Here you see sea ice scattering in shards across Conary Cove on Saturday afternoon as a 11.7-foot tide crests over the foundations of the boathouse. It’s been cold here:
Sea ice forms, of course, when seawater freezes, but that water needs a lower temperature to freeze than fresh water due to the seawater’s salt content. Sea ice floats because it is less dense than the surrounding water.
The reflective nature of sea ice in the polar oceans is an important coolant for planet Earth. The increasing losses of that ice there and elsewhere should be a matter of concern for those who care about future generations. (Image taken in Blue Hill, Maine, on February 1, 2025.)