Blue Ice

What is blue ice? To put it simply: glacier ice.

But why is it blue? Well, I shall copy and paste from the people who do science as a job: glacial ice often appears blue when it has become very dense and free of bubbles. Years of compression gradually make the ice denser over time, forcing out the tiny air pockets between crystals. Ice absorbs a small amount of red light. When glacier ice becomes extremely dense, light travels deep into the ice before reflecting and refracting back out, leaving a bluish tint in the visible light (from https://nsidc.org/).

From afar, glaciers seem immense and quiet, but as you get closer, you realise they're alive: birds flying and fishing in the front, seals and walruses using the floating ice to rest, and if you're lucky, a polar bear getting some rest or checking what's on the ice. The glacier itself is also alive, you never forget the cracking noises and carvings the first time you experience them. A mix of awe and sadness as glaciers in Svalbard are carving at an alarming rate.

One of my favourite sounds is probably navigating on a zodiac through the tiny little pieces of ice in the water, making small bubbly ice cube noises.

For more blue ice pictures, you can also check out the Reflections page.