Winter offers its own kind of beauty. Some people ski, or ice skate, or snow shoe. What is a New England mermaid to do? Learn how to dive beneath the ice, of course.

What an amazing experience. I have always loved the beauty of ice. The smoothness, the textures, the shapes. The transparency like glass. Yet fluid and alive. Always changing. Nature’s ice sculptures are ever evolving, ephemeral, and always captivatingly beautiful.

If this mermaid remains out of the water for too long, it is not a good thing! Cold will not keep me away. There are others like me! On a cold and icy February morning, a group of merpeople cut a hole in the ice, and one by one we gently descended into the water of a calm quarry.

After some initial adjustments, I was ready to relax into the beauty. I had expected the stunning green color of the water beneath the ice and the artistry of the ice itself. Mother Nature did not disappoint. I was surprised by the lovely green algae living on the bottom, surviving the cold winter and adding life to this serene environment.

When I looked up and saw the bright green reflecting on the underside of the ice, the bubbles and crackles within the ice, I was awestruck. And, of course, I had to touch it. I expected to feel grooves and ridges – but it was completely smooth. All of the visible textures are within the ice. I would have stayed longer, mesmerized by the beauty. I hope to return again.

picture credit above: Bill Mitlehner, merman and ice dive instructor