In reply to:

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Lake Superior's some mighty cold water

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Glad you mentioned that.

Funny story about this trip (Sept 4) (almost a tragedy):

We took a 26' fishing boat out on a Sunday. As we were leaving the house, the Cap'n turned on the radio and church services were on. I said "we don't need that - we're going to get closer to God today".

Got put in and headed out of the harbor. 2' waves, 20mph wind, not too bad. I felt the water as we were leaving the harbor. "Not too bad for this time of year".

Well, things were about to get worse.

Wind picked up to about 35, waves were 3'-4'. Decided to turn her around. Got into the wind and noticed the back of the boat filling. Where the heck was it coming from? I watched him put the plug in. Well, we couldn't make headway. We were running the trolling motor with 4 lines out. Captain was pulling the troller and had started the main motor. He asked me to steer. Then the steering locked up. Into headwinds and waves over 5' with no steering and a boat filling with water 3 miles out into Gitchegume (Lake Superior). Bow would crest over a wave and spun us back around downwind. He got the steering fixed then we noticed the main engine had quit. At that point he jumped to the console and said "This ain't good".

Not words I wanted to hear. Felt the water again, and had a WHOLE DIFFERENT OPINION on how cold it was. If the bilge was to go, we were sunk. Probably about a half mile from a rock outcropping (crosswind). (Wanted to see the shipwreck museum - not be a shipwreck).

Well, the bilge started making progress and we finally got it back to the dock. Loaded on the trailer, thats when we found a 2 1/2 inch gash in the transom. Something had punctured it. Funny thing was the hole was about 10" from where the plug is put in. Neither of us saw the damage.

Decided to go have a beer. We had been a little closer to God than we had planned.

Stories for the grandkids, I guess.

oooo, adventure and beauty all in one day!

"By the Shores of Gitche Gumee, By the Shining Big Sea Water..."
Want to watch the sparkle of changing light on waves as a day wears on or the whip of the wind which changes its flows? Or maybe hear the sounds of seagulls or ships' far-off bellowing horns? Go north, my friend, go north.

Known by readers of Longfellow's poem "Hiawatha," as Lake Superior.

Lake Superior is right in your face so to speak.