Weather

Looks Like August, Feels Like April

Environmental / Weather, General/Travel, Parry Sound Area, , ,

We’re now about about two months away from the Summer Solstice, and it looks like late August with the chill of April. Makes sense of course, as the sun is exactly where it would be in late August. The differences range from the water temperature (brrr!), to the absence of leaves on the trees. It will be nice to be on the water when it’s warmer, but don’t tarry. The boating season is too short not to be enjoying an August sun in April. This is a view of Parry Sound’s Big Sound from the Rotary Algonquin Regiment Fitness Trail with Two Mile Point to the left. (April 2016)

Redwood1890-20160423-20160420-_DSC2823-copy

The Big Sound – Mostly Frozen Over

Boating News, General/Travel, Parry Sound Area, , ,

It’s one month past the Winter Solstice and we seem to have finally developed a skim of ice over the Big Sound. (That’s ice, not water.) There still seems to be open water further out when seen from Belvedere Hill. Things will continue to be cold, but it will be many days before people can get their ice huts and sleds out on the Big Sound. The Walleye season ends March 1st, so there may be little incentive to get the huts out, once the ice gets thick enough to be safe. There may be an early start to the boating season.Redwood1890-20160121-_DS72924

New Year, New Look

Information/Reports, Parry Sound Area, ,

The last couple months have been a little bit strange around this part of Georgian Bay. We received the expected late November dump of snow, and then it disappeared. Well, that was pretty normal. But then temperatures were supposed to drop, delivering lake effect snow and cooling the Big Sound. So far it has been pretty much warm and overcast. There is some promise of lower temperatures in the coming days, and some snow as well. The big question though is when the Big Sound will freeze over. I don’t doubt it will, but will it freeze enough to allow for ice fishing and snowmobiling? If you can’t boat on it, at least you should be able to walk, ski or sled over it. The Big Sound and the South Channel are major highways in the winter.

If Mother Nature can change her look I figured we could do so as well. The Parry Sound Power and Sail Squadron webpage has been updated with a new template. All of the same information is here, and the posts are a little more attractive in my opinion. You just need to scroll to the bottom of the page if you are looking for the archives, upcoming events, or want to search the site.

Christmas Day, Looking Towards Parry Sound

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JB – Communications Officer

Can You Give Me a Tow?

Boating Information Links,

It has been a bit strange in this section of Georgian Bay so far in December. The temperatures are well above average, and above freezing, which means that some boats have been seen out on the Big Sound. Nonetheless, everbody I know has their boat out of the water and wonders when the big freeze will arrive.

In the meantime it’s interesting to check out the much bigger world of boats and shipping. This week we have a link to a posting with video and some description of a Russian tug attempting to tow the Russian Navy’s only aircraft carrier. It’s worth a look just to remind ourselves how ‘tame’ things are in Georgian Bay. Well, most of the time anyways.

Russian Tug 2015-12

JB – Communications Officer

State of the Sound Report – 2015-05-17

Environmental / Weather, Information/Reports, Parry Sound Area, , ,

Life is good, the water is cold but that isn’t deterring some boaters. We had a strange front roll in across the Big Sound mid-afternoon yesterday. The sky was partially cloudy and patches of blue showing through with a fog like condition hovering over the surface of the water. A few minutes later it passed; the sky didn’t clear up but the fog/mist lifted.

Boating into Mid-Day Mists.

Redwood189020150516-_DS61549_DxO-2‘Clic on the pic’ for a better view’.

 

 

State of the Sound Report – 2015-04-22

Environmental / Weather, Information/Reports, Parry Sound Area, , ,

Redwood189020150421-_DSC1007_DxO
Full speed ahead captain, we’re clear of ice.

Commander Mason, John Mason, was pretty much on the money when he predicted April 21st for the Big Sound to be ice free, although he did qualify it with a possibility of it being a week earlier or later. I haven’t seen anyone out on the water yet but the contractors will want to get started as soon possible with projects on the islands and areas accessible only by water.

JB – Communications Officer

State of the Sound Report – 2015-04-12

Environmental / Weather, General/Travel, Parry Sound Area, , , ,

Redwood189020150412-_DSC9451_DxOThis photo was taken a few hours ago and shows the extent of the open water. We received a considerable amount of rain in the past 48 hours and today it’s above 10°C (50°F), so things may move quickly. Commander Mason at the last meeting of the Parry Sound Squadron Bridge promised the Big Sound would be clear by April 21st, plus or minus one week. It won’t be a week early, but hopefully no later than the 28th. If you can’t play on the ice it may as well be gone.

‘Clic on the Pic’ for a larger view.

State of the Sound Report – 2015-03-30

Environmental / Weather, Information/Reports, Parry Sound Area, , ,

Redwood189020150328-_DSC9047_DxOA familiar benchmark for the condition of the Big Sound, PS2 is now ‘bathed’ in ice rather than snow. We have had a few days a little above freezing followed by quite a bit more below freezing at night. Add in a little rain, not too much, and the Big Sound is turning into a skating rink. It’s been too cold to suggest there is much thinning of the ice, but the insulating layer of snow has been removed. It’s still weeks until boating season. The creeks and rivers are starting to open up so there will soon be some cold season kayaking possible.