This was an awesome week for walking down the beach. We had four back-to-back nights with temperatures below -10C and the water finally began to freeze. Even with daily highs below freezing and south winds, the water is still too warm to freeze solid. I’m looking forward to some colder weather because I like walking out on the ice.
Sunday, December 13th, 2020 – Looking west from near 13th street.Sunday, December 13th, 2020 – Today it was snowing in Collingwood – you can see heavy snow across the bay with the Blue Mountains in the background.Monday, December 14th, 2020 – You could feel the weather starting to change today as winds shifted to blowing from the north. A cold front is on the way.Tuesday, December 15th, 2020 – It was well below freezing Tuesday. Walking along the beach was tricky. The upper part of the beach (near the snow) was glare ice in places (because the waves rarely reach that high) – the trick is to walk down the middle – dry enough to walk on, warm enough not freeze due to regular wave action.Tuesday, December 15th, 2020 – Looking west along the boardwalk near the midpoint of my daily walk on my way back from beach one.Tuesday, December 15th, 2020 – I didn’t get caught in this snowsquall while walking the beach, but I caught this picture of it coming from the north. The snow hit while I was driving home shortly after. Snowsqualls can be localized and this one was quite intense.Wednesday, December 16th, 2020 – It was around -8C walking down the beach on Wednesday – Today was finally cold enough to start forming some shore ice despite Georgian Bay being well above freezing. You could almost watch it freeze today.Wednesday, December 16th, 2020 – The high winds Monday or Tuesday brought this tree up on shore. Also, the deck that I photographed previously that had washed ashore was mysteriously washed away. You can see why boating in the spring is dangerous. The Bay is full of waterlogged items often floating just below the surface – There is enough debris to do severe damage to a boat or propeller.Thursday, December 17th, 2020 – I headed down the beach around 4:00pm today and it was gorgeous. As you can see from the footprints, lots of people had the same idea. It was around -3C, but with a south wind it felt like a summer day.Thursday, December 17th, 2020 – Ice has started to form quite a distance from shore.Friday, December 18th, 2020 – It’s difficult to explain the ice patterns. It was -14C overnight, but surprisingly most of the ice had disappeared by Friday @ noon. Note how wide the beach looks? Last week the water was all the way up to the streetlights along beach one. Another day with a south wind.Saturday, December 19th, 2020 – Mom and I walked down the beach again today. It’s completely clear after the wind and waves earlier in the week. Lots of people on the beach today for this time of year.Saturday, December 19th, 2020 – We met this fox near the beach 2 boardwalk.
