• Tuesday-What'sUP January 4 - 04:52 pm

We just had a good dousing of snow and wind here UP North and these photos from Mike Schneider give you an idea of the weather event, beginning with the shot of the Herbert C. Jackson. She's docked at Marquette Harbor, getting loaded with cargo, while snow swirls all around her. Makes for a chilly looking scene!
Then Mike clicked his shutter just in time to capture a giant Lake Superior wave, as it rolled and crashed to shore. The spray from something like this with the winds whipping it around, is quite amazing to see.

It's weather and winds like this, that send the freighters to sheltered bays in the Keweenaw, to wait out the strorm. Not too much longer and they'll be done for the season and off Lake Superior for a few months, until spring comes back around.

Love the wave pic! Now that is a scary scene, but beautiful. Gotta love the good ol UP winters :)

I should of went out the other evening, the American Century and Arthur M Anderson were in Beta Grise Bay until early this morning! The Lee A Tregurtha and Hon James L Obenstar were in Marquette's Upper Harbor for a few days waiting out this storm.

Aloha...surfs up, dude!

Pretty wave, but I always love to see the ships!

Both pictures are Superior! Love the freighters and love Lake Superior in a wild and frenzy state. Best of both loves!

Hi
I'm somewhat surprised to see (& hear of) freighters still sailing; I guess I thought the Soo locks were closed by now. Evidently a fairly mild winter so far, at least as far as open water goes.

The Soo locks are closing on the 15th. I believe the MacArthur lock is already closed. The locks reopen on March 25th for the season again. The St. Lawrence Seaway is already closed for the season.

It's a white Christmas (okay it's a little late but
better late then never) here in OH. It's 23 degrees
but feels like 12! It snowed and the snow actually
stuck! Wahoo!!!

Paul,
Believe it or not, it's snowed several times up here....just that everytime after a few days it meleted! It's 13 above here...not exactly warm BUT it's not snowing or windy so I won't complain.

Btw I just uploaded a bunch of pics from the salt delievery in oct. I haven't had a chance to upload anything, been working too much :(

Pretty good pictures Danielle.

DANIELLE; I forgot to say Thanks for posting them.(*_*)

Love both of these pictures but oh my gosh....that wave picture is so amazing!! Thank you!

You're right, Deb, the more I 'study' that photo of the wave, the more impressive it becomes. Even the finest artist would have a hard time reproducing that, what with all the variable color (shades of blue) and the 'movement'of the water. Thanks, Mike Schneider, for capturing beauty.

Right on, Shirley!! I don't know how even the greatest of artists would ever be able to draw something that amazing!

My brother in law Ray DuTemple was the steward on the Jackson. Neat ship, visited him when he would dock in Detroit on the ship.

Good pictures.

Goodness gracious, Mikie, you get to have all the fun! The only (active at that time) G.L. ship we were fortunate to board was the USCC Acacia. I know, it can't compete with the freighters.

Very nice photos! I've always enjoyed watching waves, both on the lake or the sea. The power is amazing, yet alluring. I have not spent much time sailing on the Lake, but I have gotten a good taste of the North Atlantic in moods from placid to frighteningly angry. If I close my eyes, I can almost feel the swells beneath my feet.

I apologise that I have been remiss and forgot to wish all the fine folks on Pasty.com a very happy New Year. I wish everyone all the best in 2012.

Thanks for all the kind words! There is just something about Lake Superior that draws me...the freighters are just neat to watch, so much history and nostalgia. And the waves are incredible, I love the colors she makes with the different winds and speeds. And the sounds! This day was quite windy from the north-west and every now-and-again the waves, when they hit, would make a sound like a clap of thunder...just absolutely incredible and so much power.

I still love seeing pictures of ships. And I still have a dream of taking a trip on one ship least once my time before my time is up. Can any of you just imagine how high those waves were over the decks of the Fitzgerald? Imagine 30'. Isn't that something???

wow, that second picture is amazing!

it reminds me of the famous japanese print, 'the great wave.'

see here: http://www.art-wallpaper.com/25233/Hokusai/The+Great+Wave-1600x1200-25233.jpg

Mike, great photos. Both of them inspire the feeling of "AWE!" Gitchee certainly can become wild when she rears her masterful head.

Cheryl, I was aboard the FITZGERALD with 30' waves the evening that the CARL BRADLEY sunk over on Lake Michigan in 1958. It is very scary and a good time to talk to the Lord as you drank your coffee.Every minute or so a large wave would wash over the deck and "gently remove" over the side any loose tarps or other equipment. It was just 2 days later that we ended our season safely docked in River Rouge.

I've been reading david G. Brown's book "White Hurricane" which goes into a lot of detail of the storm of 1913 in which over 270 Great Lakes sailors lost their lives. As a life-long lakes sailor and meterological buff, he has researched weather records and is able to present the weather conditions in modern terms which formed that vast storm, and what it meant in terms of water being blown out various harbors. He is also able to provide a mental picture of the savagery of the waves, winds and cold that would have been present and what it would have been like for those out there trying to survive.

Eddyfitz, I thought I remembered you posting that on Boatnerd Regional one time. Scarey! I'd say the Lord heard your prayers and helped you get off the Fitz before her time came!

Thanks! I have more pics to put up from
Just this afternoon actually :)