Althouse: An 8-mile-wide slab of ice broke away from mainland Ohio and floated off into Lake Erie.

February 7, 2009

An 8-mile-wide slab of ice broke away from mainland Ohio and floated off into Lake Erie.

100 people needed to be rescued — and one person died.

ADDED:

(I've replaced still photo from "Way Down East" with the clip I'd looked for and not found. Thanks to chickenlittle for finding it.)

12 comments:

Palladian said...: Was there a polar bear forlornly clinging to it?; 2/7/09, 4:21 PM
rhhardin said...: Trucks in Lake Erie is a sign of spring.; 2/7/09, 4:22 PM
Curtiss said...: I blame Bush.; 2/7/09, 4:23 PM
traditionalguy said...: The Cleveland Browns are so bad that even the ice hates being part of Ohio, and is floating to Buffalo.; 2/7/09, 4:26 PM
George M. Spencer said...: An eight-mile wide slab of ice.

I cannot begin to get my head around that.

A slab.

Of ice.

Eight-miles wide.; 2/7/09, 4:37 PM
chickelit said...: This old 1920 D.W. Griffith clip from Way Down East seemed appropriate here. Skip to the 4:30 mark or so for the money shot. I recall an elderly Lillian Gish talking on Johnny Carson about how this scene almost ended in disaster.
link; 2/7/09, 5:32 PM
Ann Althouse said...: Thanks, chicken. I went looking for that and couldn't find it. Settled for a still. I'll change to the clip.; 2/7/09, 6:04 PM
save_the_rustbelt said...: This happens every year off of the Toledo and Port Clinton area, although usually it is later.

The standard story is two dozen fisherman stranded and a couple of brand now SUVs on the bottom of the lake.

(the current and winds in this area make the ice break up early almost every year)

This year the dumbass squad set a new record.

"Hey, it is warm and sunny, the wind is blowing from the southwest, it would be a great day to go ice fishing on unstable ice!"; 2/7/09, 6:07 PM
Peter Hoh said...: Re. the clip: the girls were real helpless back then, weren't they.

Yeah, it's melodramatic in the worst way, but I am impressed that the filmmakers were able to get some of those shots.; 2/7/09, 6:52 PM
Peter Hoh said...: Some video from a Toledo TV station here.; 2/7/09, 7:03 PM
chickelit said...: He barely got to her in time. She said it wasn't planned to be so close. No stunt doubles back then either. Ms. Gish almost panicked, but held her composure for her art.; 2/7/09, 7:15 PM
Anonymous said...: 8 miles wide. That's like from the Port Clinton almost to the cooling tower.

Wind was from the SW mostly. There are some neat little islands to the NE of that area. Kelley's Island and Pelee Island. Cool place to visit in Summer. Probably cooler now. Floes are cheaper than the ferry.; 2/7/09, 9:53 PM