Fact of the Day - Pancake Ice

Resembling pancakes or lily pads, pancake ice grows from thickened grease ice, which is itself a thin layer of ice crystals on the water surface with a greasy appearance and like a slush puppy in consistency. The edges of pancake ice are upturned because they bump into each other as they gently move around in the sea. They are usually between about a foot (30cm) and 6 feet (2m) across. Pancakes tend to be smaller the closer to the shore line they are.

Source: www.coolantarctica.com

Image: Brian Newham