The Republican journal., 1904-03-10
THE ICE BRIDGE TO 1sLEsBoRo.
Ice Boating, Skating and Freighting on the
Bay.

Bay.
There has been but little change in the
ice situation the past week. The solid ice
extends down the western bay to Knights
Point, a mile or more above Duck Trap, and
in the eastern bay to about two miles below
the Lime Kiln, in IslesborO. There is open
water in the middle of the bay below these
points, but everything is frozen up along
the shores. Camden and Rockport harbors
were reported open and the ice went out of
Rockland harbor March End. Castine was
still blockaded. The Merryconeag attempt
ed to break through the ice March End to
carry some of the Normal school students
to Rockland, but owing to an accident to
the propeller was compelled to abandon the
attempt after making her way about one
third of the distance through the thick ice
The teams which crossed from IslesbOro
on the ice March 2nd carried loads of lum-
ber, coal and other supplies on the return
trip. The ice was tested with an ice auger
and found to be from to II inches thick
Still the impression got abroad that the ice
was not safe, and Wednesdays sun certain
| ly made quite an impression on the surface
Then came Thursdays rain and unfOunded
reports that the ice was breaking up. The
rain took off the snow, and the freeze Thurs
day night left the bay one glare Of ice.
There were rough places here and there
but long stretches of smooth ice; and with
the wind blowing half gale from the
northwest ice boating was the popular
sport Mr. Estabro0ks boat was dsmasted
Saturday and was in the shop for repairs,
but |. NJ Cottrell had his new boat out, and
the Rankin and Sherman boat, with per-
| haps half a dozen others, were gliding over
| the ice at the rate of mile minute, or
| less Two boats came over from ISlesbOrO
and one of them got into a crack just below
the steamboat wharf and capsized, but no
one was wet or hurt. The sport continued
| in the afternoon, but it blew SO hard that
| the boats had all their reefs in, and then
were hard to handle. On one trip the Cot
| trell boat spun around like top but did not
| spill her passengers and crew, and the Ran
| kin and Sherman boat was temporarily
| without steersman. The biting March
wind was severely felt, but many braved
the cold to enjoy the novelty of sail about
| the bay on an ice boat.
| Saturday morning two seighs and four
| sleds came over from Islesboro and report
ed solid ice and good going. There was
one crack to b crossed and the horses were
| led over it. Heavy loads of shingles, ETC.,
were taken on the return trip. The ice
boats were out during the day, but there
was not wind enough for good sailing.
| Skaters were more numerous than on any
previous day.
Sunday the ice beats were out morning
and afternoon and there were more people
on the ice, walking and skating, and more
spectators, than OH any previous day. The
wind was southerly and not very strong in
the harbor but out on the bay the ice boats
had good sport. Quite number of skaters
went to SearSport, and d party Of young
men skated to Castine. They went around
Turtle Head to the Lime Kiln, Islesboro,
| thence across to Dice's Head, but finding
open water east of the Head they kept up
| the western shore to Wadsworths Cove,
|
tine village The revenue cutter Seminole
was then breaking out the ice in the har-
| Dor, hoping to release the Merryconeag.
| There were tlurTeS of snow in the after
noon and at night, but not enough fell to
seriously interfere with ice boating and
skating. There mas been no trottng or
driving on the ice for pleasure since the
accidents two weeks ago
There was but little doing Monday. One
of the smaller ice boats was out in the
afternoon, but the others remained at their
mOorings(?) below the steamboat wharf
No teams crossed from lslesboro, but two
men belonging in Castine went over on
skates. The ice in the immediate vicinity
of the steamboat wharf is quite thin and
breaking up, but elsewhere apparently re-
mains unchanged 1t began to rain in the
afternoon and rained hard all night. Tues
day water was standing On the ice, and
with a temperature of so and the sun shin
ing in the afternoon it must have softened
considerably. and along the shore was white
and crumbly. Two men came over from
Islesboro on foot. There was more rain at
night, and but little change in the tempera-
ture Wednesday morning. 1t cleared dur
ing the day and there were indications of
cooler weather.
The revenue cutter Seminole came mp the
western bay yesterday afternoon, breaking
out large fields of ice by crclng about, and
coming up a little farther each time. At
O'Clock she had reached point above
NorthpOrt Campground. There were many
holes in the ice, showing blue water, all
about the bay and harbOr, but ice boats
were out and the ice generally was firm.
Belfast Weather Report.