Growing up in Guelph, Ontario, I did no snowmobiling, nor did I have any experience venturing out on the ice in Winter. When I found myself attending a small high school near South River, ON having moved there with my family, I was immersed in a culture that was unfamiliar to me. I was surprised to see that my new high school had a snowmobile parking lot! It was not long before I was presented with the opportunity to go snowmobiling between Highway #11 and #69 North of Dunchurch. I was a bit nervous about being on the frozen lakes, but a friend of mine named Ben was able to impart some wisdom and reassurance on me.
"What do I do if my snowmobile goes through the ice?" I asked; a reasonable question in mind.
Without hesitation, Ben responded: "You jump and roll."
The conversation moved on from there and I didn't give it much more thought, after all, Ben did not seem worried.
Saturday came along. 12" of snow had fallen overnight. For those who are not familiar, when snow falls on a frozen lake, the ice is pushed down by the weight and water seeps onto the surface of the ice. When the snow and water mixes, you can get a deep layer of slush on top of the otherwise very thick and and safe ice. Inexperienced snowmobilers often get bogged down and stuck in the slush, causing a headache, but not an emergency.
I wish that Ben and I had expanded our earlier conversation to include slush.
While cruising down a frozen lake on a borrowed 1989 Panther, I was enjoying the beautiful day and the rush of wind in my face. Suddenly, the engine revved as the skis began to sink and the track began to spin in place splashing water beside and behind me. My worst nightmare had in that moment been realized. I was going through the ice. Before my snowmobile had come to a complete stop, I knew that I had to act fast. Glad of the safety talk that Ben and I had earlier in the week, I knew what I had to do to save myself. Jump and roll!
With all of my strength, I launched my body off of the snowmobile to the right side, closest to the shore 50 feet away. As I rolled away from the machine I wondered if it had hit the bottom of the lake yet.
As my friends drove up beside me, they were curious about why I had for no apparent reason jumped off my snowmobile and began rolling in the snow as though I was on fire! The relief that I felt, after realizing that I had not gone through the ice made it much easier to cope with the embarrassment of my rookie mistake and my subsequent nickname.... J.R!
"What do I do if my snowmobile goes through the ice?" I asked; a reasonable question in mind.
Without hesitation, Ben responded: "You jump and roll."
The conversation moved on from there and I didn't give it much more thought, after all, Ben did not seem worried.
Saturday came along. 12" of snow had fallen overnight. For those who are not familiar, when snow falls on a frozen lake, the ice is pushed down by the weight and water seeps onto the surface of the ice. When the snow and water mixes, you can get a deep layer of slush on top of the otherwise very thick and and safe ice. Inexperienced snowmobilers often get bogged down and stuck in the slush, causing a headache, but not an emergency.
I wish that Ben and I had expanded our earlier conversation to include slush.
While cruising down a frozen lake on a borrowed 1989 Panther, I was enjoying the beautiful day and the rush of wind in my face. Suddenly, the engine revved as the skis began to sink and the track began to spin in place splashing water beside and behind me. My worst nightmare had in that moment been realized. I was going through the ice. Before my snowmobile had come to a complete stop, I knew that I had to act fast. Glad of the safety talk that Ben and I had earlier in the week, I knew what I had to do to save myself. Jump and roll!
With all of my strength, I launched my body off of the snowmobile to the right side, closest to the shore 50 feet away. As I rolled away from the machine I wondered if it had hit the bottom of the lake yet.
As my friends drove up beside me, they were curious about why I had for no apparent reason jumped off my snowmobile and began rolling in the snow as though I was on fire! The relief that I felt, after realizing that I had not gone through the ice made it much easier to cope with the embarrassment of my rookie mistake and my subsequent nickname.... J.R!