A couple of our neighbours had some dead wood to burn, so they decided to stage a little neighbourhood bonfire down on the ice of Yellowknife Bay. It worked - I'd say about 30 people showed up to celebrate the season and say hello to one another. It was a good bonfire, big enough without going over the top - my dad was a fire safety inspector, so I have a healthy respect for the flame.
My biggest concern was the slamming sound I heard right after they lit the fire. At first I thought it was a rifle shot, but I was early by a few days - in the North, people in some communities fire rifles to welcome the New Year. When I realized the ice under my feet was popping, I shuffled toward the shore. It's the same place I put my kayak into the lake in the summer, so I know it's only a couple feet deep. Except that it's -32, so it's frozen solid and no need to worry. So I shuffled back to the fire.
I lasted for almost an hour before my toes got too cold and I decided to go home. When I left, there was a ring of water around the dying fire and the people in charge were getting ready to shovel snow over the embers.
Wonder what they're planning for next year.
