Tuesday, April 11, 2006

What's Wrong Here?


I see at least two nasty things here. First, of course, is the presence of that ridiculous barrier, pretending to block honest paddlers from getting to the water, a public resource. Around here access to the water is becoming more and more the right of the rich and the rest of the world be damned. Paddle in the rain puddles and "Eat cake!" is the message to the 'hoi paloi'.

The other problem is that white skim on the water: ICE! While there is a margin of water to paddle in next to the shore, it is a trap for the unwary. The wind shifts the ice around and can quite suddenly push it against the shore line forcing a paddler either onto the land (not too bad) or, if the shore is steep, then the paddler has to scramble onto the ice itself for safety. This almost always results in the paddler going into the water, as the ice is too weak to support one's weight, and as this is going on, one's boat is usually churned up in the tumbling ice being crushed against the shore. All in all, not a happy picture.

The answer to both problems is to remove them. Out with the barrier, free the access points, and out with the ice, free the water. Where's 'global warming' when it's needed!

Actually the ice formed three weeks late this year and if it break up this week, will do so about ten days earlier than normal. We barely had a winter this year, so I'm using Google Earth to examine the south coast of Baffin for possible real estate bonanzas. I want a site house site on a quiet bay with a sandy beach before the prices go through the roof!

1 comment:

Tillerman said...

If what they say about global warming is true you would do better to buy property on the 10 meter contour line. That's where the waterfront will be in a few years.