Crashing, smashing, breaking, pointed, jagged, dangerous ice. This is ice. What you see in this photo is what we have to deal with in terms of ice. Because we had a warm spell for a bit, the ice began to melt and break and shift. The water current drove the sheets into one another, much like mini continents smashing into each other and pushing up the land. Then the temperature dropped quickly and flash-froze everything as you see it. Those pieces are as sharp as glass, and I have cut my hand on ice many times by accident.
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| Sheets of ice have smashed into one another. |
This is why icebreaker ships were created with their extra
strong hulls and tremendous power to smash their bows headlong through sheets
of thick ice. Unless you are out on it,
you cannot imagine how thick, dangerous, and destructive the ice can be. The Russians use nuclear-powered icebreakers,
and you can understand why when you think of the cold water they must traverse.
Here in Maine we are not as
cold as some parts of Russia,
but we still get quite cold. It took the
ice longer to form this year, but it is having no problem picking up “steam”
now. The ice shacks are going in here
and there, and soon ice shanty villages will be set up all over as people fish
and party together. It might be a wee
bit treacherous out there, but having fun is still a priority. Making enjoyment out of hardship is something
at which Mainers excel.
