Head in the Clouds Amherst started the "On Puffer's Pond" column (right sidebar on our home page) in October 2012. In the beginning, we would simply overwrite one day's information - on Puffer's Pond activity, weather, and air/water temperatures - with a new entry. It wasn't until almost a month later that it occurred to us that it might be interesting to keep the information over time So this is the complete log of everything Sharon has recorded since November 2012.
2012
11/16/2012; 11:20 am: Sunny, cold and breezy. Definitely dress warmly if you are headed to Puffer's today or over the weekend. No ducks on the water, and the only other person around was tending two fishing poles off South Beach. He was bundled up appropriately, but still looked cold. He reported on having caught only one 12 inch trout over the morning (shhhhh, he didn't want me to share that fact lest other fisherfolk inundate the place). Do trout slow down their activity when the water gets colder? Because, for sure, the water is cold. Air temperature: 43° F. Water temperature off South Beach: 40° F.
11/17/2012; 10:37 am: Sunny, cold and gusty. Saw a few people hiking by north beach, and came across a raft of ducks, maybe a dozen or so, bobbing on the water in an inlet under some trees. They were well camouflaged there among the rocks, curled up tight, bills tucked under their wings. They started when I came close, but soon returned to their position, heads tucked in tight. It was obviously a way to keep warm. When the wind died down the temperature was fine, but every time it blew up, it felt 10 degrees colder. Air temperature: 41° F (not accounting for wind chill). Water temperature off South Beach: 37° F.
11/18/2012; 9:47 am: Sun drenched, still cold, but already a bit warmer than yesterday. And there is no wind whatsoever today. The water is a perfect mirror image of the sky - so much so, that a photo of the water might have you convinced that you are looking at the sky. A few dog walkers out and about. Otherwise, quiet. Air temperature: 44° F. Water temperature off South Beach: 37.5° F.
11/19; 2:30 pm: The sun may still be out, but the shadows are long, and much of the shore is either shaded or cold despite the sun and air temperature. About two dozen ducks continue to hang around the Cushman Brook bridge near South Beach, and their number seems to be growing. Two people sitting near the trail along the north shore and talking are audible, if not entirely comprehensible, to anyone on North Beach. That's what sparse foliage will do for you. And - ta da - wait for it . . . there is a thin film of ice covering a patch of water on the southwest side of Puffer's near the waterfall. In other words, this is the first daytime ice on the pond this fall/ winter. Shallow puddles and inlets by the shore are also dotted with ice patches. Air temperature: 48.5° F. Water temperature off South Beach: 38.5° F (but given that ice can be seen in other places, expect the water to be much colder there of course).
11/22; 8:06 am: Another sunny, blue sky kind of day, though cold this morning. It promises to get up to the mid-50s later on, at which point (as is typical on a nice Thanksgiving Day), one is likely to see many families paying a visit. Right now, aside from a few joggers and some early morning hikers taking a turn around the lakeside path, it is mostly ducks that have congregated - many more than we have seen here in recent weeks. There must be a warm spot by the bridge, where more than 50 are hanging out on the water, going no where in particular, but making a fair amount of noise. The icy patches have shrunk thanks to the much warmer day temperatures over the past few days. Air temperature: 27.5° F. Water temperature off South Beach: 36° F.
 |
| Puffer's Pond in fog, 11/23/12 |
11/28; 3:35 pm: Chilly, cloudy and desolate feeling. The ducks and geese that amassed here last week are no where in sight, although at least some must be close by. Loud trumpeting and squawks interrupted the otherwise quiet and darkening day. Icy patches now dot the surface of the water here and there, but the patches are no more than a thin skin of ice on the water, easily broken with a stone. Not a person in sight. Air temperature: 37.4° F. Water temperature off South Beach: 36°F (although where it's frozen, of course, it will be colder, at least 32°F)
12/3; 12:30 pm: What a difference a day makes. In contrast to yesterday, which started with freezing fog, black ice on the paths, and significant patches of ice forming on the water surface, today the sun is shining, the temperature has climbed to the mid-50s, and there’s no ice to be seen anywhere. The ducks have returned to the cove by the Cushman Brook bridge, and a gaggle of geese (maybe 12 birds?) has staked out an area just north of the waterfall. The ducks are energetically swimming about, setting off in twos and threes to circumnavigate the cove. Periodically they dive, flap their wings, and quack noisily. The geese are more sedate, though occasionally drowning out the ducks with a loud trumpet or two. There are only a few passers-by, including one person jogging around the pond with a dog close behind. Although warmer than yesterday, it’s breezy and feels chilly in the shade. Air temperature: 55° F. Water temperature off South Beach: 43°F (but keep in mind that some areas were frozen just yesterday, so it's likely to still be cooler in some places).
12/8; 10:45 am: Rain, fog, cold, gray. That about sums up the scene at Puffer's this morning. A few random joggers could be seen on the road, but no other human ventured to the beach. A small contingent of about five ducks swam away, unfazed by the weather, managing to put a good distance between us. No other fauna in sight. Air temperature: 38.3° F. Water temperature off South Beach: 36.5°F (and no ice remaining anywhere on the water).
12/13; 10:17 am: Clear and cold, with only the barest hint of a breeze. A thin shell of ice has formed over more than a third of the lake, revealing by its absence where the warmer currents circulate. Half a dozen ducks paddled their way away from me, through the “non-icy” parts of Puffer's Pond, and at one point a great honking could be heard from the sky, and a flock of about 12 geese soared in, webbed feet outstretched, and landed on the water's surface with a dramatic, splashing commotion. Had they traveled far to get here? I wondered. The ducks simply turned, unperturbed, around them. The only other person in sight was a young woman collecting a water sample. Air temperature: 25.8° F. Water temperature off South Beach: 32.5°F (where it wasn't already frozen).
12/16; 11:35 am: Despite the darkening skies, Puffer's Pond is the perfect place to take in the beauty and stillness of nature this morning. A dusting of snow has covered the thin layer of ice growing over the water, throwing into sharp contrast the icy areas from the water surface that has not yet dipped below freezing. No ducks or geese in sight, though a beaver could be seen surfacing and swimming along the shore before diving out of sight. A human family made their way towards the bridge, and several dog walkers passed, one dog playfully playing a tug of war with his owner. Air temperature: 30.8° F. Water temperature off South Beach: 32.4°F (where it wasn't already frozen).
12/23; 8:41 am: Clear, crisp, cold and actually sunny for a change (though not for long). Light breezes playing along the water, and not an animal or bird in sight (nor human for that matter). Water is starting to ice over along the shore, but there is still only a thin glaze over some of the surface. Air temperature: 27.5° F. Water temperature off South Beach: 32.4°F (where it isn't already frozen).
 |
| Cushman Brook (which feeds into Puffers) - 12-25-2012 |
 |
| Snowing at Puffer's Pond , which is beginning to freeze over - 12-29-2012 |
 |
| Where Cushman Brook Meets Puffer's Pond - Amherst MA, 12/30/12 |
2013
1/4; 4:20 pm: A few people are still skating on Puffer's Pond at this late time of the day. The setting sun is casting a pink glow across the sky, and between the frozen landscape and crisp air, this is unmistakably January at Puffer's. The occasional shouts of the remaining skater, Linus, and his brother Silas and dad Sam, can be heard lifting and falling with utter clarity. Air temperature: around 26° F. Water temperature off South Beach: frozen.
 |
| Frozen surface of Puffer's Pond - looking towards the Mill Street dam, 1/8/2013 (sunset) |
1/21; 2:30 pm: Raw and cold today, pond all but deserted of people. The great swath of unfrozen water surface that opened up with last week's warmer temperatures - expanding outwards from the Cushman "inflow" area all the way to the middle of the pond - has now begun to freeze over again. It's hard to tell unless you look closely, because the newly frozen areas are almost translucent, lacking the white snowcover that still blankets the ice surfaces that never completely thawed. On Saturday (two days ago), a few fishermen had set themselves up with lawn chairs along the south/eastern shoreline of the pond even though the temperatures were quite warm and much of the rest of the pond had thawed or was near thaw. Clearly the sweet spot for people fishing is the point where the ice is still sufficiently frozen to bear weight, but the temperatures outside are high enough to make it tolerable, even fun. Today is not that day, of course. This morning the sun was gloriously breaking through the clouds, but now it's just cloudy and gray. Between the cold, gray and surface snowpack that is frozen solid (making going anywhere challenging), it's the kind of day that makes one long for winter to be over. The temps drop tonight and tomorrow, dipping into the single digits. Winter still has lots of days left. Best try to enjoy the cold and the return of ice to all of Puffer's over the next week. Air temperature: around 24.5° F. Water temperature off South Beach: mostly frozen and becoming more so.
1/26; 12:15 pm: I just saw something so unexpected, so surprising, that I hardly know how to appropriately capture the experience. So I'll just put it out there, no preamble, no setting the scene. Well, except to say this. It's 21 degrees outside right now, but with the wind, it feels more like 11 degrees. It's sunny, but frigid. Last night's coating of snow is glittery and sparkling in the way snow looks only on the coldest of days. Now imagine for a moment, if you can, what it feels like at Puffer's Pond today. Imagine being out in the open, on the well frozen icy surface, with no windbreaks at all. And then imagine being dressed in... wait for it... wait for it... a sleeveless satin wedding dress. While I am always excited to see something new on any given trek to Puffer's, that's one thing I never expected to see. Turns out that Puffer's is the location for a fashion wedding shoot today - focused on wedding attire. As one of the photographers commented to me, "Tough model." I'll say. I was wearing warm boots, coat, sweater, layers under that, rabbit fur-lined bomber hat, mitten/glove combo, and scarf. The model was wearing (just in case you didn't catch this the first time) a sleeveless, summery satin white wedding gown. Air temperature: around 21° F (11° F with wind chill), wind from the NNW around 8-10 mph. Water temperature off South Beach: completely frozen.
 |
| Ice Floes on Puffer's Pond, 1/31/2013 |
Only the perfect confluence of natural events – rapidly rising temperatures, fast current fed by sudden snow melt, and high winds – could have moved these massive blocks of ice. The pond went from frozen solid to this mess of ice in less than two days. At this moment, the surface of Puffer’s looks for all the world like a smaller version of the giant ice floes one sees in pictures of the arctic. If you want to see this for yourself, don’t waste any time – tomorrow the temperatures take a nosedive (they are already falling), and everything will return to its frozen state. Of course, assuming these ice floes don’t melt completely – and that seems unlikely at this point – the refreeze should prove very interesting. Forget fashion shoots – Puffer’s could turn out to be the perfect location for anyone wanting to capture Superman’s Fortress of Solitude right here in Amherst.
 |
| "Ice Floes" Refreezing, 2/1/2013 |
2/10; 1:30 pm: This is certainly a day for playing on and around Puffer's Pond, but only if you have a mode of travel that will keep you on top of the 24-30" blanket of snow that fell across the area over the past two days courtesy of Snowstorm Nemo. It's been cold for the past week, but the temperature has inched up over 32°F today, making pond-side activities even more inviting. Although there aren't many families around (I assume they're all enjoying snow-related activities at WinterFest), two people have shoveled out a strip of the pond surface for ice fishing, and several cross country skiers can be seen moving along the Robert Frost Trail. The snowploughs have left behind 4-5' snow banks on either side of State Street, but judging by the ski and snowshoe tracks, a good number of people have managed the climb. Outside temperature is 35.6°F. Water temperature off South Beach: frozen and covered with 2 feet of snow.
 |
| Ice Covered with Snow - and Skating "Rink" Cutout, 2/17/2013 |
Friday, 2/22; 12:45 pm: It's a beautiful day at Puffer's, the sun is shining, and the wind and cold temperatures of the past few days have been replaced by downright balmy temps (at least by comparison) and hardly a breeze. Because it's been sub-zero for several days now, however, the surface ice is apparently strong enough to support people again. A fisherman is planted on a folding chair smack in the middle of the pond, and two moms are chatting near the area that's been cleared for skating, while their young school-age children slip and slide happily, wearing boots, no skates. I remember that it's school vacation week now and look around for other children, but there are none in sight. The fisherman looks oddly out of place, there in the middle of the lake where he has become the centerpiece of the entire scene. I wonder if he feels as exposed to our gaze as he seems from my vantage point. I duck out of sight along the road and make my way home. Air temperature is 38.6°F. Water temperature off South Beach: frozen and snow covered.
Saturday, 3/9/2013; 1:20 pm: I see ducks again! A swath of water, extending like a long finger across the ice of Puffer's has almost split the frozen surface in two. The makeshift shaking rink still appears to be intact, but looks can be deceiving. Everything is melting and not a soul can be seen out on the ice. I have a feeling you wouldn't get far even if you tried. But there, where Cushman Brook flows into the Pond by South Beach, approximately six ducks have reclaimed their territory. They are swimming in circles, ruffling their tail feathers, and quacking loudly. I have no idea where they've been all winter - perhaps hidden in the swampy, reedy area on the extreme north-western shore? Despite the warm day and the rapid melt, the ground is still encased in several inches of hard packed snow/ice. I have a feeling the walkways will be down to pavement by the end of the weekend. Air temperature is 53.0°F. Water temperature off South Beach: frozen (just barely).
Saturday, 3/23/2013; 12:15 pm: We are waiting for March to go out "like a lamb," but the nights continue to dip below freezing, with the days (or today at any rate) climbing only into the mid-to high-30's. Puffer's has started to refreeze, though no where near enough to support ice activities. The swath of water which was overtaking the ice a week ago has mostly receded again to the ice, leaving only a narrow waterway across Puffer's midsection. It's breezy and feels colder than it probably should, but that may have more to do with expectations that it should be warmer than anything else. Last week's duck sighting was a brief interlude only. Today there are no ducks in sight, or any other wildlife for that matter. A few people, some with dogs, jog or walk past, but it's mostly quiet. Occasional sun is breaking through the clouds, but mostly it remains overcast. Air temperature is 37.5°F (wind chill 29°F). Water temperature off South Beach: frozen.
Monday, 4/8/2013; 4:25 pm: It hardly seems possible. Slightly over two weeks ago, Puffer’s Pond was half frozen, its icy surface retaking the water after a partial thaw. By today, with no ice anywhere in sight, and the outside temperature a balmy 63°F, swimmers had returned. Well, okay, only two swimmers – Jenny and Kenyon – had braved the water, but they insisted they had actually submerged. The other dozen people hanging out on South Beach were fishing for trout. One of them told me that bass can also be caught at Puffer’s, but that bass tend to hang out on the northern side of the Pond (at least that’s where I think she was pointing). I have noticed that once I explain that I am asking about the fishing conditions for a blog, people tend to clam up. I gather they are worried that Head in the Cloud Amherst’s following will descend on the beach, fishing poles in hand, and decimate the pond’s trout population. I think they should probably be more worried about the influx of swimmers. Once word gets out that the water temperature along the shore is a tolerable 53°F, the fisher folk won’t have a place to stand (or recline on folding chairs). And with the temperature climbing into the 70’s tomorrow, I’m guessing that day is . . . tomorrow. Air temperature is 63°F. Water temperature off the south side of South Beach, very close to the shore in the sun: 53°F (it could easily be 10 degrees colder on the opposite side of South Beach and further away from shore).
Thursday, 4/25/2013: 7:20 pm: Last night was a perfect spring evening here in Amherst - light breezes, temperature in the low 60s, the nearly full moon rising over the trees, and daylight hanging on well after dinner. I made my way down the road to Puffer's Pond, where about a dozen people, most of them fishing, had spread out along the perimeter of South Beach. This particular evening's fishing set seemed somewhat younger (most in their twenties) than their morning counterparts, who tend to be a decade or three older. Maybe the fish are hungrier in the morning, or maybe experience really does make a difference, but from what I could see, not many (any?) fish were being caught. One young woman had managed to cast her line into the trees, which resulted in a somewhat amusing scene as she and her friends tried different solutions to free the line. Two UMass students, Ariel and Dan, arrived shortly after the miscasting incident to take a post-homework swim. Given that the water was cold (54°F along the shore and presumably much colder beyond that), the swimmers drew even more attention than the line stuck in the trees. They both started out strong, but Ariel bailed about 30 feet off shore - "I couldn't catch my breath, it was so cold," he observed after he returned to shore. Impressively, Dan made it out all the way to the middle of the pond.
Perhaps it was all the commotion in the water that set them off, but two Canadian snow geese that had been paddling unnoticed on the northern side of the pond suddenly started honking loudly before they launched themselves into the air, skimmed gracefully above the surface of the water, turned north and disappeared over the treetops.
The shadows were growing longer, and as I made my way home, the sound of a woodpecker rat-a-tatting high in a tree somewhere merged with the high-pitched chorus of peepers which seemed to emanate from the woods and streams, all around. Air temperature: 63°F; water temperature: 54°F. [See the video of humans swimming and geese in flight here.]
Friday, 5/31/2013, 8:15 am: We're in the midst of a heat wave, with temps predicted to get up to 94°F this afternoon, but it's sheer perfection at this moment. Other than a few lone runners and occasional dog walkers, all smiling and friendly, there are fewer people around than normal. "Just need to beat the heat," commented one woman as she jogged up State Street. Except for me, Puffer's Pond itself is deserted at this hour (precisely why I chose to visit now and not later). Cars will be jammed into every available square inch of State Street by noon, and the beach will be wall-to-wall people into the late afternoon. Standing on a rock along the shore, I spot a school of tadpoles through the sunlit water. A downy woodpecker swoops overhead and proceeds to dart between nearby tree branches. I look out over the water and see dragonflies flitting along the surface, seeking out (I presume) mosquitoes. I smile because "dragonflies are our friends" - an oft-repeated phrase when our son was young. Everywhere, all around, life is happening. As I am about to return home, I run into a fellow Town Meeting member, who is out walking her dog, Honey. After softly lobbying for our respective positions on several upcoming articles - Town Meeting is more contentious than usual these days - we remember the time and head home in opposite directions. She is not thrilled about the large new wooden sign/bulletin board that has been erected, but not yet unveiled, near the center of the beach area (she assumes the town paid for it at great cost), but I am more approving. The structure is reminiscent of the signage at state parks, and while Puffer's has not been elevated to state park status, I think this gem in our town merits at least the appearance of being that official. Besides, whatever encourages swimmers to treat the area with care and remove their trash is a good thing. Air temperature: 72°F; water temperature: 63°F.
Thursday, 7/4/2013, 10:45 am: July 4th is almost always a crowded affair at Puffer's and coupled with today's heat advisory (temps in the mid to upper 90s with dew point around 70 for a heat index of 100), it's sure to be wall-to-wall people. Although it's not even high noon yet, there are about 40 cars on State Street, and 100-130 people on the beach/in the water. Spotted one canoe in the middle of the pond and several inflatable boats on the water (my personal favorite way to get a little space and still stay close to the water for rapid cooling off on a hot day). Still plenty of real estate to be had, though it's going to get very crowded today - and soon. Not a duck in sight, not surprisingly. Enjoy! Air temperature: 87.7°F; water temperature: 80°F.
 |
| Puffer's Pond, North Beach, 9/27/2013 (Amherst MA) Photo by S. Vardatira |
Sunday, 9/29/2013, 10:15 am: Another gorgeous, enticing "sliding to fall" morning at Puffer's. The water temperature continues to dip, but it's not prohibitively cold (for some people) just yet. I counted a few dozen people taking in the scenery, including the trees over State Street which have turned into a stunning canopy of yellow. A father and his two children are fishing/playing near the shore where Cushman Brook flows into Puffer's Pond. Not much wildlife that I can see, but I can hear birds chirping and twittering above me in the trees, as well as a woodpecker knocking rhythmically somewhere off in the distance. Across the pond, on the opposite North Beach, a few people are gazing down into into the water. What are they looking at? I wonder. So far no one has submerged. But that could well change later this afternoon. Some brave soul(s) will go for it, no question. Air temperature: 63,4°F; water temperature: 58°F.
Tuesday, 11/5/2013, 11:30 am: Breezy fall day at Puffer's Pond, mostly quiet except for a handful of people scattered on the trails and beaches. From where I am taking pictures on South Beach, I can hear people talking on the path on the eastern shore even though they are hiking more than 200 feet away. Once the leaves come down, the pond becomes an acoustic wonderland. The hikers' dog is panting rhythmically as he dodges back and forth through the trees chasing after something (ducks?) off shore. But the water is cold enough now that the dog goes only so far, pausing at the shoreline - seemingly unwilling to get soaked in pursuit of whatever he is chasing. Or maybe the prey is just elusive enough to thwart the chase. A young man is fishing - apparently without luck - nearby from the main beach. Compared to the summer, it is a different world here in the fall. We all go about our business, nodding and smiling, but intruding no further on the quiet. Air temperature: 48.5°F; water temperature: 43°F. Breezes got up to 6 mph by my hand-held anemometer.
 |
| First ice forms on Puffer's Pond (looking east from South Beach) November 13, 2013 (Photo by S. Vardatira) |
 |
| View to the sandy bottom (looking east, where Cushman Brook flows into Puffer's) December 1, 2013 (Photo by S. Vardatira) |
 |
| Puffer's barely frozen over with a dusting of snow (looking west towards waterfall) December 1, 2013 (Photo by S. Vardatira) |
Sunday, 12/1/2013, 9:30 am: Still, cold morning, with hardly a person in sight. Less than a week after Puffer's was a rush of water following heavy rain, today it is glassy stillness. Indeed, along the shore, in the few places where the water has not frozen over, I can see clear down to the sandy floor of the pond. And even there, no motion. No fish, no ripple on the water - just the sand, rocks, and occasional branches below. About 80 percent of the pond has frozen over, and last night's dusting of snow has painted those surfaces into a blanket of white. It is all deceptively solid looking - one toss of a small rock easily breaks the surface. The scene is accompanied by the sound of small birds, chirping rapidly and hopping about the trees above. The only other interruption in the stillness was when a family of quickly moving joggers (two adults and three children), accompanied by their Labrador Retriever, rounded the path along the eastern shore. They turned briefly when they reached State Street and then made their way back into the woods, along the trail that leads up to the quarry. Air temperature: 29°F; water temperature: unable to measure as the areas I could access from the shore were frozen.
Click here to continue reading "On Puffer's Pond Journal" for 2014-2023.
Click here to continue reading "On Puffer's Pond Journal" for 2014-2023.
No comments:
Post a Comment