Lake Monona: Hollywood with asterisks. Courtesy of the waterfowl.
State of the Lakes – Monona and Kegonsa
Lake Monona is Hollywood with asterisks. It looks extraordinary in photos and video, but the holes change everything. We are optimistic that Monona may begin to heal over the next few days, but today’s rain, wind, and temperature swing will be a factor in what comes next.
Perfect ice that you cannot sail – yet!
Lake Kegonsa is a different story. It has been freezing in stages and has likely been locked in for more days than Lake Monona. Reports so far suggest rough ice, but it has not been properly scouted yet. The rain today followed by a sharp freeze could bring Kegonsa close to almost Hollywood conditions.
GRAND SLAM OPEN TENTATIVELY CALLED ON FOR DEC 20-21 ON LAKE KEGONSA
Because of that, the club will spend the next two days scouting Kegonsa with the hope of calling on the Grand Slam Open. We know people are itching to get on the ice and go racing. The Grand Slam Open is traditionally sailed on the first sailable ice of the season, and it has been a long time since we’ve been able to hold one. We are tentatively calling the Grand Slam Open for Saturday and Sunday on Lake Kegonsa, pending ice checks.
This will be a fun set of races for Renegades, DNs, Nites, and Mini-Skeeters. We expect to have final confirmation by Friday afternoon and more details posted here.
This quote from the late Charlie Johnson fits Lake Monona almost too well right now. “If all our ice were glass, slightly wet, and all our air reasonably steady with lifters just where needed, sailing would be perfect. Sometimes we do find this, and it is worth waiting years to have. Meanwhile we must accept the more ordinary ice conditions, ordinary weather and wind, and gracefully accept snow, sometimes for weeks. Our ideal comes from time to time; the Great Maker gives only so much of the very best.”
— Charles H. Johnson 4LIYC member
