Beach Stones and Sand Formations: A Michigan Rock Hound's Pictorial Paradise
86Brief February Snow Melt Reveal Beach Stone Clusters
Rare Stones on Lake Michigan Beach
I've had a fascination for stones ever since I was a little girl. These days I love to collect them and spread them all around my garden landscape. Years ago, after moving into the region bordering Van Buren and Allegan Counties of Southwest Michigan, I was thrilled to discover Septarium (not Septarian) brown stones. These stones are extremely rare and are found only in one other location around the globe; curiously in India. The reddish brown stone is the bedrock here, it's a type of sedimentary mud stone; not all possess the telltale veining. The white veins of the Septarium are filled with a type of calcite. Another name for them sometimes is Turtle Stone, obviously due to resemblance of a turtle shell pattern. Sand smoothed granite and limestone are other common stones found nearby the brown stones. The deep gray and other various colored stones provide a striking contrast from the warm reddish brown tones!
Earlier this week we enjoyed a temporary relief from winter with 50 degree temps. As a result, the snow melt replenished the ravine that empties into Pier Cove with a steady stream of crystal clear water. It even caused a washout over the culdesac on one lane of the road to the beach. The steady flow of snow melt has uncovered the secret glory of the stones. The smooth stones become buried under sand during summer months so it's a rare and much appreciated sight for this rock hound.
Snow Melt Formations
With the rapid snow melted, unusual patterns in the sand created by the wind, waves and former frosty cover can finally be revealed. A few of the photos are fuzzier than I would like cause I really need a better camera. I left them in because their composition either tells a story or provide a feeling of the wide open space on the beach.
Snow Mounds Pose Secret Danger
There were many beach lovers coming and going this particular February day in 2011. Some of them dared walk beyond the shoreline onto ice covered Lake Michigan. When standing on it you can hear the trickles of water moving under the ice, and cracking sounds too. A few people did fall in, but luckily the water isn't too deep on the shore side of the 25ft ice piles. The danger is just beyond those huge ice mounds. Unfortunately, every year when temps rise, someone on the western shores of the Lake Michigan drowns from ice and snow giving way under their feet. It's only stable to walk on as long as you don't venture anywhere near the edge. From the vantage point on top of the ice hills you have no way of knowing if your walking on the edge of a hollowed out overhang. It's best to keep off them soon as the meltdown begins.
Winter Returns
I went back to Pier Cove Beach the next day. A sprinkling of ice snow mix began to fall on the beach with a million tink, tink, tinks! Aah, sounds of nature! The barrage of new snow landed between the stones making them pop out more so than from their usual neutral sandy colored backdrop.
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Nice imagery!
I love looking for interesting rocks and formations when I'm out hiking. I enjoyed your photos.
I remember a popular hobby type stone polisher you could buy and make beautiful polished stones that were,to me,as nice as precious gems,my neieghbor had one.;)
Vicki, Inmate,Kay & Acer, I do so appreciate your positive feedback. Acer, I remember those polishing tumblers too. Pretty sure they are still available for sale!
Wow! LOVED this! You have a gift!!
Wow!wow!wow! ( one wow won't do for this hub) Fossillady, you have the eye of an artist, the heart of a poet and the brain of a Geologist... I absolutely adored this hub, gonna bookmark it and keep coming back. There is so much beauty in here, it's amazing. In a strange coincidence I have a feeling I have seen septarium stones in the river beds in India as that pic looks so familiar and tranquil. voted way, way up.
Thanks Laine, preciate the comment
Docmo, that is way cool, never been out of the country let alone India. Would love to travel some day! Thank you for the super duper compliments! I'm so glad you found beauty in the photos!
A magnificent hub! Loooooooooooove these pictures so much. Beauty is everywhere (including the writer). All of nature attracts me and energizes my senses. Stones and rocks - sand formations, make me feel so alive. Thank you for "reviving" me.
Thank you sweet lady! Nice to see you! Glad you felt revived and thank you for the nice compliment! Hope you're keeping warm on this chilly winter evening!
Wow...wow...wow....wow...wow. May I continue my "wow". I don't have any word to express my feeling after saw all stunning pictures. I never doubt that you are great photographer. Beautiful and so relaxing. I love water and all the things related with something natural. I can find through this hub. Well done, my friend. I give my vote special for you. Take care!
Prasetio
Pras, thank you, thank you, thank you,I am sooo happy that you enjoyed the photos. We are blessed with the beauty of nature all around! You have the heart and soul to recognize it! Hugs and smiles!
What a wonderful Hub on Beach Stones and Sand Formations, so rich and informative, along with pictures that are so beautiful...What a wonderful treat for all to see in February...This is a Present, Nature at its finest, captured as only you can Fossillady.
Kathi what a show you put on for us. You have inspired me to take my camera to the beach. We have some great ones near here--Laguna Beach is very picturesque and has some awesome formations and rocks.
Thank you for the visual treat and Septarium review. =:)
Images are absolutely stunning. Most people don't realize how beautiful Michigan is, I know I didn't. But then again, I worked in the industrial side of southern Detroit. Thank you for sharing the beautiful imagery.
Your pictures are so beautiful ! I would love to have some of the rocks for my flower garden. I bought white rocks last year, but they are small and expensive. I am so ready for spring. Thank you for showing your pictures. Take Care.
Cheers
B.,Winsome,A.A.,Ruby, thank you for all your awesome comments! You inspire me to continue to get behind the camera and return the favor!
I really tried but could not pick a favorite photograph among the many... I loved them all. What a wonderful hub, informative and the photographs, simply magnificent! I truly love how you SEE nature and I love the fact that you stop to photograph it and share it!
well that says a lot coming from a talented photographer such as yourself! thank you manny
how awesome....I too like stones! Cool Hub.
Very nice photographs!
sue, mike, thank you both for stopping by, glad you enjoyed the photos
Great pictures. The textures and colors are terrific. You have a good eye for "composition in abstract."
thanks for stopping by, very nice compliment! i'm encouraged to keep on shooting, even with my inferior camera. saving for a decent one!
....okay with due respect to Docmo you shall only get one 'wow' from me ....lol lol - but what a 'wow' - are you ready? - wowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
.......well sometimes it's about the quality of the 'wow' not the quantity!!
...I must get my very elusive buddy Doug to come here because I know he would love this Kathi (you remember my photographer friend?) .....and this to me is pure art from the lense - and it's your lense - and what a lense it is - you really do take the art of photography to another level and I am so very glad to have found you - is the National Geographic calling you for some freelance work? You're that good!!!!!!!!
You are too funny, the w's went across the full length of the page. lol! Thank you for your everlasting support sweet man. I love it when you stop by! I've come across quiet Doug a few times on Redbubble lately. I was pleased he left a nice comment! Hugs
What an amazing collection of perfect beauty and the beauty of winter melting away WOW what a wonder. You captured this perfectly and so magically. I will def be back to enjoy the sand smoothed stones and beach melt photo essay. Very Well Done and Brilliant! :) Katie
These photos are indeed beautiful, and you have captured
your subject so very well. It makes stones come to life.
Excellent work!!!!
Hi Katie, nice to meet you finally, I've seen you around on hubpages several times and have meant to check out your hubs but I guess you beat me to the punch! thank you for the nice compliment! Glad you like the photos. I'll see you around!
Hi Doppy,
You finally left a comment! Thank you for the wonderful compliment! You were my biggest influence! xxxooo
Thank you, now I have learned something new about Michigan.
Fantastic, that's what its all about! thank you for stopping by!
WOW! Those are great photos. I love the rocks with the dikes in them--such interesting patterns!
Your driftwood photo is superb, and the erosion in the sand cliffs threw me back decades in time to our family vacation and the formation known as "The Ghostly Grottoes" at Bryce Canyon National Park.
Good job! Bounced all over the buttons!
Would love to go to Ghostly Grottoes someday! Thanks for stopping by and preciate the great comment!
Thanks for sharing this beautiful pictures that i rated beautiful.
ImChemist, your avatar is very adorable, thanks for stopping by and leaving a nice compliment!
I LOVE stones and have been a collector of them ever since I was a young girl. I would 'sense' the stones and feel that one would be calling to me...if that makes any crazy sense at all.
I still have stones from when I was very young...
I absolutely LOVED this hub; voted it up and AWESOME
It is fantastic-rich in information AND, the photos are so beautiful, eye catching and clear. I can almost reach out and touch them.
Fantastic hub, thanks.
Thank you for the nice compliments! I know what you mean that you sensed the stone calling, I do believe their is a spirit and energy in all of nature! Wow, I couldn't tell you I had stones from my childhood, that is very cool.
Beautiful and amazing pictures. I can keep looking at them over and over and i see something different each time. Thank you for sharing these photos. Again, I am sharing this on stumbleupon. Rated up and beautiful.
Thank you tkw, Cool comment, I truly appreciate it! Smiles
Great photography - you really are an artist! Thanks for sharing these wonderful photos. :-) Helen
Thank you Helen, I'm crazy for rocks, tee hee
Hi Fossillady, I have really enjoyed your images. I love close ups from nature. Stones and gemstones have always been a special interest of mine as my late Father used to collect them and polish them up in a gemstone tumbler (I think that is what Mentalist Acer was referring to).
I look forward to seeing more of your work.
Hi Fennelseed, nice to meet you! Thank you for your geneous compliment! I'm glad it reminded you of your father and thank you for sharing that! Take Care
Hi Kathi, wonderful presentation of a story close to my heart. I'm an old rock licker from Michigan that became a Gemologist. I still love rocks. I used to own a small farm in Sturgis down by South Bend. your story and photos brought me back. Bravo!
That's a great story Peter, I lived in Mishawaka for a few years back in the 80's, know the area well! Fascinating work your path has taken you! Glad it took you back!
Hi Fossillady, I too have always had a fasination with stones and pebbles! they have a special beauty all of their own! beautifully captured in your wonderful photographs, I love the sand formations, voted up and beautiful.
Hi MM, I really appreciate all you kind comments and stops through my hubs! Hope you have a great day!
Having grown up in a small seas-ide town a lot of my childhood was spent scouring the beaches for stones,driftwood and all sorts of treasures.
I loved this one and thanks for sharing.
Take care
Eiddwen.
Your sand photos are particularly stunning. What wonderful shots! Vote up!
I love these photos! I am a bit of a rock hound myself. Wherever I go on vacation I try to pick up a couple of unusual rocks. I have a few from a river in South Carolina, where I go fishing every year.
barca
Vicki Russell 15 months ago
Way cool, Kathi...you are so talented! I love stones too.