Lake Superior "Ice Agates"

My third trip to the Bayfield (Wisconsin) area in January was maybe the most surprising one. We stopped at the Friendly Valley beach again to look at the blue ice that I had visited a week earlier. Lake Superior started to freeze up more and the fresh snow had covered much of the beautiful blue ice. (see my previous blog : https://soulcenteredphotography.blogspot.com/2021/01/blue-ice-near-bayfield-wisconsin.html ) 

The first photos are from the Friendly Valley beach.

Then we continued on to the beach (near Little Sand Bay) we had visited in early January, hoping to find more ice. (see previous blog: https://soulcenteredphotography.blogspot.com/2021/01/lake-superior-ice.html)

But the landscape had completely changed with big hills of snow/ice that the lake had pushed ashore. At first I didn't think there was anything to photograph but as I started to walk along the shoreline I noticed small pieces of clear ice poking through the snow. We spent the next 1 ½ hours crawling on the ground trying to capture the many differently shaped "Ice Agates" - some were reflecting blue colors, others were brown, and some were decorated with delicate tiny snowflakes. And others were shining their light from within - it was the most amazing sight to see. I so wished I had my macro lens with me but made due with what I had.

Every trip to Lake Superior is a surprise - you never know what you will find!

Enjoy the sparkling ice jewels !! 

Click on the photos for a larger view. And thanks for viewing.- Susanne

"Blue Ice" near Bayfield, Wisconsin

It was another cloudy winter day in northern Wisconsin and a friend and myself had made plans to go to Bayfield for an outing. I almost cancelled as I hadn't slept well and the outside world looked a bit boring to my photography eyes. But as so often, mother nature gave me a surprise and a gift when we arrived at our first destination - Friendly Valley Beach just south of Bayfield. 

As I walked along the beach admiring the piles of blue ice I started to see patches of blue sky! Yeah!! When I got to the mouth of the Little Sioux River the sun started to break through the clouds a few times and lit up the landscape and some of the ice. I can only imagine what it would have looked like if there was no snow on the ice shards!! 

On some of the photos you can see Madeline Island at the horizon and the main land with Bayfield to the left. 

Enjoy the blue and white winter world along Lake Superior!

Click on the photos for a larger view. And thanks for viewing.

Susanne

Magical Frosty days in northern Wisconsin

In the earlier part of January 2021 a big part of Wisconsin experienced several days with the most beautiful hoar or rime frost I have ever seen. I am no expert in the exact difference of these 2 terms but here is a website you can read more about: https://www.dtn.com/rime-ice-or-hoar-frost-there-is-a-difference/

The following photos were taken between January 2nd and 5th of 2021, in my neighborhood, the Blue Hills area in Rusk County, Wisconsin.

After some cloudy days the sun came out on January 5th and I went for a walk on Audie Lake. I felt being transported into a different world, almost dream like. The brilliant colors of the blue sky and white trees were astounding.

Enjoy viewing my photos of this magical winter wonderland!

Susanne 

Click on the photos for a larger view. And thanks for viewing.

Lake Superior Ice

It has been a mild winter so far and the chances to find ice along Lake Superior have been sparse. But thanks to a fellow photographer from Bayfield, Wisconsin who posted some photos on social media I was able to spent some time along the south shore. The following photos were taken within 2 hours and it is amazing to see how the colors and mood changed in that time period. 

There was so much to see and take in, endless possibilities for compositions and close-ups of the different shapes of ice shards.

My favorites are towards the end, taken during the blue hour period.  The colors were breath taking.

There is also a short video where you can hear the sounds of the moving ice.

Enjoy and a happy New Year!

Click on the photos for a larger view. And thanks for viewing.

Susanne