Have Good, Safe Fun: This holiday weekend certainly will feel a lot more free than in 2020, but some safety rules – not at all pandemic related – should be observed. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Detroit District reminds us that this is National Safe Boating Week and to keep those water safety tips in mind and keep your boats free of invasive species when transferring among lakes. (You can download coloring pages, videos and posters of Bobber, the water safety dog.) The other hazard to avoid is wild fires. Even though chilly temps and some rain have lessened the fire dangers, some areas may still be at risk. Check your state DNR or provincial Ministry of Natural Resources pages for updates.
Going Down: When the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers needed to dry dock its working tug Owen M. Frederick for inspections and maintenance at the Soo Area Office in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., the smart folk there sunk a barge and floated the tug onto it. The barge was then brought to the surface using forced air and voilà – instant dry dock. Sounds like all went well with the inspection and maintenance work. The 65-foot single-screw tug was built in Sturgeon Bay, Wis., in 1942. We believe it has competed in the Soo's Great Tugboat Races from the past or certainly was in the parade before the competitions.
Merry Bird Banders: Naturalists at Whitefish Point Bird Observatory in Michigan have been busy counting feathery heads during this seasonal migration. So far this spring, they've caught 69 previously banded birds, like this Northern Saw-whet Owl, captured May 23 – both last year and this year. You can read more on the WPBO's owl blog. During the peak of the spring raptor migration, they logged a 2,165 Sharp-shinned Hawk day and a 142 American Kestrel day.
Teeny Turtle Crossing: The Wisconsin DNR has some advice for folks traveling in potential turtle crossing areas this weekend: to slow down near wetlands, report crossing hotspots and for those living in the region, consider building a nest cage. Wisconsin – and other Big Lake shores – can expect turtles generally to breed in late May through June and often cross roads to lay their eggs in nests on higher ground. "Turtles getting run over by cars is a leading cause of the decline in turtle numbers in Wisconsin," says the DNR. "The predation of turtle nests by raccoons, skunks and coyotes is another major problem." View videos about the Wisconsin DNR Turtle Crossing Initiative or how to make a turtle nest cage. On Minnesota's shore, folks like Don Davison were finding wee turtlettes trying to make their own crossing. Don transported these little ones and, being a photographer, took their photos, too.
Historic Loss: Calumet's historic downtown district received a major blow last weekend when a fire destroyed three buildings. – Evergreen Restaurant, built in 1880, W.J. Bloy Block built in 1885 and Holman Block built in 1896. Photographer Hanna Wescott shot photos during the blaze. Four firefighters were sent to the hospital, treated and released; residents in the upper apartments and workers in the businesses (which were closed at the time) were not injured. The fire is being investigated as a potential arson, according to TV6. The Village of Calumet's Facebook page offers options for helping the displaced residents and businesses. It also gives an optimistic note about the future: "The loss of 3 buildings in our historic district has been heartbreaking and it's hard to imagine the 100 Block without them. However, we hope to see this loss as an opportunity for redevelopment. The economic development team in our community has already been working with property owners on assisting in the process of clean up and potential rebuilding or redevelopment of the sites." Across the street, Copper World and Keweenaw Coffee Works remain open. Keweenaw Time Traveler is collecting photos of the old buildings and anyone's memories of them.
Lodging Makeover: A refreshed lodging opportunity opened in Bayfield, Wis., recently. Lake Superior Lodge officially opened May 21 in the former Winfield Inn space. It offers 24 hotel rooms and six condo units all within walking distance from downtown Bayfield. The opening celebration included a meal, a ribbon cutting, a traditional Native American prayer, and some words from local, state and tribal leaders in support of the new Native-American owned, woman-owned hotel.
Marvelous Marbles: Lake Superior Art Glass features makers of marvelous marbles and other glass wonders in its Duluth Canal Park store. Three times this summer, the crew from there will be hiding high-class marbles for you to discover in a scavenger hunt with clues on Facebook. It all leads up to July 23 which is, as we all know, National Marble Day. The fun starts May 29 (today) with one marble hidden and again June 26 with another marble stashed away within Canal Park. Then on July 23, there will be 15 glass marbles seeded around the neighborhood. One clue will be released every 45 minutes, starting at 8 a.m., until the marbles are found.
Photo & graphic credits: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; U.S. Army Corps Detroit District; Whitefish Point Bird Observatory; Don Davison; Village of Calumet; Hanna Wescott Photography; Lake Superior Lodge/Bayfield Chamber & Visitor Bureau; Lake Superior Art Glass