More news from Poolburn and Manorburn on the weekend from Chip off the ice block.

Poolburn gives on more »

Lower Manorburn – Skate-able ice in Rush Cutters – old ice pack on half of it and new ice over the rest – thinning out to 25mm. Rest of main basin – maybe up to 35mm of ice – not safe. Other skate-able areas if you look and are careful. Old ice is safe. Hard and dry.

Poolburn – 80mm down to 40mm over most of main bay. Mix of snow ice and new ice. New ice is thinner and cracks. Skate-able around small island and whole main area. Rest of dam unknown as was too warm to venture too far. Surface -hard- from smooth black ice to bumpy old (snow) ice. Great skate! Road muddy with the thaw.

Skate with the frost.

Will it last……?

More posts are up on Chip off the ice block, including what may potentially be the last ice report of skateable ice for the season.

• Ice man is back
• Last lump of ice


Lump of ice in Rushcutters bay at Lower Manorburn dam. Photo courtesy of Dave Young.

Chip off the ice block reported over 100 mm of ice in Rushcutters bay at the Lower Manorburn dam yesterday. The ice was reportedly wet and there is a problem with weeds and rubbish on the ice. More information is available on the “One more for 2011 blog post“.

Testing the ice out at Rush Cutters bay on the Lower Manorburn dam

More reports are up on Chip off the ice block:

• Pier-ing at the ice
• Early Morning Skate

8.30am – Thick ice in Rush Cutters down to 40-50 on other side of main basin. Water in gorge either side. Some snow effect still in places and some rubbish thrown on the ice. Ice hard and silent. Good skate if you pick your spots.

Weed ruining the surface in Rush Cutters as the day warms and beware thin ice as you head up towards the neck. Skate early with a frost (if the ice holds)!

Manorburn and Coalpit both have skateable ice at the moment, but Idaburn does not according to the latest Chip off the ice block report.

Check out the full report for the complete details.

More reports from Chip off the ice block are available:

• More dam skating
• As good as it gets!