There was water pooling in areas from some snow melting today but with build up snow, the water couldn’t drain away from my driveway cement and will create a frozen patch of ice by morning. Water was running across the sheet of ice by the Lake Superior ice caves where water was seeping from the rock layers that created the icy waterfalls. Ice grippers on your shoes were helpful in crossing the smooth slick ice after the water refroze.
Pooling Icy Water
The winter day stayed below freezing today, but it still was 40 degrees warmer than nine years ago when I ventured out on to Lake Superior ice to visit the ice caves on a rather cold day.
Superior Ice Caves
Summertime may bring some severe thunderstorms, but at least the temperatures would be warmer during the heavy downpour.
Approaching Thunderstorm
With the artic air today, it is almost hard to remember needing to sit in the shade while on the beach last summer because it was too hot. A little of the hot summer air would feel good now and to be able to wade in the water that isn’t covered in ice.
Warm Beach Day
While the large freighters may still be active on the other Great Lakes, the traffic is down to one ore carrier on Lake Superior since the Soo Locks closed earlier this week (although the closing was delayed by 10 hours until the last ship that was leaving Lake Superior was through the locks). The Saginaw is still making a few more load of iron ore pellets from the docks in Superior to the Sault Ste Marie area. This ship, the Algoma Guardian also came into Superior for ore but didn’t have to fight the ice in the harbor during July as compared to loading out in January. The Algoma Guardian is spending the winter at Goderich, ON until the Soo Locks reopens on March 25 after winter maintenance.
Algoma Guardian Arrival
The very slippery and icy morning had me dreaming of summer day at Lake Superior and even if that storm cloud moved towards shore, it wouldn’t be freezing rain like it was this morning.
A Spot on Superior Shore
The winter storm is causing some big waves on Lake Superior which would be fun to watch, but not with the cold blowing snow. I prefer warmer weather to wander on the beach watching the waves even if they are smaller than the ones today.
Watching Warmer Waves
Although my little pond has been froze over for a while now, the shipping season continues on Lake Superior until the Soo Locks close for the season on January 15, but the visitors watching the large freighters coming into port will need winter coats instead of summer shorts. It is always a treat to listen to the James Barker ship horns when it does the master salute when going under the Duluth Canal Bridge.
Ship Coming In
I wish I was up to a beach on Lake Superior today when the temperature was in the mid fifties, but instead I walked to my pond which was still frozen over even with a few days above freezing.
Beach Dreaming
The sunshine today did not feel very warm with the winds gusting over 40 mph that caused ripples on a little creek so I imagine there were some waves on the bigger lakes.
A Few Waves
