Northeast Oklahoma Lake Marinas Impacted By Ice

By Craig Day, The News On 6

OOLOGAH LAKE -- Several northeast Oklahoma lakes, like Oologah and Skiatook lakes, are frozen.

While it's a spectacular sight from the air with SKYNEWS 6, on the ground, it looks more like extra work and worry for marina owners.

"When the wind died down, we actually, literally, watched the ice and water crystallize and go across the water," said Mike Fawcett of Redbud Marina.

Mike Fawcett is checking and re-checking the boats docked at Redbud Marina. He has been doing it since Oologah Lake turned to ice.

"It's not often you climb onto a boat and it feels like you are on solid ground," said Mike Fawcett.

Dating back to Christmas Eve, this is the coldest weather ever for that span of days. Area lakes are frozen. The last time that happened was 1996. Before that: 1983 and 1977.

"It's a different kind of beautiful," said Mike Fawcett.

But the ice can also cause some ugly problems, not so much now, but when it starts to break up, jagged edges could puncture hulls.

Fawcett says so far the marina has been lucky, and he wants to keep it that way. The last time the lake froze over like this, 14 years ago, hoses cracked on a 22-foot sailboat and it took in water and sank.

"I don't know if you've seen anybody trying to salvage a submerged boat in the wintertime, but nobody wants to dive in after it," said Mike Fawcett. 

News On 6 anchor Lori Fullbright took some photos of the ice covering Lake Eufaula. Click on the slideshow to view the pictures.

While the ice remains intact, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is working to keep Oologah Lake's water level steady.

"We don't want to drop it out from under the marinas, with the heavy ice and snow that's on these areas and some of their facilities, we could really do some damage by just dropping the lake from underneath them," said Lee Perry, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

With boats locked in an icy grip, Fawcett will keep up his inspections, while marveling at a rare occurrence from what's proving to be a memorable winter.

"It's not something you see every day, you kind of have to see it for yourself," said Mike Fawcett.

1/10/2010 Related story: Record-Breaking Cold Leaves Several NE Oklahoma Lakes Frozen