Bernie Posted April 10, 2011 Report Share Posted April 10, 2011 The lake is beginning to open and the ice is softening so it makes a trip to the island impossible by anything I own. A friend however has an airboat and was kind enough to take me across. Wow, what a thrill to ride in. You can feel the soft ice give way under the boat and open water he needed to give it more throttle. Hard ice it was only just above idle to keep it moving. It has plenty of power with a 350 cubic inch Corvette engine turning a 3 blade propeller. You have to stay well back behind this thing as the ice and water were being pushed at least 30 meters. Here is my pilot, Mark Purdon, a long time friend that operates Wades Landing and Anglers Haven. A view from the boat underway. While out here it's a good time to do some cleanup around the shoreline so I burned up some fallen branches and driftwood. Also installed hydraulic steering in my boat. This morning while checking out the forum and having a coffee a motion caught my eye outside. Had a visitor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skeeter Posted April 10, 2011 Report Share Posted April 10, 2011 Awesome report Bernie! The air boat ride , then the fox. I bet you didnt know you had a new neighbor that was a real foxie lady. I think she will be around your place for a long time. At least the left overs wont go to waste. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roy Posted April 10, 2011 Report Share Posted April 10, 2011 WOW! That thing must fly! I always wonder what kind of structure those boats have to have to be able to withstand going on and off ice...hitting ice floes etc... It appears as though he really looks after it though. Fox is an interesting animal..I've had them in my yard in the burbs. I'd be worried about them boldly walking around my deck but that one is clearly not mangy. Hide you chickens. Great thread Bernie, thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mercman Posted April 10, 2011 Report Share Posted April 10, 2011 (edited) Nice report Bernie drivers big smile saying Faster? I bet the adrenaline was just a flowin' Looks like you have a beautiful piece of Gods country there too. Paul Edited April 10, 2011 by mercman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Bailey Posted April 10, 2011 Report Share Posted April 10, 2011 Sounds like a blast, what a way to start the open water season! Prettiest member of the entire canidae family, in my not so humble opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kickingfrog Posted April 10, 2011 Report Share Posted April 10, 2011 Nice, eco-friendly varmint control. Ever since the Mutual of Omaha wildlife tv shows from my youth I've wanted to own one of those air boats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joey Posted April 10, 2011 Report Share Posted April 10, 2011 That's cool Bernie, sounds like that ride would be a blast. Wonder if the fox is friendly or just curious? Either way, beautiful animal. Joey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bernie Posted April 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2011 Awesome report Bernie! The air boat ride , then the fox. I bet you didnt know you had a new neighbor that was a real foxie lady. I think she will be around your place for a long time. At least the left overs wont go to waste. Actually I hope it hangs around. It appears healthy and there are lots of squirrels to take care of. I threw some leftovers out for it. WOW! That thing must fly! I always wonder what kind of structure those boats have to have to be able to withstand going on and off ice...hitting ice floes etc... It appears as though he really looks after it though. Fox is an interesting animal..I've had them in my yard in the burbs. I'd be worried about them boldly walking around my deck but that one is clearly not mangy. Hide you chickens. Great thread Bernie, thanks. Ya, I bet it would go faster than you wanted it to, on ice especially. Its a fully enclosed cab with a heater but still really LOUD. The hull is well over an inch thick but he did damage it last winter. Nice report Bernie drivers big smile saying Faster? I bet the adrenaline was just a flowin' Looks like you have a beautiful piece of Gods country there too. Paul Ha, adrenaline for sure! It was smooth on soft ice and the water but the hard ice sure shook it good. Sounds like a blast, what a way to start the open water season! Prettiest member of the entire canidae family, in my not so humble opinion. Not quite open water Dave, that's why the airboat ride. A week or two depending on weather and I'll be back in the boat. Yes, they are a pretty animal. Nice, eco-friendly varmint control. Ever since the Mutual of Omaha wildlife tv shows from my youth I've wanted to own one of those air boats. An airboat is a great way to travel but you would have to have a need for it. There are more efficient, quieter and better handling ways to get around. But for situations like the way it is now it's great. That's cool Bernie, sounds like that ride would be a blast. Wonder if the fox is friendly or just curious? Either way, beautiful animal. Joey It was a fun ride Joey. And I'll get another ride back home this afternoon. It's really quiet out here right now. Only the wildlife and me. I just happened to luck out with the picture. I have seen a fox out here before picking up food scraps but it's been a few years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fang Posted April 10, 2011 Report Share Posted April 10, 2011 I sure don't miss those airboat rides on Temagami. Really hard on the kidneys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bernie Posted April 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 11, 2011 Couldn't load this on dial up. Here is a quick video clip of the ride across Fish Bay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Bailey Posted April 11, 2011 Report Share Posted April 11, 2011 Not quite open water Dave, that's why the airboat ride. As long as there's a hole in the ice big enough for a canoe I call it the start of open water season! Man, I hate the cold... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Headhunter Posted April 11, 2011 Report Share Posted April 11, 2011 Nice post Bernie.... looks like fun... and I bet that fox is wondering where the sophisticated meatballs are hiding! HH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joey Posted April 11, 2011 Report Share Posted April 11, 2011 Whooohoooo, great video, looked smooth there for awhile, then it got pretty bumpy near the end Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnyb Posted April 11, 2011 Report Share Posted April 11, 2011 Love the video --- and man oh man did it ever look rough when you got back on the ice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishnsled Posted April 11, 2011 Report Share Posted April 11, 2011 (edited) Great report Bernie. I wonder if it was the fox that was around there in the winter with it's eyes staring back at night? Great to see some open water up that way. Nice treat for you to get out to the cottage during this in between season. Joe, I think the meatballs must be petrified by now. Edited April 11, 2011 by fishnsled Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Headhunter Posted April 11, 2011 Report Share Posted April 11, 2011 Great report Bernie. I wonder if it was the fox that was around there in the winter with it's eyes staring back at night? Great to see some open water up that way. Nice treat for you to get out to the cottage during this in between season. Joe, I think the meatballs must be petrified by now. I gotta admit, that I'd be pretty scared of them as well! HH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Posted April 11, 2011 Report Share Posted April 11, 2011 looks like a fun ride Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bernie Posted April 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 11, 2011 Nice post Bernie.... looks like fun... and I bet that fox is wondering where the sophisticated meatballs are hiding! HH That's what the fox must have been living on Joe. Each meatball had to have 10,000 calories. Whooohoooo, great video, looked smooth there for awhile, then it got pretty bumpy near the end Love the video --- and man oh man did it ever look rough when you got back on the ice The hard ice made it a bronco. Was glad to hit open water. Great report Bernie. I wonder if it was the fox that was around there in the winter with it's eyes staring back at night? Great to see some open water up that way. Nice treat for you to get out to the cottage during this in between season. Joe, I think the meatballs must be petrified by now. Ya Will, forgot about that! Good possibility that's what it was. looks like a fun ride It was quite an experience Terry. I was a little more at ease on the return trip. He offered to let me drive it. Think I'll wait until open water season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mercman Posted April 11, 2011 Report Share Posted April 11, 2011 Awesome Vid Bernie ! Did ya break any teeth with all that shakin' around? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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