By now you surely have heard about the chaos on the Connecticut River. A six-mile ice jam that has been strangling the river for the past two weeks has brought our state into the national limelight. One thing is certain, Mother Nature may have wreaked some havoc on the river, but she gave us a one-of-a-kind opportunity to capture something special with our camera lenses. Let’s take a look at some of the most riveting photos of the Connecticut River ice jam.

Many photographers arrived on the banks of the Connecticut River to frame amazing shots of this once in a lifetime scenery.

Instagram/ryanzipp

North of the East Haddam Swing Bridge, the ice jam ran six miles up the river changing the landscape dramatically.

Instagram/frank_dinardi

Thick slabs of ice piled up, glistening like mounds of broken glass, making the river seem like a frozen arctic tundra.

Instagram/ryanzipp

The glacial expanse surrounded boathouses and docks creating a shimmering solid surface.

Instagram/frank_dinardi

Many residents were stunned by the expanse of ice, never before having seen the river freeze to this extent.

Instagram/frank_dinardi

Visitors from all over New England made the trip to view the spectacular landscape created by the abnormally cold temperatures.

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The East Haddam Swing Bridge temporarily became the number one tourist spot in the state due to the Connecticut River ice jams.

Instagram/frank_dinardi

The U.S. Coast Guard was summoned to help break up the relentless tract of thick river ice.

Instagram/frank_dinardi

Pushing through this kind of frozen ice jam would appear to be nearly impossible.

Instagram/frank_dinardi

Three Cutters began to bash their way upstream slowly loosening the frozen jams and freeing the ice.

Flickr/Coast Guard News

This aerial photo shows the daunting task that the U.S. Coast Guard faced on their mission.

Instagram/ryanhumble

As warmer temperatures arrive and the U.S. Coast Guard continues its work, the ice will begin to move down the river and out to the Long Island Sound.

Facebook Connecticut Nature Lovers/Bridget Hensel Breen‎

Did you make it out to see the Connecticut River ice jam? What did you think about this winter phenomenon? Please share your experiences and any photos below in the comments section.

Instagram/ryanzipp

Instagram/frank_dinardi

Instagram/beingdareful

Flickr/Coast Guard News

Instagram/ryanhumble

Facebook Connecticut Nature Lovers/Bridget Hensel Breen‎

Are you interested in checking out more severe winter weather pictures? Take a look back at these photos from the Blizzard of 2013.

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