By Tim Binnall
Visitors to a picturesque beach in Finland could not believe their eyes when they saw that miles of the shoreline had been covered by thousands of odd balls of ice. The breathtaking event reportedly occurred earlier this week on the island of Hailuoto which is located in the Gulf of Bothnia. Witnesses to the wondrous sight said that the ice balls seemed to stretch as far as the eye could see and pictures of the amazing phenomenon went viral on social media.
According to meteorologists, the ice balls are formed when saltwater hitting the shore breaks up pieces of semi-melted ice. This slushy material then comes together and becomes solid once more. During the process, the ocean waves toss the ice around and give it an egg-like polished appearance. An event similar to the one in Finland occurred here in America two years ago when hundreds of ice balls 'mysteriously' washed ashore at Lake Michigan.