winter scenes from Stavern harbor

though the harbor is salt water there is usually a thin layer of fresh water from the nearby river floating above the ocean water. that is why on calm days the harbor freezes over even at temperatures only a little below 0 C. an icebreaker keeps a channel open for the few boats that come and go.

when there is no boat traffic in the inner harbor the layer of ice remains undisturbed except for areas that have a bubbler to keep the ice at a minimum. in the night frost forms on the docks as well as the harbor ice

when a boat comes and goes it breaks the ice into pieces. instead of melting, new ice forms incorporating the broken pieces thereby creating a fascinating variety of surface patterns and textures

narrow floating pontoons separate the docking into numbered spaces and allow for easier boarding and disembarking. they also house the bubblers which may or may not be turned on.

there weren't any boats around here this late in the season but there are some boats that remain in the water year round in other parts of the harbor

a black and white shot seems a fitting close. it's cold out here