For the folks that don't like cold water,

One of people in our pond club has a big pond and had about the same
problem, but he solved it by putting black nylon rope handle on the
baskets and then placing a bobber on the handle to mark where the
handle is, so he can use his long pole with a hook on it to hook the
handle. He then lifts gingerly and keeps the basket below the water
level to let the water support the basket as he moves it toward the
side. He gets it close enough to the side and then reaches down and
pulls it out by the handle. This is when it gets heavy. This works
with the 14 inch square baskets, but if you are moving containers
larger than the 14 square baskets you need a lot of forearm, bicep,
and shoulder strength.

Tom L.L.
-----------------------
"Paul in Redland" wrote in message ...
Been there, done that, although not in March, my pond is only 42 degrees
today.
Paul

"Lee Brouillet" wrote in message
...
So, there I was, standing by the pond, surveying my domain:

The lilies look a little shabby from the last frost, and they're putting
out
new shoots, and they have to be repotted and fertilized, so - I should
pull
them out of the pond, yes? Checked the water temp: 70*, not good - but not
too bad. Gotta find my swim suit so I don't scare the neighbors . . . ahh,
here it is. Step in, start to pull it up: tug, tug, YANK, pull some more -
damn! how do these things shrink so much over the winter??? Stuff, stuff,
stuff some more . . . well, at least everything's covered. Back out to the
pond; call hubby to "spot" me while I'm in the pond (you're gonna do
WHAT???), check the temp again (yep, still 70* - it didn't get any
warmer!).
Start to ease into the water . . . up to my knees (not too bad!), up to my
thighs (ooo! this is a bit colder than I thought it would be); fish
curious
and checkin' me out . . . one more step down (careful, the bottom is
slipperier than goose stuff!); water above my waist (Damn! this stuff is
COLD!), one more step over to the lilies and . . . ker-splash! under I go!
Back up to the surface, arms flailing, hair plastered over my eyes,
expletives exploding from me and blistering the air in the most
imaginative
and impossible arrangements - hubby rolling around on the porch *howling*
at
me, fish spooked and stacked on top of each other at the far end of the
pond, and I STILL had to get the bloody lilies off the bottom!!! Gathered
what was left of my composure (not much!), reached down . . . a little
farther down, ahhh, there's the rim - hook my fingers on the rim, drag it
over a bit, there it is - got it now! pick it up . . . and it slid outta
my
hands right onto my foot! (repeat expletives!) Hubby now wiping tears from
his eyes, he's laughing so hard (hmph, I'll take care of him LATER!). Got
the pot back up to the surface and reached for the edge (peooey! what
happened to the "sweet" smell???), hubby grabs the pot and takes it from
me,
promptly dragging all the long, cold, wet, algae-encrusted leaves and
stems
all over me! ACCCK! And there's still one pot to go!

Eventually, I was able to crawl out of the pond . . . Please tell me
there's
an easier way to do this????

Lee