked down to the the lake edge and was pleased to be able to skate on black ice - my favourite skating ice.  Was able to skate over a satisfying area but didn't venture too far as the ice varied and was creaky in a few places.  Fab skate.   Hopefully we will get a few more frosts....

Long wait....

It has been a long wait for cooler weather this year. Usually we head out early June to look for any sign of ice but this year it is the end of June.   After a cooler week with a bit of a southerly storm there was a hard frost in Central Otago so I decided to go for a look.  A bit of snow around the Ida Valley and -9 as I headed up to have a look at Poolburn.  Plenty of snow on the track but passable.  New thin ice over most of the lake but too thin to skate - still water in a few spots.  I managed to have a scratchy skate on wind stacked ice in a small corner of the bay. Used the Nordic skates first then the hockey skates.  Bit bumpy but great to be on ice again and had fun.  Water level is very low.  A couple of frosts could bring skate able ice.  Checked Idaburn and Coalpit. Both had ice that needed a few more frosts to give a skate.

Good to be out on a sunny winters day.