ST. MARY'S CITY, Md. (WUSA9) -- For the first time since 1979 the nationally ranked varsity sailing team at St. Mary's College of Maryland remains ice-bound late into February.
"We're basically an indoor sailing team right now," said a bewildered Jonathan Lutz, a sophomore from New Jersey.
The college was closed today after another 6" of snow fell on southern Maryland counties Thursday, which were the hardest hit in the recent storm.
The sailing team was on the docks removing ice and shoveling snow out of the hulls of its racing fleet. There is concern too much ice could crack some of the fiberglass boats.
Some team members resorted to using kayak paddles to shovel snow.
The college's harbor on the St. Mary's river remains completely iced over. Even so open water is tantalizingly close. Normally the team conducts daily practices in late winter, a team member said.
The team was a national runner-up last season and is preparing to host a major national meet in just two weeks.
