• Monday-What'sUP August 4 - 10:16 pm

The Great Lakes shipping season has begun once again and we get a glimpse of one of the first of the vessels to come into Marquette's Upper Harbor, thanks to Rod Burdick. He spotted the 1000 foot James R. Barker sidled up to the dock, unloading western coal from Superior, WI. It's a welcome sight to see the freighters back on Lake Superior. Just one more sign that spring is right around the corner.

On it's way around the Keweenaw Peninsula, the Barker goes past Great Sand Bay, which Susan Hooker snapped in the second shot, minus the summer population of swimmers. Looks a little different still bordered by snow. Maybe that's where the term "white sand beaches" comes from!

We spent some time swimming there last summer. The water was actually not very cold. We were in it for probably about an hour. That's pretty good for Superior. What's nice is you come out, lay in the beautiful sand and get warm and go right back in. I can't wait to get into that beautiful lake this summer.

I see that the lakers are out on Superior,does that mean the locks are open now?

The locks opened this last Saturday, but the James R Barker made two runs to Superior,WI before the locks opened.

My cousins, siblings and I used to swim until lips and fingernails turned blue with cold and then we'd crawl the beaches near Big Bay with fingers spread in the hot sand for maximum heat gain. Once warmed to a tolerable level we'd be back in the water. Repeat as often as you can for a great day at the beach.

Love those freighters! Thanks for helping out my freighter "fix"!

Gonna have to point the van towards the C.C. again, must be the freighter's!

Is it just me or does the second shot look like it's too close to the road to be Great Sand Bay? If I'm remembering the place correctly (not too far past the Jam Pot on the way up to Copper Harbor?) I thought it was a long drop to the bay from the road. This spot looks to be really flat.

The photo looks like the eastern most end of Great Sand Bay.

freighter pic really looks like Marquette Upper Harbor.

Editor's note: It is! Check the notes underneath the pictures! :->

Welcome back to the airport cam.

Good afternoon to everyone, it looks like another beautiful day in the Keweenaw and...

Yes! Welcome back to the airport cam. Its my favorite cam as I get closer to crew-x and being on there, myself:)

oops, read comments too fast! Thanks!

Hey Debs, Saw your note about the boat ride late yesterday, actually it was for a tour on the old mill sites along Torch Lake. They had a lecture in the morning about the samething and then the boat ride to look at the sites in the afternoon.
My mom and dad went for the ride out to the South Entry and had a good time. Towards the end of July I remember seeing a trip all the way around the Keweenaw, I think its for the lighthouses.
Its a nice boat, well worth the time.

I took the complimentary tour for Bridgefest volunteers last summer, out to the North Entry. The boat and the tour great, even if used to be a fast crew boat, here in the GoM. I have alot of bad memories of those boats, but they've done a nice job of converting it. I would recommend a tour to everyone.

Hey Seismic Pirate, Are you heading back to Painesdale any time soon? We still have almost three feet of snow on the ground, believe it or not! Better pack your bermuda shorts when you fly in, don't wear'em. G*G*G*
I was thrilled to see a freighter onSunday when I drove up to Eagle River to see the deer at the deeryards. Both were wonderful sights to see.

Man, I missed seeing the deer up there this winter-I was only home for few weeks between now and December.
I'm only home for 3 days the middle of next month, then back home again in May for 2-3 weeks (I hope).

More than once I've flown home in the winter from somewhere very warm, freezin my butt off w/out a jacket. Actually did that back in January, coming back from Asia. It was 95 degrees when I left there.