Patent ID: 8299931

Claim:
An ice safety device comprising: a floating base having an upper surface, a lower surface, and a waterline disposed between the upper and lower surfaces; a tube supported by said floating base and extending below the waterline of said floating base to an open distal end located at a predetermined distance below the waterline of said floating base; a rod having near and far ends, the rod being housed in said tube, the far end of the rod protruding from the open distal end of said tube, the rod being slidably retractable into said tube; a motorized pulley mounted to said floating base, the motorized pulley including a motor, a power supply, a remote control receiver operatively connected to the motor for activating the motor, and a cable operatively connected to said rod for retracting said rod into said tube by activation of the motor; and a visible indicator operatively connected to said rod and to the upper surface of said floating base, wherein retraction of said rod into said tube produces a visible indication at the upper surface of said floating base, and formation of ice adjacent to said tube distal end prevents retraction of said rod into said tube.