For the purpose of recording just what it sounds like to skate on thin ice it seems like it would be interesting enough to give it a try. But overall the idea just sounds way too dangerous unless you know what you’re doing and have a good enough backup plan to get yourself out if you happen to fall through. If you really listen closely it almost sounds like the same effect that is given to high-tension cables in movies when they’re being disturbed or are just about to snap. That kind of sound is more than a little dangerous and it if it is able to be heard most people would be advised to stay off the ice and find entertainment elsewhere. The crackling sounds that signify the integrity of the ice giving up the ghost seems to be a good indication that it’s time to get off the water as well.
There are those who seem to instinctively know when the ice is safe and where they can skate and where it’s not a good idea to do so. But those types are far more rare than people would think. Even those that live in regions where lakes routinely ice over during the winter aren’t necessarily the best judge of where the ice is thinnest and where it’s safe. The problem lies within the idea that thick ice is always infallible and has no weak spots. Having never lived in such areas I really am not the authority on it but when it comes to fracturing something that appears impregnable and solid it’s not too hard to figure out that everything has a weakness somewhere. Thin ice is not just found in one location on a body of water, as those type of spots can be found elsewhere as well.
Those that know how to look for them and what signs to recognize are able to either avoid them or map them out and gain a better understanding of just how to approach them. The man in this clip seems to have been around long enough to know just what he’s doing and what kind of weight the ice can accept. That or he’s relying on experience and a good deal of luck. Ice is a dangerous proposition when standing, walking, or skating on it. I wouldn’t recommend running on it since many people have found out the hard way that traction on smooth ice is not all that easy to come by. But in regards to thin ice there are patches that can take a great deal more weight than others without breaking, especially if a person knows how to distribute their weight. If you focus all your weight on one spot then thin ice will typically break since that one particular area is being forced to hold up more than it’s able to do.
However if you learn how to distribute your weight, meaning that you spread your legs just wide enough and don’t continually stand in one spot, you could be safe.
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