The bay in Falmouth, Massachusetts, froze over due to plunging temperatures. (YouTube video - Ryan Canty / screenshot)

Ocean Freezes Over in Massachusetts–Officials Warn People Not to Walk on Ice

Beachgoers in Massachusetts were in awe to discover that a bay had completely frozen over.

Ryan Canty posted a video on his YouTube channel, showing his family on the frozen waves at Old Silver Beach in Falmouth, Mass.

Canty said that his grandmother, who lives nearby, only saw the ocean freeze three times in the past 80 years.

Temperatures in Cape Cod hit -4 Fahrenheit on Saturday.

Ocean waters freeze at a lower temperature than plain water due to its high salt content.

“It’s certainly unusual,” said Falmouth harbormaster Gregg Fraser, according to the Boston Globe. “We don’t have this much ice this early in the season, typically.”

“If you’re standing on the shore, it’s ice as far as you see.”

“Hopefully we’ll get a warm-up here,” he said. “We’re hoping this upcoming week the above-freezing temperatures will knock out some of it.”

Fraser, however, warned people to stay off the ice along the beaches because the water currents can make the ice unstable.

“We discourage anyone from going on saltwater ice, because it’s unpredictable,” he said.

Videos, nevertheless, show people venturing onto the ice to explore and take photos.

“It’s so dangerous to do that,” Weymouth harbormaster Paul Milone said. “Moving water doesn’t freeze.”

Recommended Video:

Boiling water turns to snow