A little black ice - and it is good!

Early morning skate - sun not up yet

Up early this morning and met Inge at the Lower Manorburn.  Better skating than last night - not as much frost today but the ice had set nicely and we were able to skate from one side of Rushcutters to the other.  Also managed to skate on fresh black is at the edge of the old ice but the rest of the ice was still to thin - just one hard frost away from being skate-able.....
Before I left drove to the top of the middle basin just to have a look and found new back ice that was strong enough to skate.  Just fabulous - rare to get such great ice in August and hard to leave! Finally headed home stopping for a mini pond skate on way.
Great skating for so late in the season - should go a few more days if the frosts hold....

Dave and Inge

Fresh ice....some thick enough to skate on

Wow - look at this black ice!

(very) Mini pond skate

Frost again - another skate...

When I did my last post i though it would be the last skate for the year but after a couple of hard frosts  - and tempted by the last report on the Aardwolves site,  I decided to head up for another skate.

More ice than last weekend and good to see the snow had  smoothed off.  Had a skate around most of Rushcutters on hard but sometimes bumpy ice.  Great to get another late season skate.  Had a chat to Inge while I was there and may skate again tomorrow.

Rushcutters - still a good lump of ice..

Watch for hazards....

Last skate for 2015 - in the snow...

Yesterday evening an email arrived showing ice still in Rushcutters corner on the Lower Manorburn so I decide to head up early today for one final skate for this year.   By the time I arrived snow had started falling but the ice was ok for a skate despite a skiff on top.  Ice was hard  and the snow light so easy skating.  More snow fell while I was there and by the time I left a few centimetres had settled but great to have one last natural ice skate for this season. 

More snow covering the ice...

Despite the snow a good skate...

Still some ice left on the far side.