Property Patrol Report May 2014
Wow that was a tough winter and kept on being tough into May. I had left the lake in mid April for break up however when I returned May 4 the ice was still with us. I managed to hitch a ride on the Bear Island air boat and from Bear Island found a ride to my place with a friend. This was the last day for snowmobiling this year.
It was quite cool the next week, so much so, that it did not look as if the ice would ever go. However on Sunday May 11 the sun came out, the ice started to move and by the end of the day open water appeared where none was before. Over the day and into the night the ice broke down and moved around damaging some docks in the process. I launched a boat the next day and was able to travel to the landing even though some parts of the lake, in particular the north arm, were still locked in.
Tuesday May 13 I was finally able to begin the process of checking over 150 cottage properties, some of whom had not been visited in March due to dangerous travel conditions. To put this in perspective two years ago this process began in Mid April. Last year it was May 4.
So the cottage patrol season thus began a little later than normal however relatively calm waters and a few sunny but still cold days allowed safe and productive travel to all arms of the lake. As always at this time of year we experience some cold and wet windy days which keeps my boat at the dock however all cottages received a visit in an eight day period.
Dozens of mating loon pairs and numerous male mergansers with their bright white plumage were my only company in most bays and narrows.
Accessing 150 members’ docks this month was fairly easy with water levels quite high.What little damage I did observe was once again caused by trees felled by beaver. I am seeing more of this each year. It really is imperative to protect favourite birch and poplar if they are close to buildings with a patch of chicken wire around the base.
All in all it is good news this spring. I saw very little property damage and only one or two docks that suffered damage. After the rash of break ins that we found over the winter no new such intrusions were noted this month.
If you have not heard from me already it appears that all is well on your property.
All the best as we approach the summer season when hopefully we will meet again at the TLA headquarters building. Be sure to stop by and say hi to our two university students, Diana and Julie, who are already on the lake working for us this year taking water samples to send to the labs for testing.
Peter Healy
Chief and only, patrolman