Hoover Beach still a sight to see in Hamburg

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Photo credit Ice mountain along Hoover Beach in Hamburg. February 27, 2019 (WBEN Photo/Mike Baggerman)

HAMBURG, N.Y. (WBEN) - Onlookers continued visits of the ice mountain on the Lake Erie shoreline at Hoover Beach on Wednesday.

"This is awesome," Jack Walters, who lives in Grand Island but works in Hamburg, said. "This is like 'wow'. When you look at the effects of that wind and the size of the ice it moves. For it to pile up like this. Man, it would've been great to stand here and watch it as it happened in real time."

"It's awesome to see," Carol from Elma told us. "I wish I would've came down here sooner. I guess it dropped about ten feet. I would've liked to see it at its peak."

The stack of ice also received a visit from World War II veteran Arthur Herdzik, who said that he's never seen anything like this.

This is out back of Jack Schultz’ home along Hoover Beach in Hamburg. He told me he never worried about the ice buildup and said that the ice is actually good to prevent some flooding for now. pic.twitter.com/gX00umQnEv

— Mike Baggerman (@MikeBaggerman) February 27, 2019

"It's amazing," Herdzik said while sitting in the passengers seat. 

While people continue to gawk at the ice along the beach, some think it's a bright idea to climb the ice.

"It is a social media and selfie world out there," Sean Crotty, Hamburg Emergency Manager, said. "We're just asking for safe, responsible picture taking and social media (use)."

Crotty recommends that photos remain on the inland side of the rockwall along the coast and the edge of the roadway. He said that by going onto the ice, you put yourself and first responders at risk. 

He said this ice should melt fast and that they may have some minor flooding, but nothing he's not used to. 

"I've been through a few storms," he said. "I know what ice and water can do."

Residents along the Hoover Beach shoreline were given the option to evacuate. Schultz' wife and some of his neighbors took advantage of it, but Jack opted not go.

"She went to a friend's house," he noted while saying he has some time to watch whatever he wants to since she's gone.