There was an upside to all the rain and pestilence this weekend; some waterways that had been frozen over into the first days of April finally opened up as ice gave way to the onslaught of rain and wind.
On Friday, Lake Quinsigamond was closed all but for about a 900 meter stretch of clear water. Anita Correnty of the Art of Rowing reported that, on the morning of Saturday, April 2nd, "there were large sections of ice on the lake and several of the rowing
coaches were out in launches trying to break up the ice. They just kept running over it with the boats, forward, backward. It rained all day yesterday, and most of the night.
"This morning (April 3rd) the water is moving again for the first time since last fall, and there were college crews out racing in whitecaps."
"Photographic proof is attached;" see Anita's snaps:
Lake Quinsigamond ice floes, April 2
Racing on Lake Quinsigamond, April 3
Unfortunately, the thaw does not bode well for everyone, as downstream river rowers in many parts of the country are already facing very high water levels and fast currents. Here's to spring finally settling in for all of us.