Old Man Winter definitely has his teeth biting into the Midwest with the -60 wind chills overnight and hasn’t loosen his grip today either.
Bite of Winter
This afternoon’s wind chills were colder than the day I hike miles across Lake Superior to view the ice formations even though it was a cold day too where some of the ice was turning blue. I might be a little wimpier in my older years as I don’t think I would have tried the walk on a day as cold as it was today or will be tomorrow even to see something so interesting.
Cold Ice Formations
The frigid temperatures today reminded me of the day I hike out on the frozen Lake Superior to view the ice caves. I knew there was very cold wind chills over the lake when my camera lens would fog up whenever I went inside an icy cave and I used hand warmers to kept my camera batteries warm enough to work.
Icy Cave
Across the bay from where the Copper Harbor Lighthouse sits, the brig John Jacob Astor was wrecked on the rocks at the end of cove in 1844 when a terrific gale came up and the Astor lost one of its two anchors. Repeated attempts were made to free the Astor from the rocks, but she broke up in the severe winter weather conditions. There was only one other schooner left on Lake Superior that fall so the loss of the Astor created severe winter food shortages across the Upper Peninsula including Fort Wilkins in Copper Harbor.
Shipwreck Site
It would be nice if my driveway was showing more rock and sand instead of ice but the sunshine today wasn’t enough to do any melting with the temperature below freezing. It would be nice to take a walk on a beach in the sunshine and only have to worry about getting shoes wet from a mini rogue wave instead worrying about slipping and falling on ice.
Beach at Herbster
I have hiked to see ice formations and in my much younger days, it was a treat when a new smooth layer of ice formed on the creek for ice skating adventures. But in my older years, my car and I do not like that smooth ice that causes too much slipping and sliding. The frozen tower of ice was hollow inside as you hear the water running inside before flowing out on top of the ice.
Tower of Ice
The sunshine was out today and the temperature finally made it above freezing after a long, cold week. But with the wind chill still below freezing, you might want to keep your feet and legs dry if strolling on a beach. And on a day when some random larger waves roll in, it is easier to get a surprised feet soaking.
Beach Sweeping Waves