An icy ocean wonderland to explore

Walking on the ice past a mooring buoy, Jan. 25

We’ve had quite a long cold snap, and the ocean ice in and near our inlet is way over 6 inches thickness, the recommended thickness for safety.  Beautifully smooth too, in places, though the wind chill discouraged us from going back for our skates.

A branch which has been stuck in the ice for weeks now, next to a mooring buoy, with other moorings in the background

We walked out to a small island and explored the ice formations around the rocks

Along the shoreline at low tide, a weird and wonderful landscape to explore

At low tide, the ice is sitting on or near the bottom, so there’s little risk. It’s harder to get onto the ice when the tide is higher, as the broken pieces around the edge may not bear one’s weight, as my son learned this morning! No harm done, just wet boots and an uncomfortable trot home.

The big rocks in the middle are barely underwater at high tide, and we have to avoid them when rowing or paddling in the summer.