Osoyoos photographer captures mysterious ice phenomenon

An Osoyoos photographer recently captured a unique ice formation on Osoyoos Lake.

This year’s mild winter has limited ice build up on South Okanagan lakes, but earlier this week Osoyoos resident Greg Reely was out taking photographs when he found these ice discs on the south side of Haynes Point on Osoyoos Lake.

Retired UBC Geography Professor Michael Church says he believes the formations are ice discs, formed from irregular pieces of ice that are rotated in the current.

The irregular edges are knocked off by collisions with other pieces.

“Notice they are sitting adjacent to a through-flowing current of water,” Church said in an email.

“The edge of the current will start the ice piece rotating so it becomes round. As new pieces arrive, the older pieces are pushed back, so long as there is room, so that the ‘field’ of discs builds up,” Church observed.

Reely, who posted photos of the ice formation online last weekend, is known locally for his outdoor photography skills in the South Okanagan.

Have you seen something like this before? Let us know in the comments below.

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