Gathering on ice

Cushman Brook (near Puffer's Pond) - 2/5/2023
Photo by Sharon Vardatira

The last two days saw record-breaking cold in the area, with the temperature dipping to -14F overnight Friday into Saturday. To make matters worse, the wind was unyielding, whipping through the trees and driving wind chill readings down to -40F by pre-dawn on Saturday. In a season that has been unusually mild, it was something of a shock. Local residents were suddenly forced to think about warming up our cars, preventing pipes from freezing, and dressing in multiple layers to walk our dogs.

On Saturday, while many were happy to hunker down and wait for temperatures to stop breaking low records, this was the moment the most intrepid ice fishers and skaters had been waiting for all winter. With temps hovering around 12F (albeit above zero) by the afternoon, Puffer's Pond was the place to be for about 30 people, many of whom were spread out over the ice, either ice fishing or playing hockey in twos and threes. While this is a fairly typical sight at Puffer's in the coldest winter months, our current lack of snow made it unique. No one had to contend with snowpack - the skaters didn't even have to clear a "field" for their game. And with all the hiking paths snow- and ice-free, cell phone photographers had no trouble capturing water flowing through, under, and around layers of ice gripping Cushman Brook. And, still, at 12F, without hand and foot warmers, I did not linger long.

By today, the temperature had climbed to the mid-40s, and Puffer's was jumping. Taking advantage of the combination of higher temps and still-solid ice, skaters far outnumbered the last few determined ice fishers by the afternoon. The clack of hockey sticks and metal grinding over ice reverberated across the pond. Roadside parking was hard to come by.

I turned in the other direction, taking the Kevin Flood Trail away from the noise. The few people I passed, almost all walking dogs, were unusually friendly. We greeted each other, remarking on the weather and the scenery. Some version of "oh, isn't it beautiful?" was shared repeatedly between strangers. I wasn't sure if "beautiful" was the right word exactly - the woods are abundant with barren trees and decaying leaves. But there was something about the afternoon - maybe just that we were outside, senses on alert, taking it all in, and not freezing.

The temps will be rising quickly in the coming week, climbing even to 50F in the days to come. So, I'm guessing the skaters and ice fishers won't be here much longer.