Wausau Vacationland (what did you see?)

Wisconsin is not Iowa, but you do see a lot of this stuff up here.

And a lot of this.

We knew it would be a jarring change when we left the remote, pristine coolness of Lake Superior for the crowded heat, humidity, and downright tackiness in the heart of “Vacationland”; Wisconsin Dells.

However, the transition was made a bit easier by signs in towns along the route south that proclaimed Ashland to be the home of the Oredockers; Butternut home of the Mighty Midgets; Park Falls as the “Ruffled Grouse Capital of the World”, and; Ogema as the home of the “Christmas Tree Festival.”  

Before leaving Washburn we ask around a bit about the best things to see and do in the “The Dells” and pretty much everybody said; “water parks.” All that answer did was reinforce our already preconceived notion that our three-night stay there would be something we’d have to endure before moving on to prettier and more interesting parts of the state.

However, grudgingly, we’ve got to admit that we kind of liked this stop on our tour of Wisconsin. Certainly it turned out to be a lot better than we thought it was going to be.

However, that’s not to say it wasn’t hot and humid. Texas readers take note that we ran the AC for the first time since we left home; which was a good thing because it helped to drown out the noise from I-94, which was adjacent to our state park campground.

And it certainly does not mean that the area is not inundated with over-the-top tackiness as evidenced by a one-mile stretch of highway lined with water/amusement parks that feature replicas of the Roman Coliseum, the Parthenon, a giant Trojan horse and an upside-down White House. Nor does it mean that we did not eat both breakfast and supper at the Paul Bunyan All-You-Can-Eat Lumberjack Cook Shanty – on the same day! (Hey, give us a break, they don’t serve lunch). 

So, yeah it’s tacky and touristy; but it’s also kind of pretty (if you can tear yourself away from the Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Show which, admittedly, we attended, click on link above for details).

When he's not lumberjacking Brian is a majoring in finance at UW-La Crosse.

Dells is an anglicized version of dalles, which is a French word for a narrowed section of a river. For instance, The dalles on the Columbia River in Oregon are famous for being one of the last and most treacherous spots for settlers traveling the Oregon Trail (and there is now a town there named, appropriately, The Dalles). Likewise, the “dells” of the Wisconsin River held a similar reputation at roughly the same time (1830/40s) when massive log “rafts” were being floated down the Wisconsin River to sawmills during the heyday of the timber industry in the upper Midwest.

The Wisconsin River, just below one of its 27 dams.

The state gets its name from the river which is, historically speaking, probably the state’s most important geographic feature even though the state borders two of the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River. The name of the river is also derived from an anglicized pronunciation of a French word that was itself a derivative of Marquette’s interpretation of the Native American word for the river, which Marquette spelled “Meskousing”. Map makers back in Paris changed the spelling to Ouisconsin which was further anglicized into Wisconsin.

In 1909 the first of 27 dams was constructed on the Wisconsin River (which cuts diagonally across the state, from the Michigan border in the northeast to the Mississippi River on the southwest) near the town of Kilbourne City that had been named for a railroad executive but locals continued to call Wisconsin Dells. The town name was officially changed to Wisconsin Dells in 1931.

The dam in downtown Kilbourne City/Wisconsin Dells backed the river’s waters above it into the rocky cliffs and ravines and made possible the quiet and scenic two-hour boat tour we took one day. Fortunately, much of the area along the river is part of a state natural area and there is surprisingly little commercial development in eyeshot of the water, even though the river itself transports lots of tourists and other boaters.

However, long before the dam was built an inventive and creative photographer named Henry Hamilton Bennett opened a studio in 1865 and started taking photos of the scenic and unusual features along the river, gaining a reputation as one of the best landscape photographers of the 19th century.

Bennett’s photos enticed people to visit the Dells from the relatively nearby urban areas of Milwaukee, Chicago and the Twin Cities and businesses sprang up to assist these tourists with their leisurely pursuits. Essentially, this very same dynamic continues to drive the economy of the Wisconsin Dells area today.

One of the photography tricks that Bennett pioneered was a technique that allowed him to “stop action” so that an object in motion was not blurred in the photo. And to demonstrate this technique he photographed his son jumping across an opening between two rock spires that are about 100 feet in the air near the river a mile or two north of town.

People thought it was a trick; wanted to see the jump for themselves; and were willing to pay for the privilege. Over time the jumpers transitioned from human to canine, but it is still a staple stop on the river tour for tourists like us. Check out this video of the dog jumping the actual opening between the spires; Betsy’s “stop action” photo of the same; and our very own attempts to leap across the chasm, which has been re-created on the carpet at Bennett’s studio (now a state-run historical museum) in downtown Wisconsin Dells. Looks like we both made it across right!

Naturally, after all of this hard work, we had to stop for some refreshments which led to some interesting bar-stool conversations. At the Moosejaw Brew Pub we listened to a motor-mouthed (female) Homeland Security agent from the Dallas-Ft. Worth area talk about the shootings in Dallas and anything else that popped in her head. She and her husband (who got in a few words) and their teenage son (who did not) were in the area running marathons and triathalons? Then, across the street in very different ambiance of the Brat House Grill, we chatted up a couple of low-key locals, one of whom was an NYC transplant who sold timeshares at a local “resort”.

We also managed to sandwich (pun intended) the Paul BunyanLumberjack Show (click on link for video) in between the Paul Bunyan all-you-can-eat breakfast and the Paul Bunyan all-you-can-eat supper. What’s troubling about this – and one of the lumberjacks even admitted it – Paul Bunyan is from Minnesota, not Wisconsin (or Maine, another state that falsely claims the Big Guy). We just can’t believe they make up stuff like this and try to foist it on naïve tourists who don’t know their history!

Speaking of jarring change; something else that we saw, which is not made up but also seems out of place here in Wisconsin, is the International Crane Foundation.

Back in the 1970s a guy from Baraboo, WI (which is just down the road from Wisconsin Dells) went to Cornell University and met another student that shared his passion for cranes. The two guys then talked the parents of the Baraboo guy into letting them lease the parents’ horse farm as a refuge for cranes, created the ICF and basically saved the Whooping Crane and, perhaps a few other varieties of cranes, from extinction. Not bad!

The refuge is also the only place on earth with all 15 types of cranes and we took a very cool (actually, it was pretty hot and muggy), exceptionally-well-guided, two-hour tour of the place and saw all 15.

Sand Hill Cranes are the most common with more than 600,000 and Whooping Cranes the rarest with less than 600, still a significant improvement from the 21 Whoopers that existed when the Foundation was created in 1971.

While both of these varieties of cranes are native to North America we were surprised to learn that most crane types are found in limited ranges in far off places like Russia, China, Australia and Africa.

A Gray Crowned Crane from Africa.

 Click this link to see more of this crane.

Blue Cranes, the "national bird" of South Africa.

Our very own Sandhill Crane.

An Red Crowned Crane from East Asia.

A Siberian Crane from (duh!) Russia.

After completing our “crane-immersion” session we drove a few miles south of Baraboo to Wisconsin’s most popular state park, Devil’s Lake and hiked a portion of the Ice Age Trail.

The trail meanders across the central portion of the state, following the line where the ice age glaciers stopped.  North and east of this line the topography is relatively flat as it slopes down to either Lake Superior or Lake Michigan. To the south and west it’s hillier. At Devil’s Lake the glacier essentially carved out a big hole in the rocks that is now filled with water. As the forces of erosion work their magic on the rocks that remained when the glacier retreated the result is a pretty, clear lake with some great viewpoints around its edges.

After three days in the Dells we moved about 120 miles up the Wisconsin River to another state park on the outskirts of the town of Merrill (pop. 12,000), which is sort of like a suburb of Wausau (pop. 40,000). Both of these cities were big sawmilling centers back in the day when the river was the primary (only?) means of transporting felled trees to the mills.

This three-day stop at Council Grounds State Park was our nod to “really getting to know” the heavily-forested, sparsely-populated northeastern portion of the state that borders Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. However, considering that we were a good 100 miles or so from the Michigan state line, some might think it a rather faint nod.

Our next-door neighbors showing their Packers Pride.

The truth is, staring at the Wisconsin map months ago back in Texas, I wondered if three days here would be three too many? It looked pretty boring. However, as it turned out, we could have easily spent a week poking around these two pleasant cities. Wausau in particular made an impression; one of the nicest, most robust cities of its size that we can recall seeing.

The campsites at Council Grounds are located in a deeply-wooded area of tall trees and it was dark, damp and muddy when we arrived. So we hunkered down in trailer where we got an excellent television signal.

The next day we rode our bikes on a pleasant but somewhat confusing trail along the river into downtown Merrill which has a beautiful 1902 courthouse and several other historic structures and features along with a beautiful park that meanders alongside a creek.

Because it was Friday and the Friday Fish Fry is a central part of life in Wisconsin we ask around for advice about the best “Fry” in Merrill. We got a lot of advice but no consensus. So, after quaffing a few beers at the brand new Sawmill Brew Pub, which is located in a beautifully-renovated former Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources office, we settled on the “Fry” at the Fraternal Order of Eagles (F.O.E.) lodge and were quite pleased with our choice. It was the quintessential small-town “lodge dining experience” with a substantial bar area and a plain dining room where everybody seems to know everybody.

The Eagles may be best known (at least to me) for a project they undertook in the 1950s and early 1960s to combat juvenile delinquency by placing monuments listing the Ten Commandments in public places in towns and cities around the country. Some of those monuments, including one placed on the state capitol grounds in Austin in 1961, were challenged in the early 2000s as violations of the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause. The Texas Ten Commandments monument survived the challenge by a razor-thin 5-4 plurality decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in 2005 (argued by then-Attorney General Greg Abbott) that seemed to hinge on the “primarily secular” motives that inspired the F.O.E. to place the monuments in public places. I’ve passed by the monument in Austin many times over the years but this was my first visit to a F.O.E. lodge. While I did not notice any references to the Ten Commandments at the lodge in Merrill (nor, for that matter, any juvenile delinquents) the fish was fantastic! 

Fish Fry Friday at the F.O.E. Lodge in Merrill, Wisconsin.

It was a pleasant evening and, when we got back to the trailer, we lit up our first campfire of the trip. Having a campfire was on our “must do” list because Wisconsinites love campfires almost as much as they love to ride lawnmowers. Consequently a thick haze of smoke hangs over every campground in the state (and everybody’s yard looks really nice). We were pleased to finally make our contribution to the smoke pollution and have our eye out for a used riding lawnmower.   

As previously mentioned (before wandering off track with the Ten Commandments discussion) we got a TV signal at the campground and tuned in to the local news to get a weather report. It was a bizarre, yet fortuitously serendipitous, newscast. Bizarre because the station’s computers had crashed and the entire program was being live-streamed on an i-phone. Fortuitously serendipitous because they were broadcasting on location at the Colby Cheese Days in Colby, Wisconsin. Colby is only 25 miles or so west of Merrill. Road Trip!

Wisconsin multi-tasking; eating deep-fired cheese curds while wearing a fish fry t-shirt.

We headed over to Colby the next day for what turned out to be a very low-key (lame?) “festival”.  However, we ate a couple of rounds of delicious, fresh curds fried up by one of the town’s Lutheran churches (every Wisconsin town seems to have at least two Lutheran churches) and watched some four-year-old kids participate in a tractor pull before bailing on the “festival” and  encountering another fortuitous serendipity at the Colby Library’s annual book sale. While Betsy was buying books I perused the travel brochures and came across one for the Yawkey House Museum in Wausau.

So we headed off for Wausau with a slight detour to stop at the exact mid-way point between both the equator and the north pole, and the Greenwich meridian and the international date line (seriously, I’m not making this up; look at the photo).

We made it to Wausau just in time for the final Yawkey House tour of the day. 

Tom Yawkey's cousin's house...who knew?

Cyrus Yawkey was a third-generation timber baron and he and wife Alice built the house in 1901, extensively re-modeling it just six years later. When Alice died in 1953 she left the house to their only child, Leigh, who immediately gave it the Marathon County Historical Society. Thus, the house is in pristine condition and we had a great tour guide and were the only people on the tour. It was fun and informative.

 Also, in case you are wondering, Cyrus Yawkey was the first cousin (once removed) of Tom Yawkey, the long-time owner of the Boston Red Sox. Apparently, I was not the first person to ask about this.

We spent some poking around downtown Wausau and stopped in at the visitor center where they give people a commemorative coin for going to the equator/north pole/meridian/date line midway point. We knew about the coin but had forgotten about it until a guy walked in asking for his coin. To get the coin you have to sign a register and tell them where you are from. So I go up after they guy to sign the register and the guy is from San Antonio! What are the odds? We ask him what the hell he is doing in Wausau, Wisconsin and he says he is moving there because he likes downhill skiing?

Downtown Wausau, Wisconsin; the downhill skiing capital of America?

We’ve moved on now to the Door Peninsula on Lake Michigan north of Green Bay where will be staying for a week in a place called Egg Harbor. After we leave here we will spend the next three weeks working our way down the Lake Michigan shoreline. Stay tuned for details.

The Lights of Michigan Island

On Saturday we rode a park concession boat (basically a ferry for passengers only) to Michigan Island and took the volunteer-led tour of the first, last, shortest and tallest lighthouses in the Apostle Islands.

Michigan is on the opposite end of the islands from Sand and a very different experience from “our” island, starting with the passenger ferry that took us there.

Sand Island gets visitors from multiple directions and modes but there are no ferries bringing groups specifically to tour its lighthouse. Sand Island also is much larger than Michigan with campsites and hiking trails spread over a good-sized chunk of the island.

Michigan Island is much smaller, has just one campsite and all the facilities are confined in a small, but very beautiful, area on the southwestern tip of the island. Sand is very flat. Michigan has tall bluffs. Sand gets lots of kayakers and day boaters landing on various beaches. Michigan has few kayakers and most of its visitors arrive by power or sail boats that tie up at the dock below the tall bluff where the two lighthouses sit.

In our tours we try to give visitors an overview of all of the lighthouses in the park and why and when they were built at those locations. Thus, we are very curious about the lighthouses that we talk about all the time but have never seen and we'd been itching to get out to Michigan Island for quite some time.

The first lighthouse on any Apostle Island was built on Michigan Island “by mistake” in 1857, closed the next year and re-lit in 1869. A major shortcoming (pun intended) of this light was that it could not be seen from most locations on the lake. To overcome this obvious defect a 112-foot steel tower from a Pennsylvania lighthouse that had been de-commissioned was shipped in and erected next to the smaller lighthouse in 1929, making it the newest and the tallest in the Apostles; and oddly juxtaposed adjacent to the oldest and shortest light in the islands.

It was very fun and interesting to see all of this and to take the volunteer-led tour. It is a spectacular setting and we were there on a picture-perfect, beautiful day.

APIS VIP's talk shop

The lighthouse tower looms over the circa 1929 keeper's quarters on the left (where the volunteers live) and the assistant keeper's quarters (right). The railroad tracks are for a tram that was used to bring supplies up the steep stairway from the dock.

See why they needed a tram?

Prior to 1929 the lighthouse keeper lived in the quarters attached to the 1857 lighthouse.

 

Sand Island 2016 log

Prologue

This is the third year I have transcribed and published this log while serving with Dave on Sand Island, one of 21 islands in the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore on western Lake Superior in northern Wisconsin. Since it is written for the other National Park Service volunteers who follow us on Sand, some references may not make sense to those unfamiliar with the park and the history. I’ve included some comments in [brackets] when I think more explanation is necessary. Also, the numbers are the radio addresses for the park staff and volunteers, which is how we'd identify them in radio traffic. (We were 505.)

However, the rest is exactly what I wrote each night with a gel pen in the journal, which is hard in this day of electronic editing, autocorrect and delete keys. I know the writing in this log would have been much better with editing, but wanted to keep it authentic to my thoughts at the time. I find I take the same approach I used as a sportswriter in the 1970s, when I would craft the lede and story outline in my head on the drive home from an event before sitting at the Dec Vax terminal at the newspaper to write. On the island, I would fashion that day’s theme and stories during my 40-minute commute home from the lighthouse.

For some perspective, here is the map of the park in the tippy-top of Wisconsin, 70 miles east of Duluth, MN.

 

Thanks for reading the blog. Enjoy!

Betsy

 =============================================

During our training, we posed with the rest of the full-time and seasonal staff for APIS. I'm on front row fifth from left, and Dave is on second row fourth from right.

June 16, 2016 Thursday     62 and calm

Wow! I can't believe we are opening up the island for the 3rd straight year. We are so happy to be back - dead flies and mud and ladybugs and mosquitoes and all! Easy trip out with a few wrinkles. I packed my 5 DOZEN eggs safely (I thought) in our insulated bags. We are now down to 2 dozen. Oops. 

Also, we got to come in on the mongo "Crane," the Park's colossal new landing craft boat, since it was hauling lumber out here. We also met Supt. Bob and 2 guests at the dock - he was giving them a tour of OUR island. Also, it seemed like Grand Central station with 6 workers here for the campsite construction, another 10 or so seasonal rangers on some kind of tour - and then, when we thought everyone had left, NGLVC [Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center] Biologist Ted (617) knocked on our door. Like the DNR [Department of Natural Resource] folks we hosted before, he wanted to know if he could stay over in our pest-free cabin, since the bugs are super-bad. Of course, we said. There’s so much to learn from these naturalists, and, since Ted is a songbird guy, I will put my newfound Warbler knowledge to good use soon. To wit: "TEACHer, TEACHer, TEACHer ..." is an Oven Bird (warbler.) "Zee Zee Zee Zu Zee" is a Black-throated green warbler. I can't wait to get out tomorrow!

June 17, 2016  Friday     PC, 70s, calm

First, a comment about "spring cleaning." As a native of a "no-winter" state (Texas), I never really understood the term. Also, we never had a vacation home we had to "open up for the season." So today was tough but rewarding as I swept, mopped, and scrubbed the cabin to get rid of the winter grime - and maybe some trekked in by construction guys before our arrival. Dave hiked to the Lighthouse after breakfast and gave our first tours of the season!

Before he left, he gave our last FULL Morning Report. The daily update will be truncated starting tomorrow, and we're no longer supposed to report sky conditions or temperatures. So I was glad Dave was able to read his full report in the form of a poem. It was in honor of Neil H. (302) who is retiring this year and loves poems. I wonder if he heard this: 

"At 61 it's balmy
The wind blows calmly
Waves are few
Skies are blue
Have a great least summer Neil,
Bayfield, back to you."

June 18, 2016  Saturday      55-72 Nice

The winding stairway to the lighthouse tower (44 steps.)

Calm day for our first Saturday, and several campers are breaking in our new campsites 1 and 2. New Group C (accessible) is officially complete now and open for reservations, but until the new dock and boardwalk connecting it to the site are complete, it's not really accessible. I hope when we return at end of season it will all make sense.

There are several changes that I will write about later, including new fees and campsites, but let me mention my 2 favorite changes so far: the HANDRAIL in the Lighthouse tower is a welcome sight for our visitors, but especially for this ex-runner with bum knees!

I stayed in cabin and checked campers and privies while Dave went to LH. More than 20 people got tours (and paid fees) on a relatively calm day. I used cell signal to send a tour pic to Neil, and he almost immediately posted it on Facebook. We're famous ... at least until the next post. :-) 

 
Heard a Loon at LH, saw several yellow swallowtails and a red squirrel. We are serenaded in the evening by tree frogs, but I haven't heard my songbirds yet.

Yellow Swallowtails grouping on beach...

... and rocks.

Whitefish (from Corny) for dinner. Tomorrow is supposed to get white-cappy and full moon at 9. Should be fun.

Also, I don't know if this is related to the warmer winter or another change, but our hot water is fantastic! The last two years our showers have been iffy and not always warm. But great this year!

 June 19, 2016 Sunday       65 breezy and cool

Happy Father's Day!
 

On the hike home yesterday I talked to the Trek & Trail group of 4 in new campsite 1, and one of the kayakers staying in Group B. Both wanted to know about Lighthouse tours. So this morning I fed Dave and pushed him off so he would be there for the tours. When I got there around 2 after doing privy and cabin duty, he reported "I haven't seen a soul today." Although it is Sunday, it's also a humid, windy day, and we suspect both groups headed back to the mainland ahead of the afternoon weather. Good move.

While visitation is "quiet" today (also, no campers tonight) the surroundings today offered a cacophony of sound: quaking Aspens, trees whistling with the wind, a flag flapping in the breeze, water laps on the shore - and lots of songbirds. What a treat.

There's often a west wind stiffening the flag at the lighthouse.

 
Finally, if insects ever had a "be kind to people" day, this might have been one. Last night Dave awoke to a tick crawling on his face, but luckily it hadn't latched on, so it was easily dispatched. Then, as I approached the lighthouse I was greeted by dozens of flies. While annoying, at least they weren't the biting kind. Then, even the mosquitoes cut us one slack as we hiked home in the heat without long sleeves, jackets or headnets. Of course, we were both bathed in Deep Woods Off!

Still 80 degrees at 9. Waiting for a full moon, but it might get pushed behind clouds as a loud electric storm moves through. I did get some nice shots of an almost-full moon last night, and spotted several fireflies. Cool. 

  

Cool view as the lightning lit up East Bay.

June 20, 2016  Monday      65 Breezy and cool

Happy first day of summer and Small Craft Wind Advisory!

Because of gusting winds from the west, we had few insects and even fewer - as in zero - visitors or campers. Dave did see a hardy kayaker bounding past the LH. Hope he knows what he's doing (the kayaker).

What a difference a night makes. Last night's dry storm was a veritable fireworks show with multiple bright and loud lightening strikes to the east. It turns out TONIGHT was the rare full moon almost exactly at the moment the sun went down at 9 p.m. I just got back in after taking some decent pics of a large "strawberry moon" coming up over the mainland. To me there's nothing prettier than a moon's orange light reflecting across the lake. I would have stayed outside longer, but with calmer winds, the skeeters - like small children hungry for attention - wouldn't leave me alone.

The "Strawberry" moon coming up over the mainland, just as the sun was setting.
Appropriate, since strawberries are just now in season!

 

A later view of the full moon, with the reflection on the lake.

Today I did yucky scrubby privy duty and mowed the cabin lawn. Dave is mowing group sites tomorrow. I know the campers are coming!

June 21, 2016  Tuesday        55-70 pleasant

They came! Our first Boy Scout group of the season bounced around for 2 1/2 hours from Little Sand Bay in some pretty choppy waters. Things calmed down in the afternoon, and Dave suggested they paddle around the sea caves at Swallow Point, and then beach and hike to the LH from Justice Bay. I had no idea, and had locked up and left the LH before 4 since nobody had shown up. Then I ran into the 6 boys and 2 guides at Lighthouse Bay, and offered to go back and give a tour - my first of the season. They appreciated the stories but especially liked the view.

Dave had a big day mowing both group sites and up the trail past the Dahl sign. The trail is now wider, and less chance of ticks coming off the vegetation that had been hanging over. That's a good thing for Dave, since he's found THREE of them crawling on him since we arrived!
 

 A few other thoughts about the hike:
- I ran into a park biologist who was installing a bat monitor on the trail north of Justice Bay. Bats? Really? Don't we have enough disease carriers?
- If "the early bird gets the worm," then the 1st LH hiker gets the cobwebs!
- It's been fun re-discovering the lovely Pink Lady Slippers on the trail. As I passed a group of 4 young men the other day, one said "I've counted 46 Pink Lady Slippers so far." "That's amazing," I replied. He added, "There were 21 behind that arrow on the trail." AHA! I had scraped that arrow out just a few hours earlier, in homage to my friend Ben who did that for me exactly 2 years ago. (See June 19, 2014 entry.) Paying it forward ... 

The short-lived Pink Lady Slipper blossom.

 

June 22, 2016  Wednesday  50-60 Chilly

While Monday's moon was full, last night's was technically a "waning gibbous" phase. Nonetheless, at 9:45 it rose against a much darker sky, and - with a deep orange glow and equally colorful reflection - was even more spectacular. 

A "waning gibbous." Still pretty.

Tonight is cloudy, so I won't be distracted by another amazing show like the last three nights.

After some window cleaning and laundry, I trudged up the trail to a very different sound with today's NE wind. Whereas Monday we had stiff west winds that caused a roar to emit from Lighthouse Bay almost all the way back to Justice Bay [one mile away], today was the opposite. In fact, I was thinking "surf's up!" as I watched huge rolling waves crash up on the beach at Justice Bay. Maybe a little too cold for surfing, but a fun 2nd-day-of-summer thought.

Dave saw no visitors but watched 2 bald eagles fighting (playing?), and one dove into the lake. About an hour after he left and I was locking up, he called on the radio about 2 campers heading my way. So I re-opened at 4:30 and the young couple was VERY appreciative. I figure; that's why we're here. 

Oh, the Voyager has arrived! More on them tomorrow.

June 23, 2016    Thursday        65 nice and calm

Winds have subsided and it's flat calm today - a good thing since we had at least 32 boaters in East Bay, including the always inspiring Voyager canoe. If you haven't seen one in action, you're missing out. It's a large vessel similar to those used between Montreal and Grand Portage back in the fur-trading days, and a sight to see 16 girls singing and paddling in unison. They always seem like they're having a blast. 

  

Keeping the Voyager tradition alive, with kids, not fur trappers.

The construction guys are almost done with accessible site 4, and I think won't be back until the dock starts in earnest. Yesterday we saw a figure at the end of our sad, closed-up dock and realized it's Wyatt taking up boards - finishing up what nature has started, I thought to myself.  [The docks had been destroyed over the past two winters by shifting ice.]

Wyatt taking up boards on our spent dock.

He later told us he was going to use them to cover the muddy entrance to new campsite 5/6 (?) at Justice Bay. If he has time he'll salvage a few so we can make the walk from Group A to the water spigot a little more pleasant. It has been a muddy spring.

I took the day off to do cabin duties, wash, and organizing our reading materials here. Dave gave a tour to the 10 girls in Group B, in early afternoon (thank goodness.)

Learned a new term: "radio shadow." I guess that's what we have on the hike between the bays.

Also, have found 5 ticks in cabin so far, but all loose. Jeez.

June 24, 2016  Friday     Picture Perfect warm* and still

*75 today. Of course, "warm" is relative. It's 95 at home.
Lots of interesting volunteer and Ranger traffic the last 2 days. I recall someone at employee training commented that we need to be prepared if our fridge goes out. "Posh," I thought. That wouldn't happen.

But it did! On Oak! As they are trying to fix that, at 7 today we hear Fred at Raspberry report "Sometime during the night our power went out." Of course, it's Friday, which means the tour boats are coming out there. Soooo.. We've decided not to complain with our working fridge, power, indoor plumbing and super-hot water. I thought about complaining that our water was TOO hot, but decided not to.

Once again, no tours at lighthouse. 5 folks who had previously visited decided not to pay the $5 fee. It was an incredibly calm day and we saw lots of kayakers and hikers. Both Group A and Group B are full, and #1 occupied. Total of 39 visitors today.

A final note: I'm a word nerd and had this thought - if Ella was taking care of the house AND helping Emmanuel, does that mean she went from "light housekeeping" to "lighthouse keeping?" :-) 

 

Would this have been lightkeeper wife Ella's view toward Devils Island?

June 25, 2016  Saturday       75 Calm/breezy, stormy

When the words "stormy" and "torrential rain" come over the radio during a noontime weather update, it gets your attention. We are an hour into a severe thunderstorm watch and - other than a few minutes of gusty winds and some distant thunder and lightning - it's been pretty tame … or so we thought. We did hear a "thump" earlier but ignored it.

Right before I sat down to write this, Dave glanced out the bathroom window on the south side of the cabin and remarked, "Hey Betsy, a tree fell back here." 

Sure enough, prone on the ground a mere foot from the cabin, was a pine (spruce?) tree that was at least 30 feet tall. Thus, the "thump." Miraculously, it missed the cabin, the shed, and all the construction equipment. On further investigation I discovered its trunk broke off about 2 feet above ground. Wow. 

  

So that's why we heard a "thump!"

Even the maintenance guys didn't know this tree was a threat to crack.

Because of Sunday's forecast of 3-5' waves and 30-knot winds, our Living Adventures group wanted to make a permit change for a shorter paddle. With the potential for a Small Craft Advisory, I don't worry about Page and Travis and their guests, but I can't help but be concerned for the 12 20-somethings who we suggested move from #2 to Group C to be clear of mud and trees - a prescient thought it turns out. I'm also worried about the 6 who headed to Oak today, and the nice young Milwaukee couple on York who admit their inexperience. I did ask the L.A. Guides going to York to keep an eye on them. Should be interesting. In spite of the shifting winds today, we saw 35 people and gave L.H. Tours to 12 appreciative folks. Oh, and during one of the lookout [tower] talks our Bald Eagle made a fly-by.

June 26, 2016  Sunday    80 and gusty

T3 2016 - that's how I'll remember last night's "Tree-toppling thunderstorm!" Other than our downed tree by the cabin and another on the trail near Justice Bay (easily chopped up by Dave) the storm wasn't even close to the doomsday theme on the radio. I checked my notes, and in addition to "severe" and "torrential," they mentioned "large hail" and "locate to safe harbor." It's almost as if Donald Trump wrote it!

Anyway, the kids did move to Group C and emerged unscathed. We encouraged them to leave early to get ahead of the wind and Small Craft Advisory starting at 10. Around 9, we saw them launching and breathed a sigh of relief - until we saw them head north toward Swallow Point instead of east to LSB [Little Sand Bay on the mainland]. From there we lost sight of them, so I have to believe they made it in OK.

Nary a LH visitor today, and no boats with the exception of 2 pleasure boats and the Glass-Bottom tour boat. It doesn't feel like a Sunday.  

 

I like to stand outside the tower and wave to give these tour folks a thrill every day at 3:30.

Oh, it was also BTD - or Big Tick Day. After we got home I found 1 crawling on my pants, then 2 on my legs latched on. Dave found one on his leg too. Time to file that damn report. We got good use out of the "Pro Tick Remover" we bought at NGLVC (Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center.)

June 27, 2016  Monday    60 Calm, yet dreary

Random thoughts as we await visitors tomorrow - our supervisor Jeanette (303) and centennial coordinator Ryan, whose job I'm dying to learn more about. I'll go back in with them for a re-supply day and won't be back until Thursday. I'm sure Dave will document the next 2 days in excruciating detail.
- The wind can really come up quick out here. I forgot to mention Saturday's radio traffic, when several kayaking groups out of Meyers beach were caught unawares on their sea caves trips. One group- led by the appropriately named outfitter "Whitecap" - had to leave their kayaks at "lunch beach" and hike back on the mainland trail.
- A radio call today from 508 was interesting. She reported finding some kind of scat and asking if they still wanted to collect it and put it (hopefully in an airtight bag) in her fridge. If that's the norm at Manitou, Sand is looking better. 303s answer was yes. [We found out later she was talking about American Pine Marten scat.]
-Hearing 508 (Denise) reminded me and Dave that, if there was an award for friendliest radio voice, she and Fibber (423) would win.
- No LH visitors today, but a couple in #1 and 3 boats in bay.
- Saw some loons. And Mamma Merganser is out everyday swimming with her chicks on her back. Cute. 

  

Mamma Merganser carries some chicks, while others get their "lake legs."

June 28, 2016 Tuesday 65 Cool breeze, sunny

[Dave entry] I had high hopes of unleashing my "inner Fred Hansen" by starting my memoirs "Diary of a Norwegian volunteer lighthouse keeper" right here on these pages with something like: "303 came out, showed her around - 2 tours/5 pple." 

Alas, there s more story worth telling, and it started with 501 [Devils Island] reporting a man with a gun and two small children walking around Devils Island last night; apparently with a large silver pistol that he was carrying in the open. The volunteers observed him but did not confront him and reported it prior to Morning Roundup. 303 did come out along with the centennial volunteer intern and we gave them a stem-to-stern tour of the island and all facilities, as neither had been here. As we were wrapping up, 2 kayakers/campers arrived wanting a tour, so I stayed while the others returned to East Bay and LSB (Betsy went in for resupply).
After that lengthy tour I was ready to close up when a former volunteer showed up and we chatted a good while (although he did not want to pay for a tour.) 

Again I tried to close up just as a man with two small boys (5 and 10 approx) showed up. They obviously weren't kayakers, and upon inquiry, I found out they had beached a power boat at Justice Bay. Then I asked if they were camping on Sand Island, and the man, who had a tight grip on a canvas bag, said "maybe." And it dawned on me that this was the guy with the gun from Devils Island. I gave a much shorter tour and, when I mentioned Devils Island, he volunteered that they had been there earlier in the day. After the tour they went down the stairs to the rocks and I locked up and bolted down the trail where I called 813 [protection ranger] to report my contact with the "gunman." At Justice Bay I took a photo of his boat (a small cabin cruiser) and copied the registration number and reported to 813 as I proceeded down the trail. 813 came out and made contact with the guy and (I believe) issued a citation for improper carry of a "pellet" gun. Island Dispatch ran the registration number of the boat and found nothing (as if it does not exist?). 813 went back to LSB but I only know this from radio traffic. I don't know where the guy and the kids are now. 

My gut tells me something is not right with this guy, and maybe the kids should not be with them. The kids were shy, very well behaved; maybe a little nervous but didn't appear terrified. Perhaps there will be a corollary to this story in a future post; or perhaps I'll be able to finally stretch my Hansen legs with a much terser posting tomorrow. I hope so! 

  

Pellet Gun Guy's boat at Justice Bay, with Swallow Point sea caves in the background.

June 29, 2016  Wednesday      
Cool, dry, calm, sunny, not too many bugs.

Perfect weather. "Pellet Gun" came to East Bay. Watched him close. Privy duty. 1 tour, 3 people. Betsy gone to town for resupply.

June 30, 2016  Thursday         60 stormy

A note about Dave's post above: if you haven't read "Diary of a Norwegian Fisherman," you should. You know those campaigns here they ask people to sum up their day in 6 words or less? Fred Hansen (the Norwegian Fisherman) did that - FOR 26 YEARS! A few entries were longer but most not. Many are just one word. It's a hoot. [My favorite entry for Oct. 13, 1918: "Quiet day. War ended."]

Fred Hansen's minimalist diary (not his fish illustration.)

So I was thinking today was "Opposite Day." Here's why:
- I'm not usually an early riser, but had to get up at 6 to meet my boat. 
- If someone is running late, it's typically my fault. But today, the NPS boat to bring me back to Sand was an hour late and I was on time! 

A welcome sign: my late boat at Little Sand Bay to take me back out to the island.

- Dave usually heads to the LH first, and I join him in the afternoon. Today he stayed behind to (try to) mow, and I high-tailed it to the LH, thinking I needed to be there for the Boy Scouts in group A.
- I usually take a leisurely stroll up to the LH, but motor back. Today, I rushed to try to beat a storm moving in. I almost made it. (The Scouts didn't.)
- When hiking, I usually hasten my pace on the boardwalk and step more carefully on the uneven dirt. Today, because of the wet, slippery boardwalk, I did the opposite - but still managed to have my feet come out from under me. Glad no one was around.
 

In addition to pellet gun guy, more excitement around the islands as broadcast over our trusty radio - Oak was late for Morning Report a few days ago because he was out "chasing a bear around" - Michigan has bats - Manitou has squirrels in the kitchen - A camper reported a bear cub walking through York 2 - And, best of all, Denise (508) gleefully reported watching 2 American Pine Martens playing for 5 minutes. These are mammals nobody knew were here until recently [thus the scat collection for DNA.] 

I hope we can mow and the mud dries before the busy weekend...

July 1, 2016  Friday          50 - 70   Splendiferous!

Prettiest day so far. Cool, and enough breeze to keep the bugs away - mostly.

The boardwalk and I are back on speaking terms after yesterday. Everything was much drier and it was a pleasurable hike to the LH.
Dave stayed back again to finish mowing and I gave 2 tours. Only one group of campers in B, but I expect more this weekend.

Earlier in this journal I wrote about sound. Today, as I reflect on the quickly fading Pink Lady Slippers (several of which seemed to deteriorate in just a few hours) I'd like to comment on the colors out here. 

You expect to find colors - outside of predominant green and brown - in the pastel pink reflection of sunset on the bay; in the white of Bunchberries, Cloudberries, Blackberry and Apple blossoms; in the yellow buttercups and Swallowtail; and from the lady slippers and soft pink Swamp Rose Mallow.  

But 2 color splashes I didn't expect: we have awakened almost an hour before sunrise (after 4 am.) to a glorious display of orange sherbet over a brilliant Robin's-egg blue. And, one day I stopped to snap a close-up of what seemed to be a dull gray dragonfly. On later investigation, I noted alternating bands of gray and teal. Beautiful! 

  

It was (almost) worth getting up at 4 to see this glorious pre-sunrise color.
We did go back to sleep after taking the pictures.

 

Dave caught the quarter moon rising with the sun hot on its trail.

You have to look close to see the dragonfly's teal accents.

These daylillies appeared for just a few days before fading behind campsite #4.

Dave made this great wildflower bouquet from daylillies, blackberry, orange hawkweed, etc.

 

The mornings after sunrise aren't so bad either.

July 2, 2016   Saturday            55-70 Rippled*

*"Rippled" is the word Dave has been using to report the waves in East Bay on the Morning Roundup. Now that we only have to report wind and waves, on many a day all we hear is "winds are calm; waves are calm." So to spice things up we use other words - and I think it's catching on. Many of the other islands are now reporting "rippled" waves. Today Dave used "glassy."

Another "rippled, shimmering, glassy, placid" day ends on East Bay.

Nonetheless, it is a perfect, calm weekend for July 4 holiday. Tons of day visitors, boatloads of vessels, and 8 tours of 26 people. From 1 to 5:30 we were leading tours - Dave below and me in the tower. [Or vice-versa, as pictured below.] It was non-stop.

 

Telling the story of the lighthouses in the Apostles, from 1857 through 1929.

 

This ore boat (the lighthouse's "real" customer) appears to be floating on air, but it's really in the shipping lane on the lake northwest of the lighthouse.

 

The Sand Island Light, on duty in various forms since 1881.

We stopped by campsites on the way home thinking we had one permit situation, and instead discovered a fiasco, mainly due to the lack of updated maps or signage about the moving of 1 and 2 and new Group C site. 1 and 2 campers were mistakenly both in C, and what should have been #3 campers were in 2. After some clarification and help from 813, we came to a compromise with only one group having to move.

Other overnight visitors included a Living Adventure Groups (one a bachelorette party!), 9 boats moored in Justice Bay, and 2 outside our window (including one with a man on the boat playing the bagpipes at 8:30.) 

We didn't sit down to eat until 8. Long, productive day. And, after hearing why 503 was hailing 813, I realize our problems could be much worse. They had a cow carcass wash up on shore at Oak campsite 2! 

I think summer has officially begun.

July 3, 2016  Sunday   60 - 75 Warm and calm

Another perfect weather day for a holiday weekend. Tons of boats, almost 100 visitors (including a group of 41 in A and B) and 8 LH tours of 32 people. But much better than yesterday because we were able to close at 5 and didn't have 90 minutes of camper drama!

One of the LH visitors was the grandson of Frank Eha, one of the 5 guys who started the West Bay Club [in 1916] and later bought out his partners for his own summer use. Although the grandson had sadly never visited there [Grandpa sold the place] we both reflected how fun it would be for him to go there when NPS eventually takes possession. Then, an hour later, a kid wandered up the trail (before getting lost) and, when I asked where he was staying, he said, "a hotel by the West Bay Club." Who knew?

Now, I want to talk about change. I know a lot on this beautiful island won't change, like the old growth forest, swamps and ferns; and many things will fade or deteriorate, like Plenty Charm, the Herring Shed, the cars, and our sweet lady slippers. For Sand, though, we have some good changes already, and more on the way. Just since last year APIS staff has converted 1 and 2 to accessible Group C, 1 and 2 have moved, and site 6 (5?) by Justice Bay has been added, along with the elegantly named stump privy. And soon the new dock and connecting boardwalk will start construction. And the LH looks great. 
 

New accessible Group campsite C.

Summer resident Gert Wellish's Plenty Charm cabin.

The abandoned 1930s cars (including Gert's Ford.)

Our only request is that they will update brochures, or at least provide on-site signage when things change! That was the source of most of our problems yesterday, so today I used a Sharpie and map to update the bulletin board, and a homemade sign for Group C, since there is nothing to identify it. Hope it works. 

My feeble attempt at clarifying the campsite changes. (Daily weather posting is on right.)

Speaking of change, the Merganser family living under our dock is growing. The chicks are getting too big to climb on mamma's back. 813 told us yesterday that 508 on Manitou witnessed a bald eagle swoop down and snatch a merganser chick. :-(  

The chicks are getting big, just in the two weeks since we've arrived.

 

Dad Merganser never seems to hang with the kids.

Also, today a dead deer washed up on Oak! Glad we're here.

July 4, 2016   Monday   Happy Independence Day!
60-80 Serene

Blissfully serene today at the cabin, as I checked campsites and privies and worked on projects. After a weekend of power boats, I welcomed the absence of the droning sound from them on the lake. It's music to my ears to hear the chatter of 35 teenagers leaving A, and 16 girls on a Voyager canoe paddling into A while singing. 

  

Water is a great sound conductor. We could hear the whole speech by the guide
for these 21 teens from the shore.

It was so quiet I even wondered if Dave would need help at the LH, and early afternoon I meandered up the trail to find a swarm of visitors. I helped him with the last few tours, and found so many people - and kids - who appreciate our humble brownstone building. It's a good reminder not to take it for granted. 

A cool view from the rocky ledge below, where the brownstone was quarried
to construct this Gothic Revival building.

For the 3-day weekend we had 26 tours of 103 visitors!
 

This morning Dave had another memorable report, when, after reporting wind and waves, he added "And a happy 240th anniversary, America!" to which the APIS dispatcher responded "Excellent! Clear with Sand."

Oh, and we found 2 new (loose) ticks in the cabin today. One more and we'll have 12, so we can name them after the Apostles. Let's see ... there's Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, George, Paul and Ringo. Who are the other 5?

For some reason, we thought it made sense to save these guys. We noted that, even though some of them have been sealed in the bag for many days, most were still alive and crawling. The two bags with our names were the rascals that had the nerve to latch on - and we had to save and report. Before we left the island we put them in the cabin trash can (still crawling around in the plastic bags). I hope Ryan doesn't notice.

July 5, 2016   Tuesday              60-85 Muggy and stormy

Today is Dave's 61st birthday. After breakfast and a greeting card, my present to him was a day alone at the LH while I stayed behind. He gave 7 tours to 26 people.

Just as I sat down to write this a storm moved through and there was a huge CRAACCKK of thunder as lightning hit nearby. No downed trees though. Today, Maintenance chain-sawed up the felled pine behind the cabin from last Sunday.  

 

Our problem tree is now firewood.

Speaking of chainsaws, it was a noisy day. One reason yesterday was so quiet was the lack of radio traffic. Today at 7 it started up. Then our guys arrived and powered up a generator, power tools, and the chainsaw. Now I miss the powerboats.

The guys did take the lockset out of our troublesome door in the new privy, which visitors would unknowingly close with the handle still locked, keeping others from using it. (Better to be locked out vs. locked in I guess.) In the meantime I put a sign inside the door asking users to verify it was unlocked before leaving. I guess it was being read, because Dave had a knock on our door Monday morning at 6:35, right as he was taking his first sip of coffee. A kid had accidentally locked the door, but at least he let us know. I wonder if he's the one who lost the blue Nike undies I found later there.  

 

A final note about 'pellet gun guy." According to 813, he was contrite and said his kids wanted him to keep the gun out because of bears. Ok.

July 6, 2016  Wednesday   58-76  Faint breeze

Question: if someone is just learning about blooming flowers, does that make her a "budding botanist?" I was thinking that during my last walk home on this "tour," noting the lady slippers almost gone, only a few day lilies still erect behind #4, the orange hawkweed declining on the lighthouse lawn, and apple blossoms seemingly stripped from the tree to carpet the boardwalk by the "Dahl house" sign. Found some tiny strawberries on the LH lawn, though. 

  

Dave mowed at the lighthouse but left some patches
of Orange Hawkweed to greet the visitors.

One of the tiny strawberries on the lighthouse lawn.

Apple blossoms cover the Dahl house interp sign.

Looking out at the soft pink sky over the lake at sunset reminds me of the contrast to last night's storm(s). After my entry yesterday another storm moved our way, and I was startled by a voice yelling "hello" and a sharp knock on the door. Dave had gone to bed, so I stepped outside to find a young woman trembling (Cold? Fear?). She was in the group in #2 that pulled their sailboat to shore and wanted to know what they should do about the storm. "How the heck should I know?" I thought to myself. "I'm just a Texas landlubber." After some back and forth, including radio help from Fred at Raspberry (322), I offered her dad shelter after hearing cataclysmic weather reports for Sand and Raspberry. Of course the storm wasn't so bad after all and I didn't see them again, except for seeing the dad on the trail this morning with his dog "River" off the leash - which I noted and reminded it was against park policy. Also not smart on a trail where a bear could be present! By the way, Dave slept blissfully through all the drama, radio traffic, and storm!
 

Sorry this entry is longer than usual, but we leave tomorrow so I wanted to capture a few other thoughts.

- This day has been sad in the past, but not so much today since I know we'll be back in 6 weeks! As our gift to the NPS for its 100th birthday, we've offered to close up 8/24 - 9/7.
- As always, I've had so much fun getting reacquainted with lightkeepers Charles and Emanuel, wives Ella and Oramill, Fred, Gert, etc. This year I've also learned more about Frank Shaw, Frank Eha, "Governor" Sam Fifield, Burt Hill and Louis Moe [all year-round residents of Sand between 1870 and 1944]. But it's the 21st-century characters I love to meet: the Voyager girls (one of whom left a bra on the bearbox in Group A); Living Adventures guides Jamaya, Page, Travis and Porter; Emily and others from Trek and Trail; Phil from St. Cloud in #4 riding out the storm with his 17-year-old son; the awesome Eau Claire couple in #4 in the inflatable kayak who visited Plenty Charm and wanted to know about Gert. Then there's "pellet gun guy" and last night's "Panicked sail boaters." Finally, to my new canine friends Bumper, Aggie and River - it's not your fault that your masters aren't better behaved. Oh, and Nicole's bachelorette party!

It's always sad that last time Dave lowers the flag at the lighthouse.

Dave welcoming more visitors from our broken dock on a choppy bay.

- As I locked up the LH and took one last look, 2 bald eagles soared overhead, seemingly waving farewell. And the lovely White Admiral butterflies, with subtle dabs of teal and orange on their black wings, posed in various backdrops for a lot of great pics on the way home.  

The White Admiral butterfly's colors look painted on in close inspection.

- Finally, more synonyms for "calm" today: "faint wind" and "lightly dappled bay."
Good luck Ryan, Rick and Darlene and Gail and Charlie. We'll be back! Enjoy the island. 
Betsy and Dave Pasley, San Antonio, TX
Stats: 54 LH tours of 209 people - 732 visitors - 117.3 miles walked (6.5/day)

Postscript

It seems each year our "guardian angel" Fibber (423) is there at just the right time. In our first stint in 2013, he and a colleague kept watch over us on our first "sea" kayak trip out of Little Sand Bay. Last year, as we obsessed over how to unload our stuff without a functioning dock, there he was to greet us and receive our load. And Thursday, before our boat arrived, there he was again knocking on our door and offering to carry our boxes back onto the dock. 

As we came home to our trailer in quaint Washburn, with a lovely view across Chequemegon Bay, a patch of daisies greeted us. After some great draft beer and a burger at Patsy's, we concluded this first stage of our tour.

Glad they didn't mow these while we were gone.

Not the "superior" lighthouse view; but not a bad view of the lake
back "home" in Washburn.