Ice Sailing

Here in Minnesota we have pretty dramatic seasonal changes. So you have to be some what creative if you like to spend time outdoors. At least four months of the year here is mired in snow or cold but a lot of people still find ways to get out and enjoy the world.

In mid December as I was out looking to photograph eagles along the Mississippi River I came across a group of people ice sailing on Lake Peppin. This is not typically my type of subject but I found it interesting and so I stopped to take a few pics. The most interesting part to me is that less then a week before these pics were taken Lake Peppin, where these guys were sailing, did not have any ice that I could see.

Ice sailing, from what I have read, was invented by the Dutch in the 1700s and was originally a way to transport goods across the frozen lakes. Ice sailing was introduced to the United States in the late 1700s. As time went by ice sailing became a sport with smaller and faster boats. Most boats are either a Dutch or Russian design. These are the smaller faster Russian style which are very popular for racing.