Tag: Lake Superior

Picture of the Day for June 17, 2015

A river flows onward to another river, lake, sea or ocean, unless it dries up before reaching its destination and they can be many miles or just a few. The Montreal River is a river flowing to Lake Superior in northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Much of the river’s course defines a portion of the Wisconsin–Michigan border. The Ojibwe name for the river is Gaa-waasijiwaang, meaning “where there is whitewater”.  And there is some ‘whitewater’ on this river as it drops more than a thousand feet in less than 50 miles as it travels downstream over four named waterfalls (Peterson Falls, Interstate Falls, Saxon Falls and Superior Falls) before empties calmly into Oronto Bay on Lake Superior.

The Montreal River looks rather peaceful at its mouth even though it just went over a 90 foot drop a short walk in the opposite direction.

Montreal River Reaching Lake Superior

Montreal River Reaching Lake Superior

Picture of the Day for May 28, 2015

While out on a day trip today, one stop was the Wisconsin Point, a peninsula off the shore of Superior, Wisconsin. The point is the world’s largest freshwater bay mouth sand bar. The Wisconsin Point Lighthouse was built in 1913 and is located on the end of the peninsula.

But today the lighthouse wasn’t very visible nor could you see Lake Superior because of the fog rolling in on a chilly afternoon when the temperature was 45 with a colder wind chill. And while I was hoping for a nice sunny day to walk out to the lighthouse, the need for lighthouses and fog horns wouldn’t have existed if the weather was always calm and sunny.

Lighthouse Lost in the Fog

Lighthouse Lost in the Fog

 

A short video of the lighthouse lost in the fog as the waves roll in on a windy day.

 

Picture of the Day for April 2, 2015

Yesterday the ice layer on Lake Superior broke up and open water appeared again where I was standing for this picture so another sign that spring is coming and the rain last night took the last of my snow pile finally. But with chances of snow in the forecast, it might not be the last of the white stuff this spring yet.

Winter Fading

Winter Fading

Picture of the Day for February 28, 2015

By 8 am this morning, people have braved the cold temperatures and had hiked over two miles to see the ice caves which opened today after the ice pack was determined to be thick enough for visitors. In the summer, kayakers will paddle through the arch opening (when the waves aren’t not too high) but for a brief period during some winters, hikers can walk through the opening instead.

Winter Sea Arch 

Winter Sea Arch

Picture of the Day for February 10, 2015

Surface ice had been forming again along the sea caves, but winds on the weekend blew the ice back out into Lake Superior so there is open (and mighty chilly) water where I stood just one year ago to take pictures of the icy formations. And because I was busy taking pictures of the ice caves, we didn’t get too far the first day (and didn’t reach the end of the caves after the second afternoon either).

Ice a Year Ago

Ice A Year Ago

Picture of the Day for January 23, 2015

The warmer temperature the past week has felt nice after a cold December, but hardy winter lovers may not be as thrilled as the snow pack is shrinking. The ice layer on Lake Superior by the ice caves has also disappeared even though there was ice last week when the park rangers were out on the ice monitoring the thickness but last weekend’s winds blew and took the ice away. So now there is open water by the caves where last season 138,000 people walked on the ice to view the ice formations.

Admiring the Ice Formations

Admiring the Ice Formations