Boozhoo from GichiGami

“Boozhoo." This is Ojibwa for "Hello." I greet you from The Apostle Islands Area Campground in Bayfield, Wisconsin, where I sit outside Koko and look through the forest to the distant Madeliene Island. This was a challenging week for photography on the road. But, the week has reminded me of a fundamental truth about photography. I call it Bob’s Photo Rule #1: "You can’t photograph what isn’t there!” We have been laid up for nearly a week with a respiratory bug. We spent most of our time on the Northshore of Minnesota sneezing, coughing, and sleeping. We got out on our last full day before driving to Wisconsin the next day. I had very limited opportunities to take photos. (Note the word limited.) All I could photograph was just outside my window in Koko. I can't photograph what isn't there!

 

However, the week did teach me two new corollaries to this truth. Corollary A reads,  “But just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean it’s not there.” In challenging circumstances like our past week, I had to remember to look beyond what I see with new eyes or in new ways. And this proved helpful more than once. But there were times when Corollary B kicked in, “Never Forget Rule # 1!” Yep, it was a challenging week, but I hope it will prove as entertaining for you as it was helpful for me. The journey continues. We begin on our last day in Minnesota (for now) on the Northshore of Gichigami (Lake Superior).

 

We stayed in Two Harbors, Minnesota, at Burlington Bay Campground.   Two Harbors, MN. Two Harbors refers to Burlington Bay and Agates Bay, where iron ore and lumber were loaded onto barges for shipping down the shoreline to Duluth, MN, and Superior, WI. There, it was transferred to Great Lake Steamers for shipping to the growing cities and the Steel Mills of the Midwest. The railroad replaced the barges in time, and fishing and recreation moved in. Today, Two Harbors consists of both communities and serves as a jumping-off point for exploring Minnesota's Northshore of Lake Superior with its lighthouses, scenic rivers, waterfalls, and panoramic vistas of the largest of the Great Lakes.

 

Here are a few of the pictures I took while we were laid up in Koko.

Burlington Bay as a Storm Rolls in

The View from Koko

On Wednesday, our heads cleared somewhat. Marlene was still limited by her broken foot, so we spent the last day exploring the wonders of the Northshore of Lake Superior in Nakai. Our first stop was Silver Creek Tunnel. Highway 61, which runs out of Two Harbors, used to go around Silver Creek Cliff with its precipitous drop to the rocks below. This would have been harrowing in the Summer, but it was hazardous in the winter. The State of Minnesota opened the Silver Creek Tunnel in 1994 and left the old roadway as a trail to preserve the beautiful scenic views. Here are a few shots from a small portion of the trail that Marlene could walk with me.

Lake Superior from Silver Creek Cliff

The Tunnel Entrance

Old HWY 61 Roadway

The Cliff Face

The Gooseberry River

Our next stop along HWY 61 was Gooseberry Falls State Park. The Gooseberry River flows off the rugged escarpment of volcanic rock gouged and grooved by massive glaciers. These gouges became rivers that drain the highlands, dumping their silt-laden waters into Lake Superior. The Gooseberry River begins high above the lake in the bogs and wetlands of the interior of the Northshore. It creates three cascades over the iron-rich rocks and provides homes for bears, otters, beavers, trout, and many species of birds. The falls have easy access and good walking trails. Here are a few pics from my walk to the base of the falls. Marlene was able to see the upper falls.

The Upper Falls

The Middle Falls

The Lower Falls

A Dangerous Shoreline

After lunch in Silver Bay, MN, we drove back toward Two Harbors and stopped at Split Rock Lighthouse. The shores of Lake Superior in this area are composed of jagged outcroppings of rocks and shoals. As long as the shore is visible, captains could steer clear. But storms and fog make the waters very dangerous. In 1855, the Sault St. Marie Locks opened the Great Lakes to a global market, and the number of ships loading Iron in Duluth and Superior grew dramatically. By 1905, the appetite for steel drove lake captains to take greater and greater risks. A single storm in 1905 damaged or sank 29 ships and led to the loss of countless lives. The Federal Government opened the Split Rock Lighthouse, 130 feet above the water, and equipped it with a light and foghorn. There have been no more incidents since the station opened. Radar and GPS rendered the facilities obsolete, and it was closed down. It is now the most photographed object on the Northshore, as thousands of tourists come here each year for the grand views. 

 

Here are a few pics.

The Fog Horns

Split Rock Lighthouse

From the Lighthouse Keepers Parlor Window

Foghorn Building

The Keeper's Parlour

The Lighthouse in the Distance

The Start of I 35

We drove to our new campsite at the Apostle Islands Area Campground in Wisconsin on Thursday. I have spent most of my life within a few miles of I-35. We are about the same age, and I have traveled most of its length at one time or another. I have driven to the south end in Laredo, along both the east and west routes through DFW, and on this drive, I drove to the northern end of it in Duluth, MN. I still have a section around Minneapolis to drive, but I will not do that on this trip. But I have spent enough time along it to be able to call it home. When we lived in Missouri and Canada, it always marked the way home. As we travel around the country, I look at a map, and I 35 offers a pathway back to family and friends. Thanks, Duluth! One of life's routes is that much closer to being complete.

 

Duluth Harbor

Duluth, MN, and Superior, WI, sit at the Western end of the Great Lakes on the edge of the great Northern wilderness and, since the opening of the Sault Ste. Marie Locks, at the start of the global shipping route. The massive lumber and iron ore resources have built these two cities into large, wealthy hubs for commerce. If we return to this area, it will be to explore the people and history of this area. It is far more than commerce; frankly, the area is beyond beautiful. Yep, this is a region that deserves more than a fleeting drive-through. 

 

A Nice Site

We encountered Muskeg in Ontario 25 years ago. It was one of those words that has hung around in my lexicon, sadly neglected and usually ignored. I knew it was a bog that was a step from glacially cleared rock to open water, to vegetation-filled bog, to hardwood forest. As we drove through the Wisconsin countryside, the word sprang from the back pages of my mind. In the process, I learned that it is the Ojibwa word for bog. I can only assume that these ancient native people still whisper their wisdom through this ageless and beautiful landscape. It is good to be here among the muskeg of Wisconsin as we spend five nights at The Apostle Islands Area Campground in Bayfield, WI.

 

On Friday, it was time to catch up on some chores and get out and about. We had to make a 15-minute drive to Washburn, WI, to do our laundry. While there, we enjoyed another fried walleye meal. That is, without a doubt, the best-tasting fish I have ever eaten. It has the sweet taste of freshwater and the buttery flavor of the salt water. And I thought redfish and halibut were great! I am looking forward to a few more meals of Walleye. Once the laundry was hung up, we did a quick drive through Bayfield to scope out our opportunities for the next three days of wandering.

 

It has been a challenging week, but our health and the weather are looking up. We will spend the next few days exploring the Apostle Islands before moving on to Minneapolis/St. Paul for a week. I will do my best to keep my eyes open and pay attention to the wonders that will unfold around us. I must remain mindful of Rule #1; I can't photograph what isn't there! 

 

A favorite Pro Photographer says that there is always a good picture that can be taken. The image is not in the camera; it is in the photographer's mind (and heart) as we interact with the world around us. The camera is a tool to capture and share that image. I can think of no better way to help others see through my eyes or see the world through theirs than by taking a thoughtful picture.

 

So, welcome to my world! I am glad you are along for the ride.

 

Travel well!

Bob