A Change of Seasons: With Duluth anticipating a high near 82° F today, we'd hardly dismiss summer just yet, but today does mark the seasonal launching the Minnesota Fall Color Finder. "Fall color this year should be as stunning as we have come to expect if there are sunny days and chilly but not freezing nights," Val Cervenka, the forest health program consultant in the DNR's Forestry Division, says in today's press release. (Don't panic, summer lovers, this photo from Explore Minnesota and by Kurt Carlson is NOT a current image, though it does encourage you to think of traveling to Grand Portage State Park this fall.) "Temperature and soil moisture together affect fall color. Mild summer drought can increase the fall color display, but warm fall weather can decrease its brilliance. It's good to keep in mind that local weather conditions will affect local fall color." According to the release, "the wave of peak fall color typically washes across Minnesota from mid-September (along the Canadian border) to mid-October (along the Iowa border)." For now, though, the Fall Finder has yet to find fall, with the state looking pretty green. In the Upper Peninsula, according to UPTravel, "Peak fall color season is typically the last week of September and the first two weeks of October. Reports are done every Wednesday throughout the fall color season." Travel Wisconsin anticipates the second week of October as peak for that state's northern tier. Ontario Parks, meanwhile, does note about 10% colour change among the provincial parks along and near Lake Superior.
On Another Seasonal Note … Good news for Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., burger fans. Clyde's Drive-in, an extremely popular seasonal stop (see photo!), has decided to stay open into November this year. Its fall hours will be noon-7 p.m., five days a week, and closed on Tuesdays and
Wednesdays. No specific closing date yet given, though the owners promise to remain open beyond Halloween, even if they need to hire a "skeleton crew." Two other seasonal burger favorites have set their closing dates. West Pier Drive-in, another top favorite in the Sault, will close on Sept. 24, and Gordy's Hi-Hat in Cloquet, Minn., serves its last 2022 burger on Sept. 18.
New Boat in Town: The brand new Mark W. Barker, the first Great Lakes "laker" built on the Great Lakes in almost four decades, made its first appearance in the Twin Ports this week. The Interlake Steamship Company vessel named for the company president (and the second-generation of the family-run company) actually was something of a "saltie" on this trip. It unloaded salt at Envirotech-Hallett Dock 8 in Superior, reports David Schauer, a Lake Superior Marine Museum Association board member and great maritime photographer (as seen in these photos). The 639-foot freighter took its maiden voyage in July. “The construction of this vessel, which was made from steel manufactured in Indiana, from iron ore delivered by vessel from Minnesota, reinforces our long-term commitment to shipping and delivering essential cargoes for our customers throughout the region," company President Mark Barker said at the time. It's the first new freighter for the company since 1981.
Port Report: The Port of Thunder Bay put out a report this week anticipating a booming fall. "The Port of Thunder Bay is looking ahead to an active fall with the approaching arrival of the 2022 grain harvest alongside record volumes of potash," according to the press release. "The volume of Western Canadian potash shipped from Thunder Bay facilities this year has surpassed the 30-year annual high, with more to come. Over 200,000 metric tons of the commodity was handled in August alone: a modern monthly record. Potash destinations include ports in Europe, South America, and North Africa. Grain shipments during the month were slightly below last year. The prairie grain crop will begin arriving in port during September. According to Agriculture Canada, crop production is expected to exceed the 2021 volume by at least 30%, translating into increased shipments through the port this fall. Year-to-date shipments of grain remain 1.3 million tonnes below this time last year. Keefer Terminal was active with import cargoes of steel products and windmill parts. Keefer has a strong slate of cargo vessels scheduled for a busy fall ahead." Potash is primarily used in fertilizers. The port also has been handling cargoes like the windmill tower sections seen in this photo being discharged from MV Floretgracht at Keefer Terminal.
Tug Lug … The historic tug James Whalen, which took on water and partially sank this spring, should be lifted out of the water by Friday, according to a report Wednesday by TBNewswatch. Cory Halvorsen, the manager of City Parks & Open Spaces, told TBNewswatch that the tug is ready for the crane to lift it, then the water will be pumped out of it. Maritime photographer Michael Hull took a photo this morning and says the process of salvaging the tug is underway.
That's Not Good: Two stories posted recently about invasives we felt were worth noting. First, the Great Lakes Commission linked to a story this week by Rebecca Redelmeier on Undark, which describes itself as "a non-profit, editorially independent digital magazine exploring the intersection of science and society." Rebecca points to the possibility of a surge in sea lamprey populations after pandemic-caused distruptions in the decades-long battle against that invasive species. "During the 1940s and 1950s, when the region’s sea lamprey populations reached their peak, they decimated fisheries, wiping out livelihoods and wreaking havoc on the lakes’ ecosystem," Rebecca writes. "Since then, the species has been the subject of a robust cross-border control program. But that program was disrupted significantly during 2020 and 2021 amid pandemic restrictions." Many researchers are optimistic there will only be a short-term increase in sea lamprey numbers, but others fear longer consequences, she reports. Indeed, the 2021 report on Sea Lamprey Control in the Great Lakes done by Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service notes a higher than targeted indices of adult sea lamprey in Lake Superior and Lake Huron. "In Lake Superior, the index of adult abundance was estimated to be 27,174 … which was greater than the index targets of 10,421." This will be a story to watch.
Along those lines, it was interesting to see what the RV Blue Heron, the research vessel of the Large Lakes Observatory, found on its trip in
August to Lake Erie for work being done by University of Pittsburgh researcher Josef Werne. These zebra mussel-obscured buoys in the photo had been in the water for a year. The Huron crew posted they couldn't figure out why the automatic release didn't work for recovering the buoys until they pulled them up. (Joe's work is not current on mussels, by the by.) Robert Sterner, director of LLO, assured followers on Facebook that this was not an image from our Big Lake. "Our 'home' lake, Lake Superior, does not suffer the same magnitude of impact from invasive mussels in part because of its soft waters and also its relatively low temperature," he wrote. "They are there in Lake Superior though, just in much smaller numbers and in localized populations."
Make Plans: Here are a few events coming up soon to put on a fun-do list:
Michigan
Friday, Sept. 9: Lake Superior State University in Sault Ste. Marie will hold its annual public 9/11 Commemoration at 10 a.m. Friday. LSSU leaders, city and state government officials, representatives from the U.S. Coast Guard and other armed forces, area law enforcement and fire department personnel, first responders and additional civic officeholders are scheduled to participate in the 45-minute ceremony.
Saturday, Sept. 10: Voice actors Roger Craig Smith (from Sonic the Hedgehog to voicing more than 170 characters for just one production – the Emmy award-winning Cartoon Network series Regular Show) and Patricia Summersett (from games such as Legend of Zelda to stage performances) are the special guests for the 4th GeekUP mini con at Michigan Tech Memorial Union in Houghton, from noon-5 p.m. The "annual interactive geek festival bridging fandom with discovery all while raising money for charity" features an artists’ alley, vendors, cosplay, workshops, panels, gaming tournaments, celebrity autograph sessions and break-out events.
Minnesota
Today, Sept. 8: Free tonight at Wade Stadium in Duluth, Season Splash showcases the city's arts. The evening will feature performances from the DSSO, The Duluth Playhouse, Lake Superior Youth Chorus, Lyric Opera of the North, the Minnesota Ballet, Renegade Theater, and Wise Fool Theater with support from Matinee Musicale, Twin Ports Choral Project and Arrowhead Chorale - as well as group singalongs.
Friday-Sunday, Sept. 9-11: The 29th Harvest Moon Festival in Ely’s Whiteside Park features 100 booths filled with original arts and crafts, including paintings, fish-carving signs, turned bowls, rustic furniture, pottery, fabulous photographs, beautiful handcrafted jewelry, organic teas and candles. It might be the perfect time to find those unique holiday gifts. The food court will include Bob-a-Q Smokehouse & Grill, Schweiby’s Concessions, Beckys Oriental, SB Concessions, Kettle Mania, Go Figurs plus some surprises, note organizers. As always, expect plenty of freshly baked blueberry pie in the pavilion.
Friday, Sept. 9: St. Luke’s hosts its 19th Circle of Light fundraising gala in the DECC Lake Superior Ballroom. The event runs 7-9 p.m. and features a program, dinner and live auction. Tickets are available online. There’s also an online auction, which runs to 11 p.m. on Friday.
Wednesday, Sept. 14: Gather at Gichi-ode’ Akiing at Lake Place Park in Duluth for the Chief Buffalo Celebration and mural unveiling. There will be special guests plus a feast and forum from 5-8 p.m.
Next week, Sept. 12-17: All next week, Starry Skies North hosts Celebrate the Night Skies Week in Duluth with a packed schedule of events ranging from national speakers to sky-watching parties (and including a photo contest currently underway). Ojibwe author and storyteller Carl Gawboy will give an Ojibwe perspective of the night sky (no Greeks in those constellations). There will be a free Planetarium Show at Alworth Planetarium on the University of Minnesota Duluth campus plus too much to list here.
Wisconsin
Weeklong, Sept. 10-18: Tap into the Art Escape all week along the Bayfield Peninsula. Check out the local painters, jewelers, potters, sculptors. woodworkers and performers. This first-ever “Art Escape” is a nine-day celebration of all things art across Bayfield County and Madeline Island. Area artists will be able to feature their art at a time and date chosen by the artists. Experience the demonstrations and open houses or create your own masterpiece through a class.
Saturday, Sept. 10: The Northwoods Out of the Darkness Walk for suicide prevention will begin 10 a.m. Saturday in Ojibwa Park in the town of Ojibwa. Register online.
Sunday, Sept. 11: Join a conversation with author Peter Geye at Wonderstate Coffee in Bayfield, hosted by the Apostle Islands Booksellers at 1 p.m. He'll talk about his newest novel, Ski Jumpers. Say the folks at the bookstore, "This is a stunning story of family, trauma, secrets, and forgiveness. This is a story of finding peace as we grow older." (He will also appear at 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10, at Zenith Bookstore in Duluth.)
Ontario
Saturday, Sept. 10: This year, learn more about the agricultural heritage of the Thunder Bay region during Doors Open Thunder Bay from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. "Experience Thunder Bay and area’s rich history, culture and community initiatives first-hand by visiting some of our most unique architectural structures, farming landscapes and heritage sites," say organizers. There are 16 sites to visit.
Saturday, Sept. 10: The Great Northern Ontario Roadshow comes to Wawa at the Goose Nest Market with fun activities for all ages, science shows from Science North and other backyard adventures.
Upcoming, Sept. 17-18: Get your geek on next weekend in Thunder Bay at the 6th Thunder Con with a slough of events, activities and guests, including DinoThunder with Kevin Duhaney and Jeff Parazzo, plus the Blue and White DinoThunder Power Rangers.
Save the Date • Help the Lake: Next Saturday (Sept. 17) will be a beach sweeping day across the Great Lakes. The annual Adopt-a-Beach Day is organized by the Alliance for the Great Lakes. There are already plenty of beach sweeps scheduled around Lake Superior that you can join or you can add one for your town.
Photo & graphic credits: Kurt Carlson/Explore Minnesota; Clyde's Drive-in; David Schauer; Port of Thunder Bay; David Schauer; Michael Hull; T. Lawrence/Great Lakes Fishery Commission & NOAA; Great Lakes Fishery Commission; Large Lakes Observatory; Lake Superior State University/Ely Harvest Moon Festival/Art Escape