High winds, big waves, spectacular ice

   Sunday's winds kept us off the water, but they didn't keep us away from the marine forecast. We were riveted by the prospect of 22-foot waves. What would they leave behind?

The marine forecast on Sunday promised some of the biggest waves we've heard about on southern Lake Michigan.

The biggest waves weren't forecast to hit the shores at Chicago, but Indiana looked like it was getting pounded.

   The wind continued on Monday, causing hazardous road conditions. But on Tuesday, we set out to see what the waves had created at the beach near Portage, Indiana. It was like a sculpture park, with ice that looked in some places like wax and in others like glass. The combination of freezing spray and wind created icicles with odd twists hanging at unlikely angles from some surfaces, and draped over others.

The Portage Beach building was closed for the season.

The walkway on the break wall was coated in ice.

We were astonished to see two surfers paddling out to try to catch some waves.