How to survive spring and summer lake ice

I am writing this letter to inform the public at large about the dangers of walking and travelling on top of spring and summer lake ice.

On June 12, I had gone on a day hike with my wife and two daughters, along with a friend of my wife, to a fishing lake north of Kimmirut about 45 minutes away.

After spending about an hour at Tasikutaaq, we proceeded to a smaller lake another 20 minutes away further north.

Another half hour was spent fishing and looking for suitable holes to fish through. On my way back to the spot where my daughter was fishing, I did not notice that I had strayed from the safe areas that we knew were thick enough to support our weights.

My right leg started sinking through the ice and then my left leg started sinking. I was in about a foot of “candle ice” — the most dangerous type of ice to walk on.

The ice is about one centimetre to two centimetres thick, depending on the length of the ice. It is clear ice and fragile to the touch.

With candle ice, it does not matter how thick the ice is. It is the weight of the person that dictates whether a person will sink through it or not.

It also depends on how long a person keeps his weight on the ice. A person walking rapidly or running across has a better chance of staying on top of the ice. Just remember to have a definite goal or area you are trying to reach.

Better yet, if and when you feel the ice is dangerous, do not go.

I had my doubts about the ice but went anyway. I was not careful and observant enough to prevent myself from sinking through the ice.

In the seconds that it took for me to sink though the ice, I was lucky enough to remember a commercial that aired on APTN. In it, a person goes through some ice and I remember the announcer saying that if you’re going through, don’t just stand there sinking.

Fall forward, backward, any direction, so that you end up at least partially on top of the ice. I fell forward onto the ice and remembered not to use my hands or feet, but used all of my arms and legs as supports and kept my body weight right on top of the ice without lifting the rest of my body.

I kept my centre of gravity as close to the ice as possible and shimmied to safety. Do not raise your centre of gravity. I tried and my right arm went right through the ice anyway.

I shimmied forwards towards my daughter and concentrated on distributed my weight equally between all points of contact with the ice. I was ready to request assistance if I felt I needed it. I did not.

I did not want to expose any other person to the same threat. After reaching safe ice, I got up on my hands and knees and crawled the rest of the way.

Immediately upon reaching land, I stripped down and took off all my wet clothing for me to wear. I also brought along a small stove and build a small shelter away from the wind. I also had hot tea and food supplies to help keep me from getting cold.

The rest of the day was uneventful. I did manage to catch two fish that day.

I hope that others will read this and keep in mind that when you don’t respect nature, it will get back at you. You have to stay observant and be aware of everything and anything, any time you go out on the land.

Paul Onalik
Kimmirut

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