Wednesday, January 30, 2008


Brothers survive a plunge through ice
by Karin L. Nauber

Sixteen-year-old Julius Stone survived, with the help of his brother, after the truck he was driving went through the ice.

What started out as an early morning ice fishing trip on Sunday, January 21, nearly turned into tragedy for John Stone, age 22, formerly of Clarissa and now of Willmar, and his 16-year-old brother Julius, of Clarissa, both sons of Jerry and Peggy Stone, of Clarissa.

According to Julius, he and John went out to try their luck at ice fishing around 6 a.m. on Long Lake, north of Willmar.

They had both driven separate vehicles and as they were heading off the lake at around 7:20 a.m. it was snowing quite a bit, according to Julius.

"I was behind John's truck and before I realized he was going into the thin ice, my truck was going through it, too," he said.

John was driving with his door open to try to help them get back on the trail when he went into the water through the thin ice.

John got out of his truck, but Julius couldn't get his window down very far. Luckily, John was able to pull him from the truck. The family dog, Meil, a yellow Labrador, perished in John's vehicle.

Julius said that there had been no signs warning of the thin ice and that 20 to 30 yards back where they had been fishing, the ice had been 15 to 16 inches thick.

"It was very scary," said Julius.

Both of the Ford Ranger pickups they were driving were submerged in the water. John's was hung up on the ice and Julius said that the back three feet of it didn't go under. The pickup that Julius drove was completely submerged in 10 to 13 feet of water, according to the Kandiyohi County Sheriff's Department.

The Willmar West Central Tribune reported that the young men became disoriented in the morning snow flurries. They were about 200 feet from the shoreline.

They were assisted by a Pennock man who drove them off of the lake to safety. Neither of them was injured.

According to Sheriff Dan Hartog, both vehicles have been removed from the lake.

No ice is safe, ever. It's not always just the thickness of the ice you have to worry about either. Human mistakes can be equally compelling reasons to exercise caution on the ice.

Cody Lisson, nine-year-old son of Bill and Mary Lisson from Browerville, could tell you that it only takes a second to find out how cold the water under the ice is.

A couple of weeks ago, the Lisson family was going to spend time doing some ice fishing on Lake Osakis.

"We were walking out to the fish house. We had to carry everything out there. While we were putting things away in the house, Cody was out on the lake exploring. I went back out and saw him climbing out of a hole in the ice," said Mary.

The hole was what was left from where a spear house had been located. The hole had been left open and unmarked and Cody had stepped on the thin ice. Before he knew what was happening, his leg was through the hole.

"He didn't fall all the way in, but we had to take everything off to get him warm again," she said.

Spear holes are supposed to be marked with a stick or some sort of marker, warning others that the hole is there. Lisson said that some fishermen even put the block of ice back into the hole.

Remember, if you are spear fishing, mark your hole, even if you won't be coming back. It could save a life.

The ice might be really thick, but it is still considered unsafe by experts.

Ice fishing can be a fun winter sport, but no ice is ever completely safe.

Tim Smalley, a Department of Natural Resources Conservation Officer, writes that, "Each year, as the ice begins to skim Minnesota's lakes and ponds, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources receives hundreds of phone calls from anxious anglers who all have the same basic question: "Is the ice safe yet?" That's when I whip out my trusty stock answer: 'No, ice is NEVER safe.'"

Smalley explains that ice is unpredictable. While ice may be a foot thick in one area, it can be just an inch thick a few yards away.
Smalley lists a few general guidelines to lessen the chance of falling into the water through the ice.

"It's impossible to judge the strength of ice by its appearance, thickness, daily temperature, or snow cover alone. Ice strength is actually dependent on all four factors, plus water depth under the ice, the size of the body of water and water chemistry, currents, and distribution of the load on the ice," said Smalley.

As a general rule of thumb, (we have run these thicknesses before, but a refresher course never hurts anyone): 4 inches of clear, solid ice to walk on; snowmobiles and ATVs need at least 5 inches; cars and light trucks need at least 8-12 inches of good, clear ice.

"Go out with a buddy and keep a good distance apart as you walk out. If one of you goes in, the other can call for help (it's amazing how many people carry cellular phones these days). The companion can also attempt a rescue if one of you is carrying rope or other survival gear," said Smalley.

Some safety gear advice:
"Wear a life jacket. Life vests or float coats provide excellent flotation and protection from hypothermia (loss of body temperature). Never wear a life jacket if you are traveling in an enclosed vehicle, however. It could hamper escape in case of a breakthrough.

"Carry a pair of homemade ice picks or even a pair of screwdrivers tied together with a few yards of strong cord that can be used to pull yourself up and onto the ice if you do fall in. Be sure they have wooden handles so if you drop them in the struggle to get out of the water, they won't go straight to the bottom!" said Smalley.

The DNR also advises avoiding driving on the ice whenever possible. If you do have to drive on the ice, be prepared to escape your vehicle quickly by having your seatbelt unbuckled and even rolling your windows down.

The DNR also advises moving your car frequently because parking in one area for a long time will weaken the ice.

One of the greatest safety tips is to avoid alcoholic beverages. Alcohol increases your chances for hypothermia. It also increase your chances of making a potentially life-threatening mistake.

Remember, the safest ice is probably that which is floating around in your soda glass. But using common sense and some of the above tips can give you an enjoyable trip out on the lake in the winter.