3 More Snowmobilers Drown !!!!

[fishindevil]

Well i just heard on the 6pm news that on the lake of bays near huntsville 3 snowmobilers drown,after going off the marked trail on the lake,and travelled right into open water,the opp divers have recovered all 3 bodies,there was no names or where they are from...its too bad,it happened again,it should be on the news again tonight. just thought everyone should know,take care out there everyone !!!!!

[Sinker]

There will be more this season......its a bad year for ice travel.

 

I was up in that area on the weekend, and was amazed at all the open water. I knew it would only be a matter of time before we heard the reports of snowmobilers in the water........I wouldn't travel any lakes up there on machine!!

 

Sinker

[ccmtcanada]

Lots of these stories coming out recently. Very sad indeed. It seems that with the last few mild winters, as soon as people saw all the snow they equated it with cold temps for good ice to form. I hope I dont see another story like this!!

[iceguy]

Tragic. I wonder if they were wearing floaters suits?

[FishFinder]

Tragic. I wonder if they were wearing floaters suits?

the opp divers have recovered all 3 bodies

[iceguy]

Why the expensive machines and no floater suits. Just in case.

[FishFinder]

These guys have much bigger problems than not wearing float suits, how you manage to ride into open water is beyond me

[muskieb]

Just came back from our cottage halfway between Bracebridge and Lake of Bays and man are the lakes a mess. Went out to open up a hole Saturday morning for water and put my toe through my hole from two weeks earlier, only half an inch of ice had formed in all that time. A ton of snow on the lakes, and our lake anyways has no clear ice, nothing but ugly white ice.

 

There were a few sled tracks across the lake so like the idiot I am I looked for a nice access point that would allow for a fast entry and I took a run across the lake back to the cottage. It was a good indication of just how bad the lake is, as my 700cc triple would not break 70mph in the deep snow and slush. I would not recommend anyone venture out on any of the lakes in that area without exercising extreme caution as the ice conditions are not very favourable.

 

My thoughts go out to the families of the deceased.

[Rizzo]

only half an inch of ice had formed in all that time. A ton of snow on the lakes

 

all that snow sure can be a great insulator...bad news for ice formation

[Mike the Pike]

So sad again another tragedy.

 

I wish more of us could be involved in preventing such tragedies.Perhaps its time local goverments post warning signs when conditions are not safe.Maybe a stiff fine if violaters ignore.Maybe a group of volunteers could put up warning signs with the funding for signs coming from local government.Or its time to launch some adds .commercials during our favorite fishing,hunting and recreational TV shows.

 

We have seen the adds don't drink and Drive well how about a few more seconds warning of the decline of safe ice in the last few years.

 

Yes common sence would be good but so many so experienced lose their lives.

 

Hope someone is listening maybe the government.Far too many precious lives being lost this year.

 

My sympathies to the families.

 

MTP

[Big Cliff]

MTP; All the signs in the world won't stop people from going out, we hear it on the news "ice conditions unsafe" we read it in the papers.....There is always someone that thinks it doesn't apply to them or thinks that it must be somewhere else. Sadly it's not only those people that don't make it that suffer, it is the ones left behind!

 

SkelzWoods: try travelling at 50 mph+ at night on a white surface when you can only see 200' in front of you at best. You are moving @ 73.3'/second (and many of these guys are doing a lot more than 50 mph.) Unfortunatly the normal reaction is to hit the brakes and try to stop when in fact the best thing you can do is to pin it and shift your weight back. You'd be surprised at how far you can go on open water, ever watched any of the open water races with sleds? If you keep your speed up and make your turn gradual you can even get turned around and get back to solid ice again.

 

Anyway, it is always sad to hear of someone going out to have a little fun and loosing their life because of it!

[Hookset]

This is extremely devastating for this community.

Baysville only has about 300 full time residents in the winter and it's a community of families.

I just moved from there about 5 years ago.

 

A sad day to say the least.

 

Just found out the names:

Leslie Newman, 24, his longtime friend Derek Genereux, 28, and Derek's stepfather Norman MacDonald, 38

 

 

Hookset.

Edited February 11, 2008 by Hookset

[steverowbotham]

i couldnt imagine my stepfather being just 10 years older than me

[bucktail]

Rizzo is exactly right.

Too much snow this year = insulation for the ice making.

[lunkerbasshunter]

i feel for the families big time.

 

However, If they left the staked trails I dont care if they are from toronto or from baysville its still as dangerous when you leave the staked trails and i cant say im surprised it was locals. Just like the locals that went down on south simcoe back in dec.

I have heard of more then a few trails that are closed becasue of unsafe ice and if you check out the ofsc website it clearly tells you to stay on the staked trails on most lakes in central ontario.

 

Its such a shame, this is how snowmobilers get a bad wrap. I must admit, the case for floater suits for lake runners is making more and more sense.

 

Stay safe out there all!

 

Cheers!