Danger of Ice Shelves

Danger of Ice Shelves

As the temperatures drop and nature begins creating its usual winter phenomena along the Lake Huron shorelines, the Municipality of Bluewater is reminding residents and visitors to enjoy the lake from a distance.

As ice forms on the lake, it constantly breaks up, refreezes, and gets pushed toward the shoreline, forming ice shelves that can stretch several meters out into the lake. It appears almost as an extension of the shoreline in some places and is very appealing to the adventurous walker or photographer. However, these surfaces are not safe to walk on.

Unlike the ice that forms over bodies of standing water, ice forming over the Great Lakes is thinner and less stable because the lake is always moving beneath it. What appears to be thick, stable ice, can hide large cracks or caverns. One wrong step and individuals can find themselves falling through the cracks and getting trapped in the caverns or plunging into the frigid waters. Hypothermia can set in within minutes if the temperatures are cold enough. Depending on conditions, it can be difficult for rescue crews to respond.

As beautiful as these natural phenomena are, it is far better, and safer, to enjoy them from the shore.

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