I again don't see why people are getting worked up over this. It's a tailwheel aircraft with big tyres designed for off airport work. It happens frequently in the us.
I don't get how being a deep cold lake makes any difference to practice. I'd imagine if things went wrong you could do as much damage in a few feet of water.
Flying comes down to risk assesment and personal acceptance. People fly in clouds, do aerobatics, fly vintage aircraft, do stalls, all of which adds a level of risk to flying slap bang in the centre of the envelope.
In the event of a need for a forced landing I'd much rather be in with someone with lots of experience off airfield than a person who has lever left tarmac.