Compiled by Adam Fornear
The off season is rolling right along and moving fast! Winter has finally arrived and is now in full swing. More importantly, my brother and I were able to get a full afternoon of ice sailing in on one of the few lakes in the state of Minnesota to have clear ice with no snow! It was spectacular.
We loaded up the two “boats” in the back of the truck this month and headed 2.5 hours west to get our one and only chance to sail on ice. The whole drive over my brother was checking the wind conditions, a Facebook iceboater group page (am I supposed to say Meta here???), and the directions to the Costco so we could get lunch for two for $3.23…important stuff. We wanted to make sure that our bellies would be full and that it was still worth the gas tanks to make the trip west. Arrival at the ice was a joyful site, as stretched out before us was many acres of good, clear ice.
Just as we do during pre-camp, it was time to get the “boats” on the ice and rigged up. Step the masts, run the sheets, and attach the 20-inch-long steel sharpened ice blades to each boat. Soon enough we were all rigged up and ready to grab some wind. The last preparations for ice boating are to put on a helmet (ice is hard and you’re moving fast) and some ice creepers for your boots to help slow down when you put the “boat” in irons to stop. Just as in sailing, there are no brakes. You have to drop the sail or put the boat in irons (pointing the boat into the wind) to hit the brakes.
All suited up, we pushed out past the rough ice and took off! We had great wind, giving us high speeds zipping across the lake. Gusts would come in and the boat would accelerate so fast that all you wanted to do was just give out a big “Wahooooo!” We spent hours tacking and jibing for long, straight, fast runs over and over and over. It never got old. It’s a similar feeling that our boys at camp get every summer sailing on one of our many sailboats. There’s something special, peaceful and exhilarating about sailing on soft or hard water.
Ben and I sailed till the sun got low in horizon and we finally had to call it quits for the day. It was worth every minute of the long drive, every cent of gasoline for the truck, and of course the Costco lunch special.
Nice work on those of you that sent me some news since last month’s Arrowhead. Thank you a million! Let’s keep up the good work and have the rest of you send me some news so I can make you famous in the Arrowhead and maybe even (no promises) get that news/picture on our social media. Please shoot me an email at fornear@campnebagamon.com. In the meantime, start YouTubing some videos about windsurfing so you can have a head start on ripping around Lake Nebagamon on the three new windsurf setups that I picked up this month. These new boards and sails are going to be a hoot!
IN THE WHERE-ARE-THEY-NOW DEPARTMENT: Arthur William Brook Young (Isle of Skye, Invernesshire ’15-’16,’19) has started a new folk band with his friend Louden Mackay, called Carnan. Arthur is an amazing musician and I cannot wait to hear them play!
CONGRATULATIONS ON THE RECENT ENGAGEMENTS go to Sam Muzik (St. Louis ’04-‘08) and Sammy Schlisel (LA).
IN THE BIBS AND DIAPERS DEPARTMENT: It’s a boy, Elliott “Eli”, for Andrew Schram (Boston ’94-‘99) and Yuan Zhang (Chicago)
Andrew better work on his diaper changing form!