On December 19, 2009, an impressive snow formation was discovered in the small town of Hoeven in the Dutch province of North-Brabant. I received a phone
call from my dear friend and collegue Roy Boschman, who had been warned by Robbert van den Broeke who had discovered the formation.
The formation consisted of 23 rings of various sizes, linked like thought bubbles.
The total dimensions measured 60 by 52 metres (185 by 155 feet). There were no footprints in the snow; it seemed as if the formation had been pushed into
the fresh snow from above, like a gigantic stamp. What was interesting was the absence of snow in the rings. It had simply disappeared: melted and vaporised
by the heat of the energy?
When Roy called me on the phone, it was already late afternoon, so I decided to visit the formation (2 hours drive) the following morning.
I made sure everything was ready: cameras, pole, fully loaded batteries. But when I opened the curtains the next day, to my sadness I saw it had snowed
that night. The formation had disappeared under a thick layer of fresh snow...
A snow formation has its advantages (such as the significant absence of footprints), but it also has disadvantages!
Luckily Roy took many excellent photographs, so all I can say is... 'enjoy'!
(Many thanks to Roy Boschman and Robbert van den Broeke).
Note: just to be totally clear: this formation (plus the second and third snow formation that followed) is absolutely authentic! (i.e. NOT man-made).
This puts the Netherlands on the snow circle map once and for all...
