• Friday-What'sUP August 24 - 10:18 pm

When it comes to beauty and power, nothing quite matches the splendor in a view of Lake Superior shoreline. In these photos by Martha Lewis, we get up close with some of the smaller items that give this lake shore its charm. Like the natural formations of driftwood that dot the sandy beaches, arranged by a visitor's creativity. Next, check out the artwork adorning the Superior's rocks in the second photo. Looks like someone was in love and wanted to leave their mark on that spot.
The third picture defines the old Chinese proverb that "a picture is worth a thousand words" (or in this case maybe it should be "a thousand rocks"), although actually I can think of two words that pretty well describe it....Superior ROCKS!! The last photo is here today representing a well known symbol from the '60's era to bring your work week to a happy ending and wishing everyone "peace" for the weekend ahead

I love Superior Rocks but they're sure hard on the feet.

Well sheesh Deb, you wouldn't expect a rock to be soft, would you?? and I've never heard the expression "rock soft" before :P

The photos look like they are from around Munising/Bay Furnace area, is that correct???

I love Lake Superior rocks, too, as do my family.

When I was young, we used to look all over for cool driftwood (in northern California), that my mom could use in decorating. That could get interesting. I like the driftwood picture, especially the piece still standing on the beach. That's unusual, at least from what I've seen.

I took a few driftwood pictures last time I was up, one in the sunset actually. Still pulling rocks out of my car also.

I agree with Capt. Paul I think these pics were taken in the Munising/Bay Furnace area. I recognized it right away.

Some of Elvis's stuff was soft rock wasn't it? Easy on the feet on the dance floor.

Might it be White fish point??........

I adore Superior rocks, I have buckets of them around my house. Superior (ie: "the world's greatest rock tumbler") makes the rocks so smooth that they don't bother my feet at all. My idea of the most perfect day would be sitting at the edge of Gitchee Gumee collecting rocks as the waves wash over my feet. It just doesn't get better than that.

Hey Anna I'm with you in that senerio. Some of my favorite memories is doing just that on the beach at Grand Marai, Mi. township park. Have some notes in my sketchbook about then and I love re-reading them and reliving those moments!

Hi
When I was younger & the water level was higher, the beach in front of our cabin was mixed rocks and sand. I used to enjoy searching for neat rocks, and could usually find a sandy spot to lay on the beach towel. In terms of rocks under the water, some days you needed clip-clops, some days you did not.

Now it's sand, sand, sand on our beach. Borrring. In terms of the rocks under the water, it seems like you pretty much always need water shoes to get past the rocks near shore.

But I still love our place.

The wood looks like a wolf howling

Those look like awesome sauna stove rocks.

Captain Paul
Based on the island in the third picture and the land in the upper right of the last picture (Canada?) my guess is that they were taken at Point Iroquois. While the driftwood in the first picture looks like something I remember at Point Iroquois the building in the background of the first picture doesn't look like anything I remember.

Your right, it's Pt. Iroquois. I was looking at the pics and thought AuTrain Island, but the shape was wrong and then you jogged my memory Bob.

While we were in the Keweenaw, we noticed that the lake is indeed down, but from the way people were talking prior to our arrival, I was expecting a much larger drop than what we actually saw. In most places it is barely noticible except at Baraga, where the south end of the bay is shallow to begin with; any drop in water level there would look like a disaster. But what we found even more silly (almost laughable) were the theories of why the lake is going down. One good thing the low levels did was expose plenty of agates; the Dr. and I found some beauties.....

WHINING! I want to be on the beach!!!!!!!!!

I dont know mybe its old age setting in but the beach's look the same to me as they did when I was a kid swiming and agate hunting :)

Those pix are really nice. I enjoyed them and wish I was there to see them live!

capt. paul: there was an interesting story in the Detroit Free Press recently about dredging in the St Clair River. The theory was that this was adding to the water loss (in addition to evaporation and lack of rain) as the water from Lake Huron flowed through more readily, eventually ending up in the Atlantic. Whatdya think?

Capt. Paul,

I sure wish we could have gotten together with you and Dr. Nat for our scheduled lunch, but it wasn't meant to be this time. Next time you're up this way though, we'll have to do it for sure. I was hoping to get some firsthand "expert" information about agate picking.
My hubby and I stopped at a spot you previously mentioned as being a good place to find agates and we found quite a few of them, but mostly all pea sized. My dream is to find a BIG one someday! So how big were the ones you and Dr. Nat pocketed? :->

Thanks all for comments on my pictures. The first two were indeed taken at Whitefish Point and the last two at Iroquois Point.

I can not take credit for the actual rock art, but I just had to capture it. The peace sign just sums up how standing on the shores of Superior makes me feel.

Regarding the last two pictures. I don't remember an island to the left of Pt. Iroquis, just that I could see land in the distance which would be near Paradise and Rivermouth State Park area. Also looking straight out you should be able to see Canada in the distance. It looks like AuTrain Island that is near Shelter Bay in the third picture and Pictured Rocks NP to the right in the 4th pic.
Just my .02 cents worth.

Captain Paul,
I'm glad I finally got a chance to meet you and Dr. Nat at the Seaman Museum. Where did you find the agates? We didn't have a lot of luck this trip. We found a couple small ones at Agate Beach.

I'm not sure about the "expert" information ;-) Now your going to make me earn that title the next time we're UP there, which we're hoping is next summer again. We were looking forward to our lunch together as well Mary, but as you said, it just wasn't meant to be this time. I'm glad you found a few agates and I didn't lead yous astray....

All of our agates this time came from Calumet Waterworks which has always surprised me that agates are found there at all, based on the geology of the peninsula. We too have several pea to corn sized agates from this trip, but 5 others were quite large. 1 about the size of a quarter, 3 others about golfball sized, and one that is the size and shape of a pear. I hope to have a few pics of our finds in the coming weeks in our gallery, as well as our trip in general. Unfortunitely, most of the photos will be boring geology pics ;-)

Same here BobJewell, it was a pleasure to meet quite a number of PastyCammers on this trip. Hopefully next summer we'll be able to meet a few others. The Dr. and I would love to come up for PastyFest, but our schedules just won't allow it at this time.

To reply to Maija's comment. Of course making a bigger hole in the opening will cause water to drain quicker, BUT, it is just so tiny as compared to the volume of the Great Lakes that it wouldn't make a difference. While we we're up there we heard everything from dredging to California stealing the water to Lake Superior being drained through Lake Champlain for some unknown reason (still trying to figure that one out!!). My theory is pretty simple; the upper Great Lakes have experienced a drought for the last 3-4 years, with a severe one right now. Combined with slightly warmer winters not allowing the lake to freeze over as much which leads to year-long evaporation and you have the makings of a lower Lake level. I do believe that if the upper Great Lakes had recieved as much rain as we have in SE Texas this summer the lake would have risen pretty quickly back to near normal.

Capt. Paul- "agate hunting", is that the code for frolicking? LOL

Just messin with you, you expert!LOL

capn Paul: thanks for the comment. Makes sense!

I and many others love your educated contributions!

Maija, I do too, and he knows it. I was referring to a comment he made the other night on the whats up page. I could read the Capt. all day long.

I've got a question that may or may not have come up today. (I didn't read all the posts to find out). I was driving up to Eagle River yesterday and when I got to Cliff Drive I saw that at the little park there at the south end (right behind that little log cabin) half of the large shrubs had been burned. Was this an accident or planned? I posted on the whatsUP page but I figured I'd post here too so that I'd double my chances of getting a response. (Actually if I'd really been thinking I would have posted it this morning before I went to bed). Thanks!

Paul, there was a fire that started in the bushes at the little park and started to cross the road, but was put out before it spread and caused more damage. I believe the article was in the DMG yesterday or the day before. Also mentioned the quick action from the surrounding fire departments.

James Ludos,

When I first looked at the driftwood I thought of a seal. Thought of using some poster putty and sticking a beach ball on it's nose and then taking a photo. I then thought of an otter entertaining us with it's seemingly endless play. I did not think of a wolf until you mentioned it. I can now see it too. Thanks

I agree, Kescheibach that my first impression of the driftwood was that of a seal. After I looked at it for awhile, I could see the wolf, James. Power of suggestion?

Thanks Carole! It's a good thing we've got some quick fire fighters around here! That could've been really bad!

Lol, I have groupies!!!!

Your all very welcome for the educated contributions that the Dr. and I give...

I see an alligator.

Mikie, isn't the aligator sneaking away toward the lake while the wolf is preoccupied with his howling?

Years ago we had some driftwood wash up on our cottage beach. I took it home and my mother in law wanted it on top of her garage. That was at least twenty years ago. They sold the house and when I drive by the driftwood is still on the roof. Last week drove by and the latest owner was reroofing the garage. I noticed that he had put the wood in the same place that I had many years ago. When I stopped and asked him why he kept the driftwood there, he answered it has been there since the garage was built so why should I take it off? I told him that I put it there in order to agravate my father in law and he never noticed it up there until he was moving. Walter told his brother in law that the wind must have blown it up there. One of the benifits of strong drink on a regular basis.