Surf and lifestyle photographer based in Nantucket, Massachusetts.
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The Inertia

These frozen wave photos were taken on February 20, 2015 during my daily surf check. When I pulled up to the beach I could see  the horizon looked very strange. When I got to the top off the dunes I saw the ocean was starting to freeze from about three hundred yards from the shoreline. The high temperature that day was around 19 °F. The wind was howling from the southwest which would typically make rough or choppy conditions, but since the surface of the sea was frozen slush, the wind did not change the shape. What resulted was perfect, dreamy slush-waves. Most waves were around two feet with some larger sets slushing through around three feet to waist high. It was truly an incredible experience to be absolutely freezing on the beach and watch these roll in while I mind surfed.

The next day I drove up to see if the waves melted, but beginning from the same three hundred yard marker the water had frozen solid and there were no waves at all. All of the fishermen and surfers I talked to said that this was the first time they had ever seen something like this, being that this has been the coldest winter we’ve had in eight-one years.

To see more of Jonathan’s incredible photography, check out his website or follow him on Twitter and Instagram.

 
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