Record cold ices up local coves

Ray Cote straddles his boat (left) and the boat that took him there on Monday, 1/8, in the cove at Hoppy’s Landing. Capt. Cote went to check his boat, as he does daily, when he saw that the boat from Taylor Cultured Seafood, captained by Toby Adams-Cook, turned around because of the thick ice. Capt. Cote asked for a ride to check out his boat, and since Capt. Adams-Cook was already launched, but going nowhere fast, he ferried Mr. Cote out to his boat. Photo by Beth David.

The crew from Taylor Cultured Seafood tries to cut through the ice at Hoppy’s Landing. They made it out a ways, but then the thicker ice stopped them cold. The oyster farm is on the other side of the causeway, but the ice was too thick to even try it there, according to Capt. Toby Adams-Cook. They had hoped to go around West Island and approach from the east, but a call from the Fairhaven Harbormaster, chiding them for the attempt and telling them the ice went all around the island, convinced the hardy souls to return to shore. Photos courtesy of Richard Hokanson.

The work skiff that is moored at Hoppy’s Landing all year, looks about ready to succumb to the elements on Monday, 1/8. After a lot of snow that probably turned to ice from frigid cold, the little boat is riding kind of low in the water. Owned by Capt. Robert “Sacky” Sakwa, the boat did manage to survive the storm. Capt. Sakwa said he would pull it out of the water as soon as he could. The iced up water, from the shore and boat ramp out to the other side of the island, made it impossible for Capt. Sakwa to row his little dinghy out to get the skiff. Photo by Beth David.

Crew members of Taylor Cultured Seafood with Capt. Toby Adams-Cook at the helm, load up the boat after a failed attempt to get through the ice and go around West Island (background) to reach the oyster farm on the south side of the island. The boat usually launches from Round Cove on the south side of the causeway, but the ice was too thick to even attempt it there. Photo by Beth David.