Over the weekend, my wife and I finally made the trip out to camp. Several times throughout the winter, we make the quick drive to Eddington Pond, and check on the place. Sometimes we shovel snow off the roof. Other times we just go to look it over and enjoy the winter scenery.

What I did notice while we were out there, was that the ice seemed awfully thin. I found it slightly odd, because we've had a lot of cold nights, and a lot of days that barely broke the freezing mark at all. Then yesterday, I saw a friend post a video of herself ice skating in southern Maine, and I held my breath the whole time because the ice looked so thin.

Turns out... my suspicions weren't too far off. Just yesterday, there was a quick piece from WGME - TV13, talking about a person being rescued in Damariscotta. And that several people had been rescued the week before. And some of those people were just skating. They weren't out there with sleds or vehicles.

Basically, wardens are asking people to use a bit of common sense when it comes to enjoying outdoor activities on the ice. For instance, always being a buddy. It's crucial to have someone that can go for help if there's an emergency. There's no guarantee someone will hear you calling for help if you're alone.

Also, consider carrying a small ice chisel. That way when you show up to enjoy your lakeside entertainment, you can poke a small hole in the ice to check it's thickness. And know the difference between solid ice and snow ice. Snow ice, usually found closer to the shore is thick and white. But also not as solid as clear/black ice.

At any rate, the big takeaway here is to be careful. Falling through the ice is no joke. It's hard to get out, and it's just as hard to safely rescue you without endangering others in the process. A little common sense will go a long way.

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