Around the Circle This Week: July 31, 2020

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A Real Big Mac: The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw spent some time in the Twin Ports this week. That father-son maritime photo duo, David and Gus Schauer, posted this shot on Lake Superior Ports & Shipping with the Big Mac in the foreground as the Federal Rhine arrives under the Aerial Lift Bridge on its way to load grain at CHS in Superior. The tugs Arkansas and North Carolina are giving an assist. The cutter's Asst. Operations Officer, Patrick J. Buell, mentioned the assignment: "We are up on Lake Superior to deploy … NOAA weather buoys, which will greatly aid in NOAA’s ability to create accurate weather forecasts for the mariners of the Lake!" David took another grand photo seen here with the cutter framed by the bridge and Jane Herrick posted a little video of the Mac backing up and sailing away on Wednesday.

Have Tall Ship, Will Travel: The crew of Drummond Island Tall Ship Company's schooner Huron Jewel is offering to sail into Lake Superior towns in the coming three weeks along the Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin shores. "Want us to pull up to your town's dock so you and your friends can take a free (masked) deck tour of her?" the ship sailors ask. "It's real simple – just help us find a dock to host us and weather permitting we'll stop in! … We look forward to putting a smile on your town's face by bringing a tall ship to your backyard." The tentative schedule so far includes anchoring in Little Lake Harbor in Michigan today; hanging around near Munising and Grand Island on Saturday-Monday (Aug. 1-3); anchoring in Marquette Aug. 3-5; then heading to Houghton/Hancock to Madeline Island and finally to Duluth on a schedule to be determined. We'll have more on the ship's progress as the crew makes it across the Big Lake and you can check out the ship's website.

Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo: Just like the lyrics in the Disney Cinderella song, some critters have the coolest monikers, especially in “sciencese” (OK, often in Latin). Take the lota lota, (French for codfish) otherwise known as the eelpout, burbot or “lawyer,” as described by Minnesota Sea Grant. Along that theme is the alces alces, which you know better as the moose, a direct word

lift from the Algonquin languages, including Ojibwemowin. (You can find out more at MooseWorld.com; yes, it’s a thing.) Finally we come to multiple sightings this week around the Big Lake of Holopedium gibberum. On Duluth Phenology, Zach Bollum posted these photos and this question: “Anyone know what these translucent balls are that lined the beach at Park Point today? I have never seen anything like them because they almost look like silicone balls to me, not fish eggs. And the entire shoreline of Park Point is covered with them, and you can grab handfuls of them in the water while swimming.” We put the question to our experts, and Marie Zhuikov with Wisconsin Sea Grant sent a link about the pea-sized “goo balls” that are remnants of zooplanktons with that lovely “gibberum” in their name. Central Michigan University tells us that the “The gelatinous mantle may aid the organism in this migration.” Shoreline frequenter and photographer, Shawn Malone of Lake Superior Photo in Marquette also recognized them right off as native zooplankton. “I usually notice them around Aug. 1,” she told us, “but this year there's already been a batch floating around.” That’s a lotta nifty knowledge about some little Lake fauna.

Rockin' It: This weekend would have been the 20th annual Blueberry Festival in Marquette – cancelled, sadly, by the pandemic precautions. But the fest founders found a rockin' good way to celebrate the little blue wonders anyway. Starting today through Sunday, Downtown Marquette has launched Blueberry Quest 2020 by hiding 20 “blueberry” rocks outside around downtown in the traditional Blueberry Festival area. Find one of those rocks and win a $20 gift certificate to a Downtown Marquette business that usually would participate in the Blueberry Festival. You have until midnight on Sunday (Aug. 2) to claim your prize by linking here and entering the unique code. The certificates will be sent out next week. Even if you're a good rock picker, the Downtown Marquette folks request that you enter only one code per person and leave the other rocks for others. "Help us spread the word by sharing a photo of yourself with the blueberry rock you find on social media, using the hashtags #blueberryquest2020 and #downtownmarquette," they also encourage.

Shining On: In 1910 on this very day (July 31), Split Rock Lighthouse first shined its light as an aid to navigation. Roxanne Distad posted this beautiful view of the 110-year-old light to celebrate its anniversary. On Thursday, the newest keeper of the light, historic site manager Hayes Scriven, did a video walk-around at the lighthouse. The Congress approved $75,000 for

the lighthouse (about $2 million in today's dollars) after a November 1905 storm that wrecked 11 vessels around Lake Superior, several along the 130-foot cliff where the lighthouse and its 54-foot tower now sits. The grounds of the historic site are now open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily for visitation, with special restrictions and advance ticket purchases possible. In 2001, we did a story about the lighthouse's history that's now posted on our website along with a list of its keepers and a side story on the Fresnel lens it still holds. One of the spectacular notes about this lighthouse is that when it was built, there were no roads up Minnesota's North Shore. All the construction materials and workers for the lighthouse, its fog signal building and keepers quarters had to be lifted up the 130-foot cliff from delivery boats on the Lake. So tip a glass or light a candle today in honor of a grand old sentinel on Lake Superior.

Reopening History: Fort William Historical Park in Thunder Bay officially reopened today. “Since we have been able to return to the Fort, staff have been working hard to prepare the site," General Manager Sergio Buonocore said in the announcement. "This has included de-winterizing all the exhibits and buildings, grounds maintenance, installing a number of new health and safety measures, and adjusting the site, programs and services to help ensure the health and safety of our staff and visitors. We look forward to welcoming back visitors to enjoy the unique experience that Fort William Historical Park has to offer.” As part of its phased reopening plan, the historical park will open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday, offering a reduced entrance fee. Visitors can opt for guided tours of up to 10 people or self-guided exploring using smart phones and tablets to access high-definition, live action videos available in English, French and Oji-Cree via QR code signage across the historic site. The Cantine Restaurant will be open with reduced seating indoors and on the outdoor patio.

By Pod, It's Open: We wanted to give a little plug to the Lake Superior Marine Museum Association's gift shop, now open in a "pod" and a tent outside the Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center at the foot of Duluth's Aerial Lift Bridge. The center, run by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, remains closed to visitors, though the staff now daily sets up outside to answer questions and let visitors know about the comings and goings of the freighters through the Duluth Ship Canal. We urge you to engage with those knowledgeable rangers, then mosey into the gift shop and support the LSMMA and Barb, the shop's operator. Barb says the outside shop is proving an interesting experience ... especially in the occasional high winds down there ... but seeing visitors again is great.

A Parting Shot: Leaving you with one more historic light to view. Dennis O'Hara, master of the Duluth, Superior and Two Harbors waterfront webcams, posted this warm shot of the Superior Entry Lighthouse, built in 1913 on Wisconsin Point.

Photo & graphic credits: David & Gus Schauer; Suze Borre Bonadeo/Friends of Beaver Island; Zach Bollum; Downtown Marquette; Roxanne Distad; Minnesota Historical Society; Victoria Hill/Fort William Historical Park; Barb LeMasurier; Dennis O'Hara

Around the Circle This Week editor: Konnie LeMay.