Ice, ice, baby

Every year around this time I start to feel the anticipation of paddling in or, rather, between and through the sea ice that drifts near our coast.  So, I start looking at ice maps supplied by Environment Canada.

Its looking good but there's still some time before it drifts our way.  The red and the related "Egg Code" indicates, in the coloured areas, the ice concentration is 9+/10.  So, in a 10 square meter area, more than 9 square meters is ice.  Further information includes:

• 4/10 is old ice and 6/10 is new ice, formed in the current year,
• the 6/10 new ice is thin ice in small floes, and
• the 4/10 old ice is composed of small ice cake.

I'm skeptical that there's any old ice in that ice pack and if it was it certainly wouldn't be small ice cake but that's what they're telling me.

Nevertheless, now we need wind in the right direction to blow it into our vicinity.  Last year I had my ice paddle in Torbay on April 3rd.  Still some time to go.  I'll be paying close attention to the ice maps in the coming days and weeks.