Ice Lagoon

 

 

With the break up of the ice, interesting formations are found on the beaches of Lake Michigan. These structures of ice are ever-changing throughout the periods of freezing and thawing, taking shape with every wave and splash of the lake. 

Miniature environments that mimic vast land features elsewhere on earth can be spotted. Some appear to be mountain ranges, cliffs, lakes, oceans, estuaries, and canyons. Looking much like a lagoon filled with giant ice balls, this formation caught our eye as we made our way back from a hike through the rolling dunes. 

Hiking with me can be challenging at times, I stop periodically to investigate things that most people don't see, or don't bother to see. Stopping every so often to look and more importantly listen - it's incredible how the dunes and these ice mounds can block the sounds of the nearby cities and the crashing waves of the lake. Wind and wave sounds instantly disappear when traversing a dune, and temperatures can rise and fall just as fast - in summer or winter.

   

 First time visitors may surprisingly notice the Chicago skyline across the lake. At approximately 40 miles, the tops of the buildings are visible from the beach. Hike up a 75 or 100 foot dune, and you can see almost all of the buildings. The elevation helps overcome the curvature of the earth. A six foot tall person can see three miles across water before the curvature of the earth begins to hide things close to the surface. Gaining elevation helps to see a bit farther, and the height of the Chicago skyscrapers assists as well. So it's not unusual to see tall buildings from such a long distance.