Mother Nature is not being kind!

This has been one unusual winter to say the least. For a while there the whole country was under a deep freeze with record low temperatures, ice storms, and massive prolonged power outages. Now, here in mid January when you expect temperatures cold enough to freeze your nose hairs with every breath, here in New Brunswick we are getting several days (and nights!!!) with temperatures at or well above freezing, along with heavy rains.


As a result, the ice that had built up very nicely has all but eroded away. At the Renforth warf, one popular area for Ice Shacks locally, there had been 18 - 20 inches of solid ice a couple weeks ago. Tuesday night I was out there, and there was about 12 inches left, undoubtably less today. Just down the road from Renforth a couple of kilometers is another popular location at the base of Cameron Road in Rothesay. I just came back from there with the pictures you see above. Unfortunately I suspect that some folk may lose their ice shacks into the drink over the next few days as temperatures continue to be unusually mild.

I don't know if there is a lesson to be learned in all this. I had been contemplating building my own shack this summer with my boys. After seeing this, I may instead invest in a good 4 man pop up shelter.

Be safe out there! Don't take any unnecessary chances, and keep an eye on ice conditions, especially around areas with running water!