Mid-winter visit to the Heron Lake Marina

Last Sunday morning, 3 February 2013, I visited the marina at Heron Lake in the mountain country of northern New Mexico. The marina was floating in about four inches of ice atop six feet of water. The main body of the lake is significantly deeper in many places, of course.

Water is still being taken from the lake, with about three weeks to go until the ice breaks up and several more weeks until significant spring runoff is likely.

I measured the water depth at a break in the ice and chopped a small hole in the ice to check minimum depth at a point closer to the shore.

Heron Lake is the home of the New Mexico Sailing Club and is owned and operated by the members. The marina is seasonally open, subject to weather and water levels, and rents overnight slips to the public as well as providing seasonal slips to members. Membership is open to all boat owners and includes some power boaters. Heron is a no-wake lake however, so the lake is primarily of interest to sailors, kayakers, and anglers who travel and fish at trolling or no-wake speed.