Fog and Thermodynamics

Winter has arrived at Bear Lake.  So far my predictions of above average snow made by observing the number of pine squirrel invading my yard is holding true.  I am just relieved that I don't need to hear about drought and climate changes when the news stations have nothing else to report on.

Winter in Bear Lake has a number of characteristics that don't change from year to year.  The fog is the most prominent one.  Now a quick lesson in thermodynamics.  As the surface water temperature on the lake is warmer than the air temperature condensation starts to occur.  Lots of people will say "the lake is steaming" which is incorrect.

 Vaporization occurs when a liquid is heated to its boiling point at which time the liquid turns into a gas.  Condensation is when a gas turns to a liquid by cooling.  On a cold winter morning,  evaporation is occurring on the lake as long as it is liquid not ice covered.  Evaporation is when a water surface turns from a liquid, directly to a gas.  Another unique characteristic of water.  The water from evaporation is turned into a liquid from gas by the cold air.  These little droplets or ice crystals form the fog we see.

We will see this cycle occur frequently as the winter progresses and the lake approaches freezing.  Depending on the day, wind and temperature the whole Valley will be filled with "cotton" as you look at it from the over look. 

Some days, the fog will hang over the valley, drift to the valley floor during the night and when it lifts in the morning everything is covered with hoarfrost.  Hoarfrost occurs when condensation (when the lake is evaporating and cooling) freezes to solid items whose temperature are below the dew point.  That is why when we have these spectacular mornings with hoarfrost on everything you can actually determine which materials hold heat better.  Dark limbs have less than light colored limbs and so on.

One last observation.  Most of us have seen Grandma hanging out her clothes in the middle of the winter only to have them freeze solid and then dry.  This dynamic activity is called sublimination which is when water goes from a liquid to a solid and then due to cold from a solid directly back into a gas.

You get to experience a lot of things living next to a large temperate lake.  Luckily water is such a unique matter and a more extensive education in physics and thermodynamics will help you understand why.  Yea, I know, we all hated physics.  I hope you look a fog and winter days differently now. 

              

 I am sure that everyone is getting ready for the Holidays.  That means I will once again be involved in the Bear Lake Christmas Bird Count.  Over the last ten years, a small core group of birders from Cache Valley come over to participate with a few of us from here.  The annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count is a national event that covers most of North America.  It was started years ago by the Audubon Society in an attempt to develop trend data on regional bird numbers using volunteer birdwatchers.  Different areas were established and people went out, observed, identified and counted birds

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                                                                  Virginia Rail

Dennis Austin, a wildlife biologist from Cache Valley, now retired, started the Bear Lake Count.  He felt that it was important to document what species of birds were wintering here at the Lake.  Trying to get participants has been a challenge over the years.  There just doesn’t seem to be many bird watchers here.  You don’t need to be a member of the Audubon Society, just someone interested in birds.  The count will occur December 27,  regardless of weather.  We have done them in the sun, blizzards and when it is so cold you can barely make it out of the truck.  You count the birds in your area, but nowhere else to avoid duplication. 

                                                                     Sawhet Owl

I know that lots of people feed birds around the lake and in recent years these numbers have been included.  At the end of the day Dennis collects and tallies the count information and submits it to the Audubon Society.  All of the bird counts from all over are then combined and published in a magazine.

Obviously the species and numbers  change throughout the years with environmental conditions but every year we see new species, don’t see birds we had seen before and generally have a  good time, outside, with our binoculars.  It even helps me with my infamous weather predictions associated with wildlife.  We are always looking for volunteers and we will be happy to train.  Just let me know.

                                                             Black Capped Chickadee

Rain

It has been a while since I updated this blog.  I would like to say that I don't have time but in reality nothing jumps to mind about something that would be interesting to others.  I keep trying to to write Cisco's Sonar for the Rich County Community site and the updated Bear Lake Times site,  Since I never get many constructive comments I don't know if what I am writing is relevant or just fodder.  I will use the blog for my inner feelings whether you like them or not.

I love rain in November.  We have already had two snowstorms which I thought would leave the white stuff for the duration, but it is gone now.  I look at my shabby lawn that continues to grow and try and fill in the spaces with new grass in the moist soil.  I love the smell of the willows when I go down to Big Spring Creek to set a few minnow traps visualizing that I might go fishing one day and checking out to see if there are any ducks.  I think of the 100,000's of gallons of pure water that falls on the lake which we will enjoy next summer.  I watch the magpies at the feeder, soaked to the hide wondering if they have any more sense than Maggie, who will sit out all day in the rain waiting for a duck. I smell the pure air and look out across the lake and think of the Oregon coast, one of my favorite places.  I drive through the puddles trying to wash the bottom of my filthy truck which will just get more mud on it as I head down another road.  Our summer visitors have left, gone back to where they call home.  They rarely see days like this.  The rain percolates through the soil, wetting the dry particles left from last summer.  Hopefully we will get a good snow cover so the earth doesn't freeze.  The water will be there next spring.  If there is a lot of snow the saturated soil will allow for surface runoff, filling out lakes and streams.  Regardless, we have captured the moisture.  They have always said that there was a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow.  I personally think rain is much more valuable.

Catching Fish

It has always been a joke with my family that if there is someone who pays a guide to take them out fishing and never catches any fish it is me, the infamous fisheries biologist.  I have spent 1000's of dollars all around the Caribbean, Mexico, and Oregon trying to catch many kinds of fish with only marginal success.

Well my luck finally changed last week.  I had booked a guide in Tillamook Bay to fish for Chinook salmon. I was just going by myself but then he called me and said he had to go to a meeting and could he schedule me with another guy.  I said sure and showed up in Girabaldi at the appointed time.  The stars must have been right because we caught seven Chinook ranging up to 38 pounds.  What a fun day.  I was sure the jinx had been broken and went out with friends and our old guide the next day.  Not a bite.  Maybe all this time it was the guide's fault, not mine.

Cisco's 2012

It is with great relief that the summer of 2012 at Cisco's Landing had come to an end.  I am grateful for three things.  The Cisco Kids worked their guts out this summer.  They may not know it now but they brought a lot of happiness to countless people and they were safe with only minor cuts an bruises.  I want to personally thank Lindsey, Tyler, Brooke, Coley, Lynzee, and Whit.  I couldn't have had a better crew.  I want to thank my customers who didn't destroy too much of my equipment but were safe all the same.  I am glad that at this point I haven't been threatened with any lawsuits which proves how competent my employees were.  I also want to show my appreciation for the Cisco Carp who provided countless hours of entertainment for tons of people and consumed 300 pounds of fish food in the process. We also appreciate Lee and Dixie Levitt of Lee's Marine for keeping everything running.  I also want to thank my wife, Doreen, for washing a million cleaning rags and keeping me in line.  After all the bills are paid if there is anything left over it will be a bonus.

Cisco's Landing is an interesting place. We try to meet everyone with a smile whether they are customers or not.  We try to learn as much as we can about the seasonal slip renters and support them, who form a great community on the docks.  As a concessionaire, we also try to provide a positive experience at the Bear Lake State Park Marina.  We appreciate their employees, especially Bill, who is a fixture there.  We pumped thousands of gallons of gas, moored hundreds of boats patched tubes and taught a lot of East Indians how to drive boats.

Now I have to pull, winterize and store over twenty watercraft.  This will go on through October when my thoughts will shift to salmon fishing and waterfowl hunting.  Let's hope for lots of snow this winter so the lake will come back up and we will all meet next spring with a smile.

Lakers

For years I looked at the spawning activities of lake trout  Salvenitus namaycush  (mackinaw) and assumed that they  typically spawned in mid to late October over large rubble.  That is what the books said and it was verified with gill netting and fishermen snagging lakers off the marina during the deer hunt.

In the last two years my observations on lake trout behavior has changed.  I now need to admit to something.  Fish biologists educated at universities with advance degrees don't know shit.  Their knowledge is based on what the "literature" says.  I was one of these guys but as I always knew down deep inside, the good fishermen knew much more than we did.  What I have learned is that lake trout begin the spawning process in late August, stage in deeper water and eventually move into the spawning areas that have the proper substrate which is large rock.  They spawning activities are a good effort but basically in vane in Bear Lake because the endemic species which are eggs predators suck up the eggs before they hatch.  Natural recruitment of lake trout is negligible in Bear Lake.

If you know right area, the depth, know the speed and use the right lure fishing is great in September.   We let them all go for another day.

Cisco's Sonar

Well, the Rich County Times has come to an end.  Amber McKee put her heart and soul into this publication which lasted for eight years.  It provided readers with local news, high school activities and general information.  For that we can not thank Amber enough.  Her selfless efforts resulted in more community involvement and understanding.  The Rich County Times was a true public service.  People can not be expected to continue things forever just because we want it.  I support Amber in her decision to cease publication and pursue other things in her life.  I am sure her decision was not easy but there was no one willing to take on the task of continuing the paper  I have mixed feelings.  The paper provided me a platform to ramble on about things I thought were interesting, but there were times that I really struggled for something to write about.  The pressure was always on every two weeks.

I will put more effort into my blog when something that I think that I have something other people would be interested in.  Bobby Coray has taken on the responsibility to put the Rich County Times online.  Just email her at rctonline@gmail.com to become a subscriber.  I will try to submit articles as time permits.

You know, there are a lot of people that are willing to criticize what others are doing. They are a dime a dozen but theey think they are so important.   In my long career in public service I have come to the conclusion that there are doer's and whiner's.  Amber McKee is a doer. We all owe her a debt of thanks and who knows, maybe someone will have the ambition to start a paper again.

Carter Catching Cuts

Most fisheries biologists are terrible fishermen because we usually catch fish with gill nets. It has always been a standing joke that if grandpa (me) is fishing there will be no fish caught.  My grandson Carter was hot to go fishing when he was up a few days ago so we took out the Bass Buggy at 10:00 am.  Doreen was along which is also bad luck but to our surprise he caught some nice fish just north of the Marina.  I can't believe how well the fishing is this area is holding up.  Usually it is over by now.  A lot of dock people are catching fish.  Maybe the "rockpiles" we put there are finally paying off.

Cisco Carp

I haven't made a post for a while.  I have been waiting for the tourists to come and the wind to stop.  Neither has happened yet but think it will happen this weekend.  The ones that are really anxious for the people are the Cisco Carp.  All their friends have arrived for the holiday and they need food and toes.

No restrooms for these guys.

It is amazing how boaters are creatures of habit.  During May and the first part of June we have some beautiful days at the Marina.  The water temperature is almost 60F and with the exceptions of weekends (which suck) but the parking lot is always empty.  A few more seasonal cruisers and sailboats have been launched but for the most part, boater have not shown up yet.  Maybe it is because there is so much green goose shit (sorry, no other way to describe it.  Anyway, I caught the long legged culprits yesterday strolling along the vacant Marina.

Carp

Well. it obviously the first summer weekend at Bear Lake because there are huge snowflakes falling from the sky.  No boat rentals today.  On a happier side,when it warmed up yesterday afternoon by old buddies the carp made their appearance.  I hadn't seen them since last fall but when I picked up a handful of fish feed and started dropping in the lake here they came.  Shadows from under the docks, yellow lips slurping the tasty morsels down after not eating for five months.  They are so glad that they hung out at Cisco's Landiing for the winter.  Soon, manna will be falling from the skies.

Thieves

I hate thieves.  They slink around, usually under the cover of darkness, taking things away from people who have worked hard to acquire them.  I have lost stuff like three outboard motors ripped off my boats inside the Parks storage area, fuel tanks full of gas taken off my pontoon boat, who knows how much shoplifted out of the store, but this weekend takes the cake.

I had spent a couple of days in Midway watching grandson activities so on Sunday morning I went down to check on things.  The first thing I noticed was my fishing boat was not in its slip.  I finally found it tied up in another slip a few rows away.  According to Mike, it was just drifting around on Saturday, ended up near the slip so he tied it up.  I took care of that and  then noticed that a 20'x10' Connect-a-Dock that I had tied up since last fall was missing.  Another search of the Marina turned up nothing.  I talked to Curtis, who is the "eyes" of the docks and he said that he had seen a fishing boat towing something toward shore early in the morning the day before.  He said they took it to shore in Daisy Bay.  Great, I thought, good guys try to get it off the lake where it could be recovered.  I couldn't understand how the dock had come loose however, let alone drift out of the Marina through all the docks, and out the entrance without someone seeing it.  I went back out in the boat with a tow rope to retrieve it.  I found it about where Curtis said he saw it towed but to my astonishment, it was perfectly positioned perpendicular to shore with pipes beaten in all four corners to hold it in place.

That angry feeling that I usually avoid, welled up inside me as I drove back to the Marina to get my truck and tools to free my property.  After partial disassembly and digging to get the pipes out it was free.  Back to the boat I went and towed it back to the Marina.  By the way it was a real effort to get it back trough the docks to its original tie up.  I reported it but I know it would be almost impossible to prove anything.  "We just found it washed up on our beach so we decided to use it" would be the thieves response.  They will be contacted just so they know, I know.  What a way to start the summer season!     

Paddleboards

It has always been interesting to me how many different ways we find to have fun on the water.  A few years ago when I was in Hawaii I saw people standing on boards paddling down a slow river.  Boring, I thought.  Then at a number of places in the Caribbean and Mexico I have seen tourists paddling around on the calm ocean bays.

There must be something to it I thought but why weren't popular in the US.  Then they started showing up at Lake Powell so I bought an inflatable paddle board from Hyperlite.  It didn't rent too much but my family had a blast on it.  Carter, my seven year old grandson, loved it and made his Mom rent one when they went to Starvation Reservoir.   This spring after coming back from Cabo, MX, Lance Bourne showed up on one in the Marina.  After talking to him and doing a little research I found out that they are the "rage" for great exercise, eco friendly and fun.  What is really great is they don't use $5 gal gas.  Cisco's Landing now has six rigid boards for rent/sale.  I can make you a fair price on them.  What a great way to keep kids entertained at the lake without firing up the boat.  When I open up in May come down and check them out or call me..

Insomnia

My family seems to think that I have Attention Deficient Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).  Since it wasn't named when I was a kid we didn't worry about it.  This time of year, when things for me to do other than sit around are limited.  I always have an overwhelming feeling of guilt because I should be doing something.  Where am I going with this?  I usually go to bed around 9.00 watch the Daily Show and drift off.  Now, I don't drift off, I just lay awake for hours.  I am not worrying about anything, I just can't go to sleep.  I have read books, which sometime help but not now.  Doreen has suggested that I listen to soothing music at bedtime, lower the lights and take some of her hokey medicine.

Most of my music is not soothing so I downloaded Bolero which is relaxing but it causes me to think of Bo Derek.  The other night I was looking for "Ghost Riders in the Sky" and oldtime favorite.  There was Johnny Cash and a bunch of others but they just didn't hit me right so I downloaded the "Outlaws" which I had never heard of but looked like a bunch of long haired freaks from the 70"s (my people).  I didn't know what to think the first time I heard it but then it attached to my brain and has been there since.  It is a combination of cowboy, the Venture's Fender guitars of the 60's and a rock band combined.  I still don't sleep at night.

Tracks

We had a huge wind event here yesterday.  It howled all day, shut the canyon down and made life miserable for everyone.  Today the sun came out, the wind quit and the landscape was untouched.  I like these kind of days because I can go out and see what kind of animals are roaming about.  As I took Maggie for a run through Shundahai this afternoon I looked at the untouched snow.  There were few tracks, nothing had been moving.  The first set of track that I saw were familiar.  The wild turkeys were on the move.

I expected to see some deer or moose tracks but there were none to be seen.. I did see some tracks that indicate that spring is on the way.  Apparently a pine squirrel had come out of hibernation and made a foray to see what was around to eat.  Nothing, so it went back to the nest.

You know animals are sometimes hard to see but they leave their ttraces everywhere.  Come on spring.

Ice Art

Bear Lake has made a number of diligent efforts to freeze this year but to no avail.  I always enjoy watching the ice formation from my place seeing how it move, forms and melts,  Down by the lake you can see it stacking up. tearing up vegetation and doing all kinds of strange things.  One of my favorite is when ice of one hardness (colder) invades warmer ice and then refreezes.  "Ice Art"

Gill's

You know that I have always been a fisheries biologist concentrating on trout.  I do love to fish for panfish however.  Went to Mantua today and caught a mess of bluegill.  They are a pain to fillet but the meat is so sweet and good they are worth it.

Cisco Fishing

The first time I went cisco fishing was in 1963.  I will never forget coming over the hill as it was breaking light seeing the beach covered with people standing out in the water with nets attached to bamboo poles.  There was thick, black smoke billowing up from numerous tire fires on the shoreline.  There were campers, trailers and tents scattered along the beach and the Fish and Game had a check station set up on the road.  As we went down a scruffy bunch of fishermen in hip boots who had drank too much booze were swiping at fish.  Some fell in but they were all soaked to the bone.  There was no camo or Gortex to be seen.  In those days Bear Lake was one of the few waters open to fishing during the winter, there was not Super Bowl or video games to play.  The local businesses profited. They caught tens of thousands of ciscos and people worried that they would deplete the population.  The limit was 50 and "By God" they stayed until they got their limit.   No Parks and Recreation then so no fees or regulations.  Everyone ate what the caught because it was illegal to use cisco as bait on Bear Lake.  The "Rockpile" had not been discovered so there was no one there.  We all believed that cisco were only seen in January and went to the depths of the lake for the rest of the year.  The TV stations had a "cisco run" report on the news each night.  It was a huge event that was unique in the U.S.

How things have changed today...........