Incredible Footage of the Amazing Balls of Ice That Appear the South Shore of Lake Michigan

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During every freezing, incredible balls of ice make an appearance upon the south shore of Lake Michigan, making it appear as if it’s composed of shiny rocks. This natural phenomenon occurs when sheets of ice break into smaller pieces that get rounded and polished by the pounding waves of the freezing lake. A number of very daring people braved the freezing weather of January to capture really incredible footage and photos of these amazing ice balls. Photographer Cody Shanley expressed just how cold the conditions were on New Year’s Day 2018.

Officially kicking off 2018 with this shot I took today on a below-zero wind chill Lake Michigan. My camera and I got completely soaked in freezing water from a huge splash off these ice cliffs that quickly turned me into a human popsicle for the walk back to my car. My hands and feet are still numb… happy new year everyone!

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Lori Dorn
Lori Dorn

Lori is a Laughing Squid Contributing Editor based in New York City who has been writing blog posts for over a decade. She also enjoys making jewelry, playing guitar, taking photos and mixing craft cocktails.