If it seems like we've had more than a few lighthouse photos from the archives lately, that's because there was a lighthouse week back in 2002 and of course also because these beacons are popular subjects to photograph. Today's lighthouse was captured from the air in 2009, by E. Neil Harri. At first glance I thought it was Stannard Rock lighthouse which we had a video tour of earlier this week, but then I realized it was the Rock of Ages Lighthouse on the western end of Isle Royale. From the air like this, you can see why it needs to be there with the rocks so close to the surface of Lake Superior.

I just realized that yesterday's archive review was about rocks and actually, so is today's. First the Rock of Ages Light and now the sun setting in 2016 on the Lake Superior rocky shoreline. Joe Kirkish snapped this one and even managed to include several stacked up rock formations someone left there on a log. Quite the peaceful scene.

The third photo was also taken by Joe Kirkish several weeks ago at Great Sand Bay. He was wondering what had caused the regular piles of Lake Superior rocks along the entire shoreline there. Any ideas?

I hope you're UP for a flight around the Keweenaw today. We're going to hop aboard a drone and tour the Keweenaw from the Eagle River falls, to Great Sand Bay, to Brockway Mountain and Copper Harbor. All these places without even leaving home, pretty nice!

Having lived on the Lake for almost 30 years, I've noticed something about those cycles of rocks, then sand, then rocks again on the beach. The wave action brings the changes, but it's not so much dumping rocks, then dumping sand, then dumping rocks again. The rocks are pretty much constant. The sand is just alternately covering the rocks, then being washed off, then covering them again. You can see this most vividly if there is a post or marker of some kind, far out on the beach. Notice when it is sandy, the level is higher on the pole, then as rocks mysteriously appear, the level on the marker is lower.

Nice pix and video! Are you sure the rock piles weren't left by.........Rustin Parr? :-(

A multi-year restoration project for the Rock of Ages Lighthouse has just begun this summer.

Rock of Ages Lighthouse Restoration Association


Here is a report from one of the volunteers from just 3 weeks ago:

Rock of Ages Lighthouse Volunteer Report

Success comes before work only in the dictionary.

Great photos and video as usual!! The music just lowered my blood pressure as well, lol

Looking forward to our vacation the week of 8/20. Aunt Vic and I just purchased a new travel trailer. We have reservations for the first part of the week in the Porcupine Mts. and at Sunset Bay for the latter half of the week. Looking forward to swimming in Lake Superior and getting away for awhile!!

Interesting, Charlie. I always wondered about
that. I love 2016's picture. It looks like the
shoreline between Eagle Harbor and Copper Harbor.
Beautiful and one of my very favorite rides ever.

Isn't that Rock Island Lighthouse a lonesome sight? Wow!

Whoops! Rock of Ages.

Love that lighthouse, especially.