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THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013 Fairy Lake ice fishing season opens "If you don't know, don't go" one angler cautions The ice was just 8-cm (3-inches) thick, and while 15-cm or almost six inches is the standard for safe walking, that didn't stop approximately one dozen ice fishermen from venturing onto Fairy Lake on Saturday for the unofficial start of the Acton ice fishing season. Acton fisherman Ted Saitz said he felt safe during his three hours on the lake, but added, "no ice is safe." "The thickness is not uniform ­ it could be two inches somewhere else...like they say, `if you don't know, don't go,'" Saitz said. He noted the ice thickness is checked every 10-feet or so by drilling or poking holes, and most ice fishermen wear survival suits with ice picks, and know that Fairy Lake is virtually current-free, except for the open water near the dam. Saitz, a year-round angler who releases what he catches, including two 15inch, one-pound Pikes on Saturday, said ice fishing in a hut provides "a different challenge" than fishing from a boat or the shore in FISHING FRIENDS: To ro n t o a n g l e r s A l e x Iachtchouk (left) and Valentin Povolotsky caught two small Pike after ice fishing for several hours on Saturday. They said they came to Acton because Lake Simcoe was still open. ­ Frances Learment photo THE NEW TANNER 3 When is ice thick enough for some fun, like walking, skating, snowmobiling or ice fishing? That depends on a variety of factors, according to the Canadian Red Cross, When is ice safe? 15-cm (6-inches) for walking or skating alone and ice fishing 20- cm (8-inches) for skating parties or games 25- cm (10-inches) for warmer weather, but is just as much fun. It will take all win- ter for his fishing buddy Alex Iachtchouk to catch enough fish to make a tasty soup, half-joked Valentin Povolotsky on Saturday as the two To- ronto men packed up in the Legion parking lot after fishing for five hours, catching two small pike. "The water on (Lake) Simcoe is still open," Povolotsky said when asked why they were ice fishing in Fairy Lake. "Last Saturday, I was told the ice here was unsafe," Povolotsky said, but felt that the ice was now thick enough to be safe. Although there were no signs of snowmobile tracks near the ice fishermen, across the lake to the Elizabeth Drive side, work was underway all weekend grooming a large rink built each year by the dad of several hockey players. FROZEN FUN: A dozen ice fishermen drilled holes and set up huts on Fairy Lake on Saturday ­ the first time they felt the ice was thick enough to hold their weight. ­ Frances Learment photo including the type of water, location, time of year and environmental factors like water depth and size of body of water, currents and tides. Other factors include chemicals including salt, fluctuations in water levels, logs, rocks and docks that absorb heat from the sun, changing air temperature, and shock waves from vehicles travelling on the ice. The colour of ice may be an indication of its strength with clear blue ice being the strongest. White, opaque or snow ice is half as strong as blue ice. Opaque ice is formed by wet snow freezing on the ice. Grey ice is unsafe ­ the greyness indicating the presence of water. The Red Cross says ice thickness should be: snowmobiles. Life-saving tips · Check with local authorities before heading out and avoid going out on ice at night. If you get into trouble on ice and you're by yourself after calling for help, resist the immediate urge to climb back out where you fell in because the ice is weak in this area. · Use the air trapped in your clothing to get into a floating position on your stomach and reach forward onto the broken ice without pushing down, kicking your legs to push your torso on the ice. · When you are back on the ice, crawl on your stomach or roll away from the open area with your arms and legs spread out as far as possible to evenly distribute your body weight. Do not stand up but head for shore. Safest rescue Rescuing another person from ice can be dangerous and the safest rescue is from shore. Call for help, and consider how fast trained professionals (police, fire fighters or ambulance) or bystanders can get there. If you can reach the person using a long pole or branch from shore, lie down and extend the pole to the person. · Chiropractic · Rehabilitation · Strength & Conditioning · Acupuncture · Custom Orthotics · Orthopaedic Bracing 19 Mill St. E. Acton, ON L7J 1G8 www.activechoice.ca dr.dselby@gmail.com Rehabilitation Centre 519-853-2244