Bogley

Sombeech · Joined: 09 Dec 2004 Posts: 12588 Location: The Rubbish Bin

This strange weather phenomenon happened in Newfoundland where the waves were actually frozen as they crashed on the beach. Wouldnt want to go surfing that day.

CarpeyBiggs · Joined: 18 Mar 2007 Posts: 1853 Location: Fairbanks, AK

Cool to see how it forms. This actually happens on Utah Lake quite frequently as well. I will see if I can dig up some pictures from it last year. The ice towers end up being like 20 feet tall. Very wild stuff.

CarpeyBiggs · Joined: 18 Mar 2007 Posts: 1853 Location: Fairbanks, AK

Utah Lake last winter.

CarpeyBiggs · Joined: 18 Mar 2007 Posts: 1853 Location: Fairbanks, AK

And another.

JP · Joined: 04 Jan 2007 Posts: 5765 Location: Not Sure

Sombeech wrote: the waves were actually frozen as they crashed on the beach.
Now that's a cold day :haha: :haha:

accadacca · Joined: 02 Dec 2004 Posts: 7853 Location: On Your Screen

That is trippy man. Do waves get that big on Utah Lake Dan? The pictures show that they kinda do? I know that it is shallow and can get sketchy in wind storms. :popcorn:

CarpeyBiggs · Joined: 18 Mar 2007 Posts: 1853 Location: Fairbanks, AK

accadacca wrote: That is trippy man. Do waves get that big on Utah Lake Dan? The pictures show that they kinda do? I know that it is shallow and can get sketchy in wind storms. :popcorn:
Good question. I've never been out there when there are 40 mile an hour winds in the winter, but I know it gets crazy. Sometimes, the piles of ice are 40 feet tall, and block the entire road. I think what happens is that the lake is frozen, and as it starts to thaw, chunks of ice break up. Then, a cold spell comes, and combine with lots of wind, the bigger pieces get pushed up on shore at the same time as the waves crashing in, so the piles get enormous, and then the wind freezes them back together. I dunno for sure though, that's just my best guess. Haven't seen any yet this year. Last year I saw them in February.

I have hung out on the dike before though when a storm is raging. Swells can easily get to 5 or 6 feet. That's part of the reason the lake is so muddy, there is no stabilizing vegetation on the lake bottom, and the big storms just tear it apart.

accadacca · Joined: 02 Dec 2004 Posts: 7853 Location: On Your Screen

This is a little off the subject. But do you remember when Geneva had that pipe going out into the lake. They used to call it the "bubble up" because it would bubble about 200 feet from the shore at the end of the pipe. What the hell were they pumping into the lake? I think that I heard it was just exhaust or something, not sure. But some of my friends used to say "hell no" to water skiing out there. Any real reason not to be in the water at Utah Lake or even eat the fish for that matter. Of course Geneva is long gone now. :popcorn:

CarpeyBiggs · Joined: 18 Mar 2007 Posts: 1853 Location: Fairbanks, AK

Not sure what they were pumping, but the days of Utah Lake being nasty are pretty much long gone. The public still fears it, for some reason, but it is coming back nicely. Fortunately, a new commission to protect and revitalize the lake has been approved by the legislature, and hopefully it will continue to come back.

The biggest issue right now are the carp. There are plans to remove up 50,000 pounds a day of carp out of the lake, for 150 days a year for the next 7 years, in an attempt to get the population to a manageable level. Once that happens, the vegetation will come back on the bottom of the lake, and the wind won't be able to tear up the shallow bottom, and it might even be clear again... Let's hope, it is a fantastic resource to have just sitting out there, waiting to be reclaimed.

There is absolutely no reason not to waterski on Utah Lake. It just gets a little murky sometimes, but there is no other issues to be concerned about. But hey, when it's only 10 minutes away, it's pretty nice.

accadacca · Joined: 02 Dec 2004 Posts: 7853 Location: On Your Screen

Yeah, it is great to have it so close and the mountain views on that lake are terrific. It's a shame that is got misused, but I am glad that they are cleaning it up. :nod:

Reedus · Joined: 10 Jan 2006 Posts: 484

I can think of a few good reasons that the lake sucks for watersports. First and foremost is the deceiving depth and the randon sand bars. Not only have we torn up more than one outdrive on that lake, but there have been a few times when I have wiped out on the wakeboard and found that I am only thigh deep in the water. Kinda makes you nervous not to be able to see depth or underlying objects.

deathcricket · Joined: 14 Jan 2006 Posts: 1104 Location: St George

Oh wow that is amazing! My wonder quickly turned into fear after watching it for a bit though. I was quickly expecting that little shack to get ground into powder. I would be interested to see how much damage that "event" actually caused. I guess docks are pretty resilient though so maybe not?

Bizarre video to be sure.