Lake Huron Icebergs

[Robert Watcher]

It was a cold evening. Milder than some of the days we have been having lately, but still cold at -16C (feels like of -20C).

Anne & I were quite surprised to see lakers being filled up with salt from the mine, at this time of year. The tug boats are managing to keep the ice in the harbour, chopped up so ships and fishing boats can still get out to open water.

The icebergs out on Lake Huron, aren’t near the size or beautiful structure of those in the ocean waters - but they were substantial. These are a few pics that I took after sunset to day, at high ISO settings up to 6400 - using a long lens of 400-600mm handheld with exposures between 1/40’th to 1/250’th Second.

 

[Asher Kelman]

Where do the icebergs come from?

 

[Asher Kelman]

It was a cold evening. Milder than some of the days we have been having lately, but still cold at -16C (feels like of -20C).

Anne & I were quite surprised to see lakers being filled up with salt from the mine, at this time of year. The tug boats are managing to keep the ice in the harbour, chopped up so ships and fishing boats can still get out to open water.

The icebergs out on Lake Huron, aren’t near the size or beautiful structure of those in the ocean waters - but they were substantial. These are a few pics that I took after sunset to day, at high ISO settings up to 6400 - using a long lens of 400-600mm handheld with exposures between 1/40’th to 1/250’th Second.

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Those icebergs are amazing! It must be that the water get super old below the surface and the frozen block of lake water rises!

Did you approach them by boat or from the safety of land?


I love your pictures, Robert. What a treat!

 

[Robert Watcher]

So what I am beginning to understand Asher, is that icebergs, form on land and break off, floating into open water - where their shape continues to change from lapping water on its sides, as well as the effect of melting caused by water below being warmer than on the surface.

The water in the Great Lakes is very cold and depending on the harshness of our winters, large portions of the lakes become covered with ice. Along the costal edges, there is huge buildup of ice dunes. I imagine the icebergs are formed there. BTW - the horizontal white line on the horizon of the icebergs pics, is a huge ridge of accumulated ice that appears to be 1/2 mile or more, out into the open waters of the lake.

Here is an interesting read about the ice accumulations on the Great Lakes - https://greatlakes.guide/ideas/do-the-great-lakes-freeze-over

Here is a bit of info I found on icebergs - https://nsidc.org/cryosphere/quickfacts/icebergs.html


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I caught these images from the safety of land, using my longest zoom lens.

Thank you for your compliment on the pics.

 

[Asher Kelman]

This is such a fabulous phenomenon to be occurring on the Northern American Continent. Who’s have imagined!

 

[Robert Watcher]

I processed a few more of the images that I took last night. They were all taken with one handheld camera, one long zoom lens (150mm to 600mm), at very high ISO settings and slower shutter speeds. One more closeup of an iceberg…

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[Robert Watcher]

WORKING VESSELS —- And this series in Harbour…

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[Asher Kelman]

How large would be able to print these observing from 20”?

 

[Robert Watcher]

Are you asking if I have printed these images big? I haven’t.

Otherwise I wouldn’t know, other than that I have made prints in the past up to 16x20 and the odd one at 24x30 with files from this camera.



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[Maggie Terlecki]

Love, love the ice in blue! So gorgeous!

 

[Tom Robbins]

Wonderful photos, Robert. I grew up spending summers along Lake Huron just south of Port Sanilac, Michigan. I recall visiting just once in the winter and it was an entirely different world.