Weatherwise, we’re still having morning temperatures in the mid-20s (F) and afternoon highs in the mid-30s. This seems to annoy the sea ice, which sometimes softly creaks and groans when it has to expand and contract.
One of the best places to watch restless sea ice around here is Patten Bay just off the still-snow-covered Surry Wharf. Two fairly significant streams near there feed the Bay with fresh water, making it a little easier for the salted sea inlet to freeze a few of its surface inches.
At low tide, the ice covers the near sea bottom there like a pristine satin sheet thrown over a rubble field:
Farther out, however, the forming and melting ice create graceful, sweeping passageways:
(Images taken in Surry, Maine, on February 5, 2024.)