As our many readers already know, Lake Superior “grows” on those privileged to find themselves near its shores.
Having lived all my life by the lake, I find thoughts about
it that I accept as common can be new and strange to recent arrivals.
In listening to the comments of visitors, I find new insights, too.
Our magazine listens to people fascinated by Lake Superior.
This love of the lake triggered us to create the Lake Superior Circle
Tour Club as a forum for those who have circled the lake and those who
want to circle it. (No small feat at about 1,300 miles.)
The absolutely free club membership also grew out of our special relationship with those who respond to our annual Lake Superior Travel Guide
- people we enjoy recognizing … like Roberta Pedersen of South St.
Paul, who passed along her appreciation of the Two Harbors, Minnesota,
breakwater for watching ships load iron ore: “The kids love it, and it
is free fun for the whole family.”
Such information helps other families plan their lakeside stops.
Some insights are given, the writers tease, reluctantly.
Stephen S. Wilkinson of Howell, Michigan, let out his secret: “I really
shouldn’t tell you, but Grand Marais, Michigan, is magic and a must.
It’s a sleepy little town with great people, beautiful scenery and a
sportsperson’s paradise. But face it, any place on this lake or region
is breathtaking.”
Yes, it is a bit more than 1,300 miles around our lake, but
many add miles by prowling off main roads to explore and gain greater
appreciation of this incredible body of fresh water.
 I’ve shared our boat, Skipper Sam II, with many who wanted to explore during the boat’s 30-year life.
Lake Superior’s shores display magnificent treasures, like
the Sea Lion formation, seen here in 1990 when part of the lion’s
“head” still remained. The top portion has since tumbled. (photo by Jim
Marshall)
The one common denominator for those visiting the lake seems to be
an overwhelming sense of its beauty, mixed with respect for it and,
once in a while, a trace of fear.
There are so many ways to enjoy and use Lake Superior -
traveling beside it or on it. I’ve done both. I’ve seen friendships
grow from casual meetings, such as when a group of us decided to try to
float the sunken steamer America at Isle Royale. The integrity and wisdom of people who have chosen to live by the lake came through repeatedly.
The Canadian coast draws me, too. As the years passed, I’ve
had the privilege of watching Port Arthur and Fort William become the
glorious city of Thunder Bay, now the largest on the lake with 113,000
residents. If you have not visited this area in recent years, please
plan a trip soon; you will find it incredibly interesting. The
people are friendly, of course, and the scenery spectacular. Some
points of interest, like the Sea Lion rock formation, have changed.
When I first encountered it, it had a “lion’s head,” now fallen.
Regardless of where you travel by the lake, please allow time
to follow unexpected attractions. You will be drawn in so many ways to
interesting or mysterious little trails. Go ahead, explore. See if you
can understand why that road was first developed.
When you take time, you bring home memories. I’ll never
forget one lake evening, the sun setting as giant thunder clouds
appeared over the whole western horizon. We boaters might be sometimes
buried in other activities on Lake Superior, but thunder clouds do
indeed gain our immediate attention. On this occasion, we had Skipper Sam II
southbound on the Canadian eastern shore of the lake. We’d paused
earlier in the day for a prayer and moment of total quiet over the
grave of Edmund Fitzgerald, discussing its demise.
With the approaching storm, it was time to speed to safety at Whitefish Point, still miles ahead.
The first thunderstorm struck several miles astern of us,
crossing the path we had used. The flashing lightning illuminated the
darkening sky in an almost thrilling - or frightening - brightness,
helping us see Whitefish Point not far off. As might be imagined, I was
not alone on our upper steering station - wife Jan brought a rainjacket
and mate Stan Salmi all the radio and locator gear needed if the storm
challenged us.
As the shelter of the long point gave us welcome protection,
the storms passed over us, in lightning-splattered darkness. The rain,
while severe, lasted less than an hour as the storms moved east.
Finally dropping anchor and gaining better conditions, we shared a
prayer of thanks for the safety of our voyage.
With the world challenges, it is time to enjoy the incredible
beauty of our unique part of this planet. Such thoughts bring my
longtime favorite boating advice again into focus: Now is all the time
you have, the past a golden link … go cruising now, my brother, it is
later than you think!
A selection of Jim Marshall’s columns of lake lore and his inland sea voyages
has been published as Lake Superior Journal: Views from the Bridge
by Lake Superior Port Cities Inc. Follow this link
for more information.
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