March 1, 1997

Ice Observations for Marquette Area Provided by Marlene

the pressure ridge along the rock cut seems to have melted down, the hills are not so pronounced. they are 2-3 feet thick on top then form a ridge over another foot or 2 of ice before it's in the water. extending from the the p.r. white ice in big huge chunks approx. 8" thick ( the ones closer to the mouth of the carp river) to the distance of the end point of the of the of the break wall. beyond that point to the horizon was ice of a brighter white color. in lower harbor thin transparent ice delicately brushed with snow sheets of huge pieces between the 2 breakwalls, lots of broken ice 6-8" thick in pile ups everywhere, some were vertical jutting up to 2' out of the water, beautiful. the color was incredible, it is the color of the Mediterranean sea when the ferry is braking against a port wall, do you know what i mean? it is the color of the undersides of these broken ice pile ups. in upper harbor there is a thin transparent layer of ice, the first time i've seen ice there. of course the hot pond never freezes, today it was steaming. at presque isle, the water was free flowing, actually vigorously lapping . water to the horizon line, except for about 1/6 of the horizon hadd a white line on it. west of the isle, there was more of the same kind of broken white piled up ice with the same awesome color as between the break walls.