Data Diving Delivers Wreck Discovery
As dedicated shipwreck hunters know, the time spent on the water actually searching for a lost vessel at the bottom of Lake Superior can be a drop in the wreck-seeking bucket. Preparation before sailing on the Lake, reading historic records to narrow locations and learn the wreck story, and revelations after, examining the massive amount of data gathered while scanning the Lake bottom, are equally critical if decidedly less glamorous.
That is how author and wreck researcher Dan Fountain played a key role in the latest wreck reveal – the discovery of the SS Arlington about 35 miles north of the Keweenaw Peninsula.
Dan was reviewing "miles" of data collected during recent sidescan searches by on-board shipwreck hunters like Jerry Eliason (whose work is part of a story in the current February/March issue of Lake Superior Magazine). Dan, reviewing the data, spotted an underwater anomaly that looked enough like a boat to intrigue the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society, which operates the museum at Whitefish Point on Michigan's shore as well as the research vessel David Boyd, captained by Darryl Ertel.
"We were actually looking for another wreck and got out there, put the ROV down and looking across the fantail is the name." The name was Arlington, a 244-foot bulk carrier that sank in more than 600 feet down in Lake Superior on May 1, 1940. after leaving Port Arthur, Ont. Only the captain, Frederick “Tatey Bug” Burke, perished. The rest of the crew was saved by a larger freighter, the Collingwood. Capt. Burke declined to leave his ship. The actual wreck, the sinking of which was witnessed from the Collingwood, was about 20 miles from where it was reported at the time. Not surprising, says Dan, giving the tracking ability back then compared to the tools available today.
Dan says the captain, an experienced seaman, made a series of "poor choices" on that run, including not to follow the northern shoreline more closely. The small freighter, fully loaded with wheat and with only about 3.5 feet of "freeboard" above the waterline, did not have a lot of spare room for the waves of the storm that developed.
The well-respected captain was known for an earlier act of bravery, Dan pointed out, when he risked his life to save a crewman trapped below the sinking Glenorchy on Oct. 30, 1924. Port Huron Museum tells the story of that wreck and rescue here.
To read the full story of the wreck and rediscovery of the Arlington, check out the Facebook page of the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum here.
Celebrate National Sauna Week, Wherever You Are
Warm up the stones and get the steam rising … National Sauna Week starts this Sunday (Feb. 18) through Feb. 24, as declared by the Finlandia Foundation National to celebrate the history, culture and health and social aspects of the traditional Finnish sauna bath. The week's poster design (part of it seen here) is by Debbie Paver of Calumet, Mich.
The Finlandia Foundation (naturally) has a series of events for the week, starting at 7 p.m. Sunday with a Zoom presentation "Sauna Quest" by longtime friends and sauna enthusiasts Steve Leppälä, a former environmental regulator who describes himself as voluntarily unemployed, and Dr. Arne Vainio, a family practice physician on the Fond du Lac Ojibwe reservation at Cloquet, Minn. The foundation then features events every day. Sign ups end soon, so check out the list and register here now.
In Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula, Visit Keweenaw tells us the upper Midwest is known as the Sauna Belt, and the Finnish Theme Committee (FTC) in Hancock says the Keweenaw is the buckle of the belt. The committee has a series of celebrations planned, with Hancock hosting art exhibitions, sauna expos, a Copper Country Sauna Tour and storytelling. A Sauna Expo on the Quincy Green in town will showcase different sauna options for your home or camp (or cabin or cottage, depending on what shore is your Lake Superior home.) Find the full schedule here.
Don't have your own sauna? There are a number of places around the Lake Superior region to steam up and then take a chill dip in the water. In Duluth, Pier B Resort hosts Cedar and Stone Nordic Sauna's floating sauna. In the Keweenaw, Superior Steam opened its new wood-fired sauna in Eagle Harbor and with Mount Bohemia put in a Himalayan Salt and Finnish sauna on its ski slopes.
Read Lake Superior Magazine's story by Angelo Gentile of the steaming hot sauna trend here.
Winter Events Modified by a Winter that Almost Wasn't
A number of winter activities and events usually celebrated and enjoyed in the greater Big Lake neighborhood have had to be modified or cancelled because of our abnormally mild winter. Here are a few popular annual events, still on but with a change of plans.
Book Across the Bay Chapter 27 in Ashland this Saturday (Feb. 17) will not be "across" the bay, but along the waterfront starting in Kreher Park. "BATB will be a walking-only, non-timed event combining both the Lake surface just feet off shore and the Ashland Lake Shore Walking Trail," organizers announced this week. "Our trail team has spent the last 4 days exploring, drilling, measuring, inspecting every foot of the expected course and while the ice is plenty safe along the route, tilling and grinding the entire surface of the pack-ice is impractical this year given all the factors." The companion BATB Winter Fest, meanwhile, is in full swing today and Saturday with a sledding hill, kids activities, craft market, food vendors, fire pits, and two-day line up of favorite local musicians with a beer garden each night at the Ashland Marina. Shops like Howl Adventure Center have ice-grippers for boots like the one seen here.
This year's 50th Slumberland American Birkebeiner centered in Hayward, Wis., will feature all of the usual excitement, but with lapped courses and shortened distances, organizers announced this week. The event, which starts with activities on Wednesday (Feb. 21) and goes through Sunday (Feb. 25), will also get a celebration boost from esteemed World Cup
Athletes, including Minnesota’s own Jessie Diggins. Jessie, known for winning the first-ever cross-country skiing gold medal for the United States at the Winter Olympics in the team sprint in 2018, will grace the event on Saturday along with her Olympic teammate Kikkan Randall. Say organizers about the alterations this year due to lack of snow and sufficient chill temperatures, "An open track event has been added on Thursday. This addition provides an opportunity for participants to race on Thursday instead of the Friday, Saturday, or Sunday events, accommodating a wider range of preferences, safety, and schedules. One of the most significant updates to the event week is the introduction of a lapped course. While lack of snow on the traditional Cable-to-Hayward course necessitated this change, this race format will enhance the spectator experience by allowing them to see athletes multiple times throughout the race. It also adds an element of strategy and excitement for competitors as they navigate the course." Track the race, plus all the fun events like the Giant Ski (6 people on one giant pair of skis), the Barkie Birkie skijoring run and the Sunday On-Snow Ski Demos. Read about all of the changes for the week and link to the full week of events here. Read about this history of the race and find out who those Viking-looking characters are here.
The UP 200, Midnight Run & Jack Pine 30 Sled Dog Races have been replaced this year with the Festival of the Sled Dog Powered by NMU (Northern Michigan University) in Marquette. It runs 5-9 p.m. today.
Make Plans: On Monday, Ontario celebrates Family Day and it is the U.S. Presidents Day, which means governmental offices and some businesses may be closed. Meanwhile, here are a few events coming up to put on your fun-do list:
Michigan
Saturday, Feb. 17: The Jibba Jabba Rail Jam brings "the ultimate snowboarding extravaganza" to downtown Houghton starting at 6 p.m. The event showcases stunts, tricks, and high-energy fun and the top winners in the women's and men's categories each earn a $1,000 cash purse. Read more about the event here.
Saturday, Feb. 17: The largest fat-bike event in Michigan – the 35-mile Polar Roll snow bike race – begins with its mass start at 8 a.m. at Ishpeming High School.
Saturday, Feb. 17: Grand Marais hosts its one-day Winter Fest featuring food, sled dogs, a raffle and silent auction, contests, UP200 merchandise, bingo, cornhole and more activities.
Minnesota
Today-Saturday, Feb. 16-17: The Duluth Comedy Fest at the NorShor Theatre features headlines Drew Lynch tonight (doors open at 8 p.m.) and Maria Bamford Saturday (doors open at 8 p.m.) Maria will also be signing her best-selling memoir, Sure, I'll Join Your Cult, at Zenith Bookstore, starting at 2 p.m.
Today-next Saturday, Feb. 16-18, 22-24: Zeitgeist Theater in Duluth presents "Pride & Prejudice," a take on the Jane Austen story about which the organizers declare "This isn’t your grandmother’s Austen!" Evening performances at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday matinees at 2 p.m.
Today-Sunday, Feb. 16-18: 218 Days, based within the 218 area code that encompasses the greater Lake Superior neighborhood, has expanded beyond just Feb. 18 (2-18). You'll find cocktail classes, live music, art workshops and general celebrations through the region. On Saturday, Castle Danger Brewery in Two Harbors hosts a full day of activities, including Yoga with Lake Effect Yoga (11 a.m.); Viking Axe Throwing (noon-9 p.m.); food from Rainy Rose (noon-4 p.m.); and live music from Hannah Rey (6-8 p.m.)..
Today, Feb. 16: Gunflint Falling author Cary J. Griffith will talk about and sign his new book on the blowdown in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness that resulted in the Ham Lake Fire from 6-7:30 p.m. in Drury Lane Books in Grand Marais.
Thursday, Feb. 22: Wildwoods wildlife rehab center in Duluth, partnering with The College of St. Scholastica, will host a series of programs, starting with "Lead Poisoning: Help Get the Lead Out." The program starts at 6 p.m. at the college's Science Room 1106. Check out the full series here.
Wisconsin
Tuesday, Feb. 20: The Washburn Heritage Association's Tony Woiak History Festival in Washburn wraps with "The History of Logging in Northern Wisconsin 1882-1935," starting 7 p.m. at the Harbor Table. Lester Watters, president of Bayfield County Historical Association, will present historical photographs and explain early logging practices in the area where waterways and trains were used to move logs from the field to the local sawmills. Audience participation will be encouraged.
Thursday & Saturday, Feb. 22 & 24: The next community meal at the Chequamegon Food Co-op in Ashland, 4-6 p.m. Swedish meatballs are the main dish plus sides of hot vegetables, gravy, mashed potatoes and a biscuit. Then on Saturday, Coffee: Seed to Cup at the co-op takes a deeper dive into coffee. The presentation starts at 10 a.m.
Ontario
Today-Monday, Feb. 16-19: The annual Wawa Winter Carnival hosts events such as a parade, pancake breakfasts, dances, waxed hands, cardboard box races and more. Among the activities will be a performance by the Charbonneau Trio at Judy's Bakery, 7-9 p.m. Saturday. Find more events here.
Sunday-Saturday, Feb. 18-24: The Thunder Bay Science Festival launches on Sunday with a number of free public events as well as invite-only activities for school groups. On Sunday at 1 p.m., the Tamarack Quintet and Science North perform an hour-long, family-friendly concert at the BGC Thunder Bay, blending sound and science. Monday (Ontario's Family Day) features outdoor waterfront activities in the Festival Area of Marina Park from 4-8 p.m. Already in place at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery is the Indigenous Ingenuity Travelling Exhibition
Monday, Feb. 19: Spend your Monday off at the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Center in Sault Ste. Marie. Family Culture Day and Entomica hosts a full schedule of family-fun activities from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., including cookie decorating, crafts, skating with the roller derby and games. It's a fundraiser for the two organizations.
Photo & graphic credits in order of appearance: Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum; Finlandia Foundation National; Erin Billman/41 North Photography; American Birkebeiner; Book Across the Bay; Spotlight from left: Jibba Jabba Rail Jam/Zietgeist Theater/Chequamegon Co-op/Science North