A couple from Alaska skated through a “drowned forest” and it looked mezmerizing, wowing internet users.
Luc Mehl, 46, shared a clip of his wife Hannah skating through the forest, which is partially under water due to an earthquake in 1964. Having frozen over due to cold temperatures, the lake with its trees sticking up out of it made for a unique skating experience for the couple in Palmer, Alaska.
“Ice skating through a drowned forest, also known as a ghost forest, is surreal,” Mehl told Newsweek. “I love the novelty of winding through the trees, which is not an experience I get very often on ice skates.”
The video, which has received 4.7 million views since it was first posted on November 15, shows Hannah seamlessly gliding through the snow-covered trees as Mehl follows along and records, with the sound of cracking ice under their skates delighting viewers.
“The added history—the environmental context—adds another dimension to my enjoyment. These trees were drowned due to the 1964 Alaska Earthquake. I’m not old enough to have experienced that earthquake first time, but a lifetime in Alaska has exposed me to a number of smaller quakes.”
The 1964 Alaska earthquake was the strongest-ever recorded in North America and had a magnitude of 9.2. It led to 131 deaths in the state. Land sank as much as 8 feet as a result.
Tremors lasted around four minutes and much of Alaska’s coastline was submerged and coastal forests were destroyed by sea water.
Mehl told Newsweek: “This area is a swamp during the summer—not as easy or pleasant to visit. It is a real treat to visit in the winter.
“I asked Hannah to zip ahead so that I could film her as she wound through the forest. My attention was torn between tracking Hannah with the camera and keeping myself from colliding with trees. What a blast.”
Mehl’s video received thousands of likes and comments, with many people sharing their amazement at the short clip.
“Wow! That landscape and that sound—surreal,” said @gossia_m3.
Meanwhile, @thejourneydays_ commented: “Wow what a crazy cool looking experience.”
“This is my new bucket list dream. That’s so incredible,” said @r.vixxed.
@Imstraight shared: “I used to ice skate in shallow water when I was a kid in RI, USA. This brings back great memories, thank you.”
@aroundtheworldbyfoot called the clip “mesmerizingly beautiful” while @farmanaly said it was “dreamy.”
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