Feb 16-07

Past-E-Mail: Cam Notes - 2007: February: Feb 16-07
Sauna rocks    ...scroll down to share comments
Photo by Aladino Mandoli


By
Mary Drew at Pasty Central (Mdrew) on Friday, February 16, 2007 - 06:16 am:

You tell me...are these small rocks or are they huge boulders? The clever angle that Aladino Mandoli used to capture this Lake Superior scene makes you think they're bigger than life, but then he calls them sauna rocks, so I'm thinking they can't be as big as they look up close. If you're thinking about taking these home for use in your sauna, they'll take a little extra stoking of the fire to heat them up enough, since they must be well chilled amongst all that ice and snow!


By Smfwixom (Trollperson) on Friday, February 16, 2007 - 06:20 am:

Sauna rocks??? Neat pic!


By Margaret, Amarillo TX (Margaret) on Friday, February 16, 2007 - 07:07 am:

If you squint you might think they're walrus'.


By Capt. Paul (Eclogite) on Friday, February 16, 2007 - 07:35 am:

Well Mary, they could be sauna rocks.... for Paul Bunyon's sauna!! ;-)

That's a clear enough photo I can almost tell what kind of rocks those are. Most are native, but at least one is a transplant....


By kosk in Toronto (Koskintoronto) on Friday, February 16, 2007 - 07:37 am:

Capt. Paul-- Which one is the transplant?


By Brooke (Lovethekeweenaw) on Friday, February 16, 2007 - 08:01 am:

Sauna Rocks for Giants, I'd like to see my son toss those in the lake!


By Richard L. Barclay (Notroll) on Friday, February 16, 2007 - 08:20 am:

Nice angle, they really aren't that big, though, look at the sand and snow grains. Not a lot of fresh snow there, either or they'd be blanketed. Is the nearest one the most obvious import? Looks like granite compared to the others and I can't name them either. Help us out Capt. Paul, please?


By Dr. Nat (Drnat) on Friday, February 16, 2007 - 08:24 am:

Nice photo!

Geologists actually have names for different sizes of rocks like that. My estimate is those would be considered cobbles, which are 64-256mm in diametre, the perfect size for sauna rocks. Boulders are bigger than 256mm in diametre.

Have a happy Friday, everyone! I'm off to class now to teach about pebbles, cobbles, and boulders!


By Capt. Paul (Eclogite) on Friday, February 16, 2007 - 09:08 am:

Definitely one granite in there (the rock with the Pasty.Com watermark on it). There looks like a couple of light gray monzonites poking out as well; these are the transplants brought down from Canada by the glaciers. There could be more, I just dont see them in the photo.

The darker gray/black rocks are basalts. One of the basalts (the one nearest the granite) appears to be a vesicular basalt. I also see a couple of red coloured rocks on the left which are likely rhyolites, but could be sandstone or conglomerate as well. Who knew one simple photo could tell so much?? ;-)


By Gonna be a Yooper (Joanie) on Friday, February 16, 2007 - 09:31 am:

Another well-described geology lesson. Who knew that there was so much info on one single rock, or should I say cobble?


By Deb S. (Usedtobeayooper) on Friday, February 16, 2007 - 09:55 am:

They're sauna rocks if you feel like chipping them down. I think the angle is very deceiving though.


By Cindy Pihlaja Russell (Gone2long) on Friday, February 16, 2007 - 11:26 am:

Mmmmm...sauna rocks. I would love to be sitting in a nice hot sauna right about now. I can imagine my handcrafted Finnish sauna stove with just ONE of those giant rocks ;-) on the top and me throwing a ladle of water on it. Hisssssss....aaaahhhh....Heaven on earth...Close your eyes and feel the steam and feel all of your cares disappear.


By Marianne Y (Marianne) on Friday, February 16, 2007 - 12:41 pm:

Thank you for the lessons in rock size, Dr. Nat.

Those cobbles & that beach look very familiar to me. Where was this photo taken? I think I have several pictures that we have taken of that beach, if I go back in my collection, but I don't remember exactly where it is, or what its name is?


By Marianne Y (Marianne) on Friday, February 16, 2007 - 12:43 pm:

Dr Nat--is that where cobblestone (usually in the context of a building material for a house, chimney, or a path in the yard) came from?


By Brooke (Lovethekeweenaw) on Friday, February 16, 2007 - 01:27 pm:

My daughter got a rock tumbler a few years ago and one of our goals while UP north is finding the rocks that will look best all shiny. We dip them in the lake and try to get the most color, or unique patterns.


By dotti caldwell (Dotti) on Friday, February 16, 2007 - 01:38 pm:

Very nice shot! Like the different textures - snow, rocks, pebbles, water. Just neat to look at! Thanks!


By Gonna be a Yooper (Joanie) on Friday, February 16, 2007 - 01:39 pm:

Sorry Aladino, I totally forgot to mention that your picture is just beautiful, it almost looks like a UP Stonehenge.


By Cindy Pihlaja Russell (Gone2long) on Friday, February 16, 2007 - 03:36 pm:

This looks a little like a different planet from Star Trek. I expect to see alien creatures peeking out from behind the rocks.


By kosk in Toronto (Koskintoronto) on Friday, February 16, 2007 - 03:44 pm:

Thanks Capt and Dr. I appreciate your "lessons."


By Dr. Nat (Drnat) on Friday, February 16, 2007 - 04:33 pm:

Actually, cobblestone is a Middle English word. I think geologists decided it was a good word to describe that size rock, so now it's part of our geologic language.


By tom ghering (Tomgheringtcmi) on Friday, February 16, 2007 - 05:10 pm:

Anr rock that weighs more than 40 pounds is called a LEAVERITE....Too heavy so leaverite there.


By Anna Roehrich (Updreamer) on Friday, February 16, 2007 - 05:25 pm:

Beautiful, beautiful picture. It's one of those pictures that make me want to crawl right into my computer.


By Gonna be a Yooper (Joanie) on Friday, February 16, 2007 - 05:38 pm:

Tom, gotcha, been there, done that. Love that description, and don't need a geologist to explain that one!


By Marianne Y (Marianne) on Friday, February 16, 2007 - 05:39 pm:

I neglected to mention that that is a great picture! Thank you for sharing!


By Eliisa Mannisto Seigle (Eliisa) on Friday, February 16, 2007 - 06:44 pm:

Cindy Pihlaja Russell (Gone2long)
What a great description for a sauna. Living downstate sure has it's disadvantages - no sauna! We're working on one and I can't wait till we finally get it done so I can "close my eyes, feel the steam and watch my cares disappear."Great picture too!!
Eliisa


By Capt. Paul (Eclogite) on Friday, February 16, 2007 - 07:44 pm:

I don't know about leaverite.... I have several large (over 100 lbs.) pieces of copper and a 300 lb. BIF that makes a good traction weight in the back of the truck; there was no way I was going to leave them anywhere!!


By Mike (Upboundeh) on Friday, February 16, 2007 - 10:17 pm:

Neat pic..Where was it taken?


By Aladino Mandoli (Alacaman) on Friday, February 16, 2007 - 11:38 pm:

Marianne, this picture was taken at "Bucky's", better known as the Calumet Waterworks. Not a whole lot of snow considering it was taken Jan. 12 this year.


By Brent in UPstate NY (Brent) on Saturday, February 17, 2007 - 06:13 am:

If those are sauna rocks, that gotta be a HUGE sauna.


By Christopher Rice (Saunahound) on Wednesday, August 24, 2016 - 03:54 pm:

Great picture!


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