A Beginner's Guide to Remember in Walking at the Frozen Lake (Lake Michigan)

One of the most fascinating discoveries that I had living here in Michigan is the fact that you can actually walk on the lake- that is when it’s frozen! However, this post is by no means an encouragement for people to try it. The danger of the Big Lake is well-documented with accidents and deaths.
 

People here in Michigan do not only walk on the frozen lake but they also love ice fishing. They bring shanties at their chosen spots, cut holes, and fish to their heart’s content. Other times, they also try to live a dangerous life by driving on it and as you could guess, their cars end up buried under water. If you are like me who has never been to a frozen lake, chances are, you would love to experience this so you might as well take some precautions to heed.

Lake Michigan does not completely freeze during winter. That is why it is so dangerous to try walking on it because there is no way to know for sure that the lake is frozen enough to handle your weight. It is easy to have this illusion that the lake is completely frozen especially when there’s fresh snow dusting but read these reminders before you traverse on it.

1. Gauge the ice thickness. Frozen lake is very susceptible to breakage and it is not safe to walk on if there’s only thin sheets of ice. Experts advice making a hole and using a tape measure to know its thickness. But, doing it in one place is not enough. Make sure that you also check other parts where you will walk. At least four inches of thickness is safe enough for a simple walking. As for us, we saw fresh traces of snowmobile so we know that the area where we walked was pretty solid.

2. Look for the cracked ice. Don’t step on a cracked ice because it means the stability of the ice has been compromised already. Watching out for little details like this might save your life. Lake is beautiful when it is frozen and it is easy to get distracted but remember to always take cautions.

3. Prepare for a rescue plan. Things could happen quickly. Recently, a couple of men who were fishing in their shanties were rescued while clinging with each other for survival. One was able to call for rescue since he had with him an emergency phone complete with a GPS tracking. The tracking system helped the rescuers to locate them.

4. Bundle Up. An additional clothing can save your life. Make sure that you are properly clothed to keep you warm. The are special kinds of clothing designed to handle extreme cold.

5. Go with another person. Do not venture into the frozen lake alone. With another person, at least someone can make the call when something happens. The first time I did it, I was too scared to walk that far but I was braver the second time. I didn’t need much prodding from my husband because I do enjoy doing it.

Lastly, do not try it if you love your life. Lake Michigan is beautiful when it is frozen but it can be utterly dangerous. Again, so many accidents happen every winter. Have fun but always take precautions at heart.

Remember, “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.”

Based on studies, once a thin layer of ice film forms on a lake, it will add 1 inch of ice for every 15 freezing degree days in a 24 hour period. Example: If we had a day with 5 freezing degree days, you would use the formula 5/15 = .33.

Once the surface water falls to 32 F, it freezes. The freezing then spreads downward into the lake and the ice thickens. Unless the lake is very shallow, you will find liquid water below the ice. This deeper water is about 40 F; fortunately fish can live in this cold temperature.

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Things I Learned Watching for the First Time Ice Hockey Game (Muskegon, Michigan Lumberjacks Team)

I was never into any kind of sports before coming here in the U.S. I remember that one time, I was forced to join a volleyball team when I was still teaching in Indonesia just to complete the number required so our school could participate. Our team was hailed as the champion but I could hardly claim any credit since I did not contribute any score. Coming here in the US influenced my interest in sports. After getting into football, I finally had the chance to watch for the very first time an ice hockey game courtesy of our friend in the church, John, who gave us free tickets. He even gave me an original puck that the players used!

Ice hockey is played on a hockey rink. During normal play, there are six players per side on the ice at any time, one of them being the goaltender, each of whom is on ice skates. The objective of the game is to score goals by shooting a hard vulcanized rubber disc, the puck, into the opponent's goal net, which is placed at the opposite end of the rink. The players use their sticks to pass or shoot the puck.

It was an amazing experience because we sat right on the first row where we had a better feel of all the actions in the rink. Two words describe it- fast-paced and physical! The rink is surrounded by thick glass (bullet proof, I think), and net. Players slammed each other on the glass and they come flying by. Although our team lost, it was still an amazing experience.    

Here are the photos that would give you a glimpse of the action-packed night.

Ice hockey, game between two teams, each usually having six players, who wear skates and compete on an ice rink. The object is to propel a vulcanized rubber disk, the puck, past a goal line and into a net guarded by a goaltender, or goalie. 

Players are also prohibited from kicking the puck into the opponent's goal, though unintentional redirections off the skate are permitted. Players may not intentionally bat the puck into the net with their hands.

The hockey stick consists of a long, relatively wide, and slightly curved flat blade, attached to a shaft. 

Ice hockey is a full contact sport and carries a high risk of injury. Players are moving at speeds around approximately 20–30 mph (30–50 km/h) and quite a bit of the game revolves around the physical contact between the players. 

Within certain restrictions, players may redirect the puck with any part of their body. Players may not hold the puck in their hand and are prohibited from using their hands to pass the puck to their teammates unless they are in the defensive zone. 

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