Lake Superior Coming to Life

During the summer, Lake Superior has been a calm and silent force seemingly resting in the warm summer sun. I made many trips down to the waters edge and enjoyed it's serenity knowing that one day that would all change. And change it did. As we drove up to the North Shore on Friday night, Oct 2, the wind was howling, it was cloudy and every once in a while the full moon would make it's presence known. I knew I had to stop and make some exposures. The picnic area along the lake in Cascade State Park seemed like a good spot so I pulled in there about 9:00pm. It was really windy and I found a nice somewhat protected spot to setupd. There I sat for about an hour having a fine time making images. This first 6 second exposure really captures the wind with the pattern of the water and wind-blown branches.



The wind kept up all night and the trailer creaked and swayed like a boat on the water. I hadn't quite seen the lake this active so in the morning Artist Point became my destination. The rocks where Thule and I were used to lazily strolling, and from where I made many Facebook updates, were now the recipient of the lakes energy with waves after wave crashing over it's crest. Every few minutes a set of waves would pack double the force of the previous sets and all I could say was 'wow'. And of course those large sets would periodically catch me in the right spot but the wrong time and nail me in it's path. It is for mornings like that that you pack an extra pair or two of clothing cause I was pretty wet and cold after this adventure.



The action continued the following weekend. Prior to digging into a Sven and Ole's pizza we decided to do sunset at Artist Point. We were treated to a display much different from the one of the previous week. The wind was coming from the South, as opposed to coming from the East, and we had some light from the setting sun. The blue one gets at this time of the day accentuates the ferocity of the storm. The hardest thing to capture on a night like this is the sounds the waves make crashing against the rocks. Reflecting back on that night I felt like I was hearing train wreck after train wreck out there and that's coming from someone whose hearing is really crappy.

I've seen images of Lake Superior in a more furious state and would love someday to witness that state. But the lake on these two weekends left me in a state of awe that I will not soon forget.

Roger