When the ice gets too thick

There’s about 24 inches of ice on Lake of the Woods, and why wouldn’t there be? The self-proclaimed “walleye capital of the world” is practically at the north pole.

Ice fishing? Perfectly safe. What could go wrong with 24 inches of ice?

This.

What’s happening here? How can it be so cold and have a crack develop when there’s two feet of ice?

It’s not melting; it cracked because of the cold. As the ice gets thicker, it also gets heavier, and starts to sink until breaks. (disputed: see below)

Ice is cool like that.

(h/t: Gary Taylor)