A handful of determined ice sailers prepared their vessels for an outing from the North Shrewsbury Ice Boat & Yacht Club Monday afternoon. (Click to enlarge)
Ice boating is back on the Navesink.
The vessel that serves as the Borough of Red Bank’s official logo image returned to the frozen river for the first time this season, courtesy of a determination by the North Shrewsbury Ice Boat & Yacht Club’s safety committee that sailing was safe.
According to a recording on the club’s “iceline,” the committee determined that there was sailable ice beneath about an inch of compacted snow Sunday morning. A line of Christmas trees was laid out, and sailers were cautioned to stay south of it.
In addition, orange cones were arranged to show a safe passage to a large plate of ice to the east.
On Monday, redbankgreen found temporary rear commodore Dan Clapp of Fair Haven and a handful of other iceboaters preparing for their first sail of the season.
“We heard they were sailing, so we said, let’s give it a try,” Clapp said.
Weather forecasts suggest the ice will stick around for the next few days, at least.
Ice conditions updates are available by calling 732.747.5665. And remember: never go out onto the ice alone.
