So, it turns out that the weirdest thing in Maine is not Stephen King this winter. No, that title goes to the giant spinning ice disk that has formed in the Presumpscot River in the town of Westbrook and it is like visual ASMR for the world weary.
The giant dice disk originally formed on the river in the winter of 2019, drawing worldwide attention. It began again in 2020, but only partially formed (although I think we should reserve judgment. I mean, who among us was able to fully form anything in 2020? Not me.). Well, it is back for 2022, and it is magnificent.
The disk forms as a result of a current and a vortex under the frozen river surface, the ice begins to slowly spin, eventually creating a large circle of ice that continues spinning in the river’s current all on its own as if touched by Jack Frost himself.
The effect is mesmerizing….well, until the giant ice disk freezes in place. Then it’s more like a giant frozen plate in a river, so less magical, but still pretty cool (see what i did there?).
Residents of Westbrook have been posting pictures and videos of the giant ice disk on social media in hopes of drumming up some more of the tourist magic the 100-yard wide ice disk of 2019 delivered. That one spent two weeks spinning slowly in the river pulling in “disk peepers” from as far away as England. While the current ice disk is similar in size to its 2019 predecessor, it is assumed to be thinner and has frozen in place, now resembling what locals describe as sort of like a full moon surrounded by clouds. Fortunately, News Center Maine, captured the phenomenon on film before it all went still.
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the Giant Spinning Ice Disk of Presumpscot River in all its spinny glory:
