I'm not sure that the Canal has ever completely frozen over as the currents/tides run fast, and it's sea level, but every now and then in winter there will be ice chunks. I headed over to Sandwich around 10 AM and the water was totally clear of ice, even small pieces. It was dead low tide on the Bay. By the time I crossed back over at 1:30, the ice was so thick you could barely see any blue water at all.
I went home, grabbed my camera and headed back out. I thought I could get some good 'aerial' views from the vista points on Scenic Highway, but all the snow piles were pushed to the end of the parking lot and I was not about to risk my life scaling them....not with a sheer drop on the other side. So I ended up at the Herring Run parking lot, where I still had to climb up a snow bank to see over to the water. I only got 3 pictures at that place.
Looking west
Looking east at Sagamore Bridge
So I drove back to Buzzards Bay and tried to get access to the Canal from the park. It was a very cold and icy walk from the parking lot to the service road, and I had to very slowly and gingerly pick my way across the icy walkway and hope to god I didn't fall. Looking east at Bourne Bridge.
This really blew my mind. Never, ever have I seen this.
There's a channel of water out there in the center.
Brrrrrrrr
One last look at the Bourne Bridge and I was in a hurry to get to my car. It was 14* and my ears were frozen. I was probably minutes away from frostbite because they really hurt and burned after I got back in the car and turned the heat on!
Well I always wanted to see the icebergs in Newfoundland, but this will suffice for now!