• Thursday-What'sUP July 2 - 08:46 pm

Whenever I see aerial photos from E.Neil Harri, my first thoughts are always about how great it must be to hop in a plane and go for a tour. My second thoughts are how thankful I am that Neil is always willing to share his tours with all of us.

Today we’re flying over the U.P. city of Grand Marais, which is advertised as the gateway to the Pictured Rocks on the eastern side of our beautiful peninsula. Also in the same vicinity are the Grand Sable Dunes, along the Lake Superior shoreline. Looking at these sand dunes from the air like this really gives you a better idea of the vastness of this sandscape, while at the same time, minimizes your perception of the height of those walls of sand stretching from the banks, down to the water line. It amazes me that the dunes stretch on there for 5 miles, with heights of up to 300 feet and in some places at a 35 degree angle from the water’s edge.

It is definitely a place that is on my bucket list. One of these days I have to make it a point to have the Pictured Rocks area as a destination and not just somewhere that I’m driving through on my way to somewhere else. There truly are so many beautiful places to enjoy in the U.P. that even if you live here UP North, it’s a good place to visit, too!

We are truly Blessed to live U.P. here...

Thank you Neil for always sharing the awesomeness!

Great photos, Neil! Thank you!

Great pictures. I never grasped the enormity of the dunes before seeing these pictures.

Spectacular photos! I just love the aerial pictures
that you post from time to time!

Going with the flow here, these photos are amazing! Thanks Neil!

Neil's aerial views always offer wonderful sights to behold!!
Thank you, Neil!

I have climbed up and down those dunes several times and can assure you they are all of 300 feet tall. Also interesting about the "35 degree angle from the water’s edge" as that is precisely the angle of repose for dry sand, the maximum angle at which dry sand is stable before it begins to flow because of gravity.

Oh, and the photos are great today too..... thanks Neil! ;-)

As I was looking at the dunes, I was pondering the question that Capt. Paul just answered in his post. Thanks Capt., and Neil!
I also wonder why that area is so sandy when most of the peninsula is rocky.

I post a lot of my aerial photos and videos on my Facebook page. Look me up at E. Neil Harri and you can follow my page or friend me if you wish to see more UP photos.

These are great photos! Grand Marais is another
place that I want to get to on my bucket list.
Perhaps in August we'll make the drive down that
way.

Love looking at sand like that. Beautiful!

Nice view.