Still from Christian Dablec Photography video
March 2017 Waves in Grand Marais, MN
On Tuesday, March 7, 2017, high winds kicked up huge waves in Grand Marais, Minnesota, and elsewhere on Lake Superior. Image from a Christian Dalbec Photography video.
The gales of March?
It’s been a weird weather week by the Big Lake. Last weekend ended with high temps in the 50s; today the mercury dropped below 0° F. In between, the Lake region was buffeted by wind gusts that topped 70 mph on Tuesday.
At magazine HQ in Duluth, we certainly felt the wind – the airport recorded 58 mph peak winds – but coming from the west it did little to stir up the Lake here. It was up the Minnesota shore in Grand Marais, where 66 mph wind hit from the southwest, that enormous waves crashed against the shore in spectacular fashion.
Christian Dalbec drove up from Two Harbors and made this video of waves pounding the Grand Marais lighthouse.
Grand Marais photographer Bryan Hansel was interviewed by the Minneapolis Star Tribune about his photographs of the waves. His images of the icy aftermath are just as beautiful.
On Isle Royale, the wind peaked at an astonishing 76 mph. Michigan’s Stannard Rock hit 71 mph. In Marquette, where the gusts reached “only” 63 mph, photographer Shawn Malone braved the elements for this video of the powerful wind. The waves were rolling across the Lake in Terrace Bay, too.
+ Pierre the Voyageur, the kitschy 20-foot statue that greets highway travelers arriving in Two Harbors, Minnesota, lost an arm to the high winds. His owners say they will definitely repair him, Adelle Whitefoot reports in the Lake County News-Chronicle.
Development of Duluth waterfront site moves forward
The developers behind Duluth’s Pier B Resort will get a crack at the neighboring property, one of the last undeveloped commercial sites on the harbor waterfront. Peter Passi writes for the Duluth News Tribune:
On Wednesday morning, Duluth Mayor Emily Larson held a news conference to announce that a local development team led by Sandy Hoff and Alex Giuliani has been selected as the preferred entity to put the formerly industrial property, with more than 1,500 feet of shoreline, to a new use.
Under an option agreement, the team will have 12 months to assess the site and create a development agreement. They aren’t saying too much about their plans yet, other than that it will combine residential, retail and public space.
Signs of spring
Gordy’s Hi-Hat, the iconic burger joint in Cloquet, Minnesota, is opening for the season on March 22. Over in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, the city’s outdoor skating rinks are now closed.
Marquette’s flagship is for sale: Captain Niko Economides has decided to sell the Coaster II because of his health issues, reports Word on the Street’s Brian Cabell, though “he and his family still plan to sail the boat for Superior Odyssey Charter this summer.” The vessel has previously made appearances at Tall Ships Duluth.
Transforming Thunder Bay’s downtown south core: In this CBC story, meet five women who have started businesses in the up-and-coming neighborhood.
Friends of the Porkies raising funds for rescue equipment: “Through its Rescue Me! campaign, the non-profit group seeks $27,000 to help the park staff provide better year-round emergency rescue services in the environs of the 60,000-acre park,” writes Vanessa Dietz for the Mining Gazette.
Thunder Bay freestyle skiers have new training tool: “The Thunder Bay Freestyle Ski Club is now training with an air bag set up at Loch Lomond Ski Area, and members were testing out some new tricks on Sunday,” says TBNewsWatch reporter Doug Diaczuk.
Man vs. wolf? Retired NFL running back Arian Foster said he could take down a wolf in a fight. Here’s the response from the International Wolf Center in Ely, Minnesota.