Walking on water

[Water Woman]

I was getting togged up to go out for supplies this morning when I heard voices very close to me on the canal side of the boat. I knew it was not boat passing as that is not possible just now but was surprised to see a couple and their dog walking past the boat on the iced up canal! It really is very thickly frozen but I don't think I would risk it. Has anyone else had a stroll on it??

Edited January 9, 2010 by Water Woman

[Liam]

I have only risked it on our local park pond which is about 18 inches deep.

 

A load of kids were playing ice hockey earlier on a straight stretch of cut near to my moorings.

[Kez]

I fell through it. slipped off the towpath and straight through the ice. The ice shredded the left leg on my last pair of jeans!

One of my friends was walking on it though. I dont think he meant too, he'd had a bit to much to drink..

[johnjo]

No one likes to be proved wrong but I hope I am when I say I can see further tragedies being reported.

 

What is it that encourages people to walk on the frozen canal? is it some form of bravery idiotic belief in being able to walk on water when it does break, there is a perfectly good towpath, use it.

 

If we were told that we HAD to walk on the ice we'd all be up in arms.

 

I know many of us oldies did it as kids, but that's before we knew what fear was, and when we had proper severe winters when even the sea froze.

 

Please, please don't do it. Whether I agree or disagree, like or dislike anyone on here I don't want to hear they've drowned.

 

'So people, be careful out there'

 

Rant over.

[gbmud]

I know many of us oldies did it as kids, but that's before we knew what fear was, and when we had proper severe winters when even the sea froze.

 

 

Hell bells, I did not think of myself as an oldie, I am 36! I suppose I will have to get used to it sooner or later.

 

I remember, must have been the winter of 1986 at a guess, walking (and cycling without much success!) on a pond in a park in Edinburgh/Leith. There were folk ice skating too. The ice was pretty thick and the pond, I assume, not that deep.

 

Chris

[Heffalump]

I really want to, but I've only just had my skates sharpened and I don't want to ruin them lol

[Midnight Rider]

As I mentioned in another thread, I & many others walked across the Avon at Stratford in 1963.

 

I wouldn't have liked to be the first one to try, but when you see others there & no cracking noises, it seems like a good idea.

 

It's a case of ' been there, done that, don't think i'll try it again'

 

Tony

[TheWilk]

I was walking on the Lancaster last night. It's solid as a rock. People keep walking past my boat on the ice and I hear no creaking or cracking at all. Saw a big lad trying to smash the ice with a piece of wood almost the size of a railway sleeper and he was getting nowhere.

 

I'm just worried about the local otter!

[johnjo]

Hell bells, I did not think of myself as an oldie, I am 36! I suppose I will have to get used to it sooner or later.

 

I remember, must have been the winter of 1986 at a guess, walking (and cycling without much success!) on a pond in a park in Edinburgh/Leith. There were folk ice skating too. The ice was pretty thick and the pond, I assume, not that deep.

 

Chris

 

I thought it was always cold & freezing up there.

[Ange]

A chappie was walking on the canal near our boat yesterday with his young son. They actually walked quite close to the bridge hole where it is still water.

 

It's ok for him to risk his own life but I'd question whether he should make that decision for his son. Also what does that tell his son to do next time the canal freezes?

[Toddlesocks]

The guy moored opposite built a little snowman out on the ice, maybe a snow duck might have been more fitting as i could not help think he was quackers even although its not that deep where he is.

[Smelly]

I gave suitably disapproving looks to two gents today. They sounded like they may well not have much English so had to stick to disapproving looks and waving my hand.

 

I think trying to explain that not 10 feet from where chappie was standing on the ice, his mate holding his arm limply, the paddle was open on the top lock as BW were running water down and if he'd've slipped he'd be a gonner.

 

Quite a curious sight as well, where the lock's half empty and there's a shelf of ice where the waterline used to be...

[Derek R.]

A chappie was walking on the canal near our boat yesterday with his young son. They actually walked quite close to the bridge hole where it is still water.

 

It's ok for him to risk his own life but I'd question whether he should make that decision for his son. Also what does that tell his son to do next time the canal freezes?

 

That's exactly why people have accidents and drown; walk across the road and get killed; fall off badly placed ladders - copying their parents/peers.

 

Walking around with Ipod wires dangling, sleepwalking into danger.

 

Fools are ten a penny - they're produced by Television.

 

It's a novelty to many - never seen the cut frozen over. Then they try and break it, and it gets littered with timber and bricks - all the kids do it - done it myself at that age. Then the skater goes through a bridg'ole and there's a crack and a splosh, and with layers of clothing on he's quickly in trouble as he can't find his feet and he's too heavy to climb out unassisted. Got less than five minutes survival time.

 

Ironically, and in many ways, commonsense has been killed by 'effin' safety.

 

Derek

[sunshine sport]

I only had the bottle to put one foot on the canal at Broad Street in Birmingham yesterday.

[FrigateCaptain]

Wouldnt even try it

[reg]

Good reason not to

 

Link

 

edit to add condolences to the families. I know the area well

Edited January 10, 2010 by reg

[haggis]

With ther canal being iced over, "baddies" are getting easy access to the BW yard and boats moored on the non towpath side on the Union canal. Footprints can be seen in the inch or so of snow on top of the ice. Doesn't do much to catch them though as the towpath itself is well used and therefore covered in prints. I think it is time for the snow to go ! It is almost 4 weeks since we saw any water in the canal or grass in the fields.

 

haggis

[Mat B]

 

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_iFDNKcaY37Y/S0ohRVIF...katers%2001.jpg

 

Field near Dog-in-a-doublet lock - river Nene

 

 

The field is flooded each year for the convenience of skaters.

[bag 'o' bones]

Yep its thick enough.

 

Brownhills, Shropshire Union just past Market Drayton towards Nantwich

 

 

Edited January 10, 2010 by bag 'o' bones

[TheWilk]

I usually keep my blinds on the offside open for light... last night I was sitting in my cabin reading at chucking-out time and some f---wit puts his head RIGHT UP to my window and starts saying hello! The cheek! And then acted like I was a spoilsport when I repeatedly told him to go forth and multiply. You wouldn't do that to someone's house, and no one's ever stuck their nose in the towpath side windows.

 

I've said before, the ice is very solid here, but it will be at its thinnest right next to the boats. Maybe I should put up a cordon?

[bag 'o' bones]

I usually keep my blinds on the offside open for light... last night I was sitting in my cabin reading at chucking-out time and some f---wit puts his head RIGHT UP to my window and starts saying hello! The cheek! And then acted like I was a spoilsport when I repeatedly told him to go forth and multiply. You wouldn't do that to someone's house, and no one's ever stuck their nose in the towpath side windows.

 

I've said before, the ice is very solid here, but it will be at its thinnest right next to the boats. Maybe I should put up a cordon?

 

Have to admit its quite amusing......

[matty40s]

however, in future smash the ice on a regular basis,

 

and he may change his words to Heelllppp

 

and then you will get an award and a cheque.

 

 

unless the program is really good, and then you will just get lots of POLICE-KEEP OUT tape round your boat for a week.

Edited January 10, 2010 by matty40s

[Heffalump]

so so tempted to go skating

[PeterScott]

Freezeup of 1970-71 completely covered Fazeley Junction: normally-sane-crewmember decided that walking across would be fun. Halfway across it seemed less fun, and cracks started to appear. Stood still to not-make-nastiness-worse. Decided that if falling in was inevitable then clothes would be unpleasantly detrimental to getting out - so took most of them off and threw to the bank, before gently retracing steps without further mishap. Crew on bridge thought all this was most amusing. Very scary in retrospect.

 

Later in the trip, ice melted during the night, followed by knocking on outside of the hull, ignored until the morning. Body. Unrelated to above incident, and had been in the frozen canal for some days. Always find noises-in-the-night worrying. Hmmmm.

[luctor et emergo]

so so tempted to go skating

 

 

Stop moaning, and just get your skates on.....

 

god, we used to be on the ice as early as we could , and got our skates out. You have been moaning for days about not wanting to damage your skates? Well, don't worry, because if you are not going to use your skates, you won't damage them...

 

 

whimp