In Kerteminde on the Danish island of Funen, some yachts were caught out in the cold. Due to construction work, they were moved to the outer edge of the popular harbour. But the surprisingly harsh winter had a say in the matter. Strong easterly winds drove spray over the pier, which froze on the boats and left a thick layer of ice behind. A fascinating sight, but in the worst case scenario, a boat can tip on its side and even sink. Consequently, the ice was carefully knocked off.
Harbour master Søren Therkelsen explains: "We hadn't expected this after the mild winters of the past few years. However, the boats are now optimally protected: The ice has raised the outer pier to such an extent that no more spray can splash over it. We have fought ice with ice, so to speak!"
More articles on snow, ice and Arctic temperatures
This winter phenomenon is well known in Sassnitz on the island of Rügen: In easterly winds and sub-zero temperatures, a layer of ice regularly forms around the lighthouse on the eastern pier. This winter, however, the longest pier in Europe was so heavily iced over that it had to be closed for safety reasons - much to the annoyance of the many onlookers and amateur photographers.
Morten Strauch
Editor News & Panorama
