VIDEO: How We Do Spring In Michigan

How do you welcome spring in Michigan? One Michigan man has a novel approach.

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Call it a reflection of the humor and hardiness of the residents of Michigan. One creative resident of our great state conceived an idea that took years to execute... floating on an ice pancake as winter's grip loosened its hold on Lake Michigan.

Why would it take so long to pull off a feat like that? Photographer Joshua Nowicki needed just the right conditions to safely accomplish his vision. On March 7, 2021, Joshua found those conditions on Lake Michigan near the shore in Saint Joseph. The feat was filmed in shallow water and Joshua is wearing a wet suit made for frigid waters. The temperature that day was near 40 degrees, while it's safe to say the temperature of Lake Michigan was much cooler.

The activities you are about to view should not be attempted on your own. Years of knowledge, preparation, know-how, as well as the correct safety gear are needed to attempt the activities seen below.

Joshua says that the idea came to him sometime between 2015 and 2016...

It was something I had been thinking about ever since the iceberg golf and winter stand-up paddleboarding videos ... waiting for the right weather and location. It took several years to find the conditions I wanted.

Photographer Joshua Nowicki regularly creates fantastic videos and photography with the focus being on the beauty of our Great Lakes. He is the photographer behind the Stunning Videos of Lake Michigan's Transition to Spring and the Videos of the Hypnotic Sand Sculptures on the Shores of Lake Michigan.