• Monday-What'sUP June 26 - 07:52 am

Jeffrey Kalember and his family recently made a visit to the Munising area and from the looks of his young son here, they had a great time. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the island in the background is Grand Island. The shores of Lake Superior look pretty inviting in these two shots, but according to Jeff, the water was about 48°, so this young lad is pretty brave getting in the water. Maybe he worked up such a sweat with all the running, that the cold water felt pretty good!

Don't know if I'd swim there this morning but sure would love to be able to walk that beach. Munising is a favorite town of mine in the UP. Use to have one of the best bookstores in the whole country.

ahh youth wasted on the young, makes me wish I could be on that beach and maybe dip my arthritic toes in the Lake.

This looks like Sand Point east of Munising. That's a great beach, as it collects all the sand that comes down into Superior from the rivers west of this bay. Deep pale sand, and deep waters just off shore as I remember. The beach also collects uprooted trees that wash ashore; beautiful silvered wood and elaborate root structures in the air. We had a family reunion in Munising three years ago, and walked that beach on a cool misty grey day. No swimming that day; we are all a bit older than the brave young man in the photos and the cold shock would have stopped our hearts. :)

A dip in Lake Superior is good for everybody, but 48 is a little too chilly for me. It really always looks inviting, though. While fishing out here last night it was so hot that I had to climb off of the boat and just soak in the water for a bit. The water's a lot warmer than 48 here. But it could never be the same.

Me too Mike ;-)

Those pictures make the lake look inviting, until you hear the water temp! Does anyone know what the water temp is on the Portage now, or at least how to find out what it is? We're going up to Houghton on Thurs, and my crazy college son things he's going to water ski on the Portage. But, he doesn't have a wet suit.

All of the skiers in the water ski show for Bridge Fest a week ago wore wet suits (which is a good thing, since several of them ended up in the drink, so to speak, from my son's pictures of the show). It was a great show, though, even so.

That is a pretty area, hard to believe I would swim in the lake like it was nothing as a kid. I will just watch my kids now, unless its really Hot!

Marianne Y,
I swam in the Portage every day during Bridgefest weekend. It was pretty warm then and I am sure it is warmer now due to some very warm days we had, plus there are some hot ones in the forcast too.

I learned to swim in that 48 degree water.

Last week when my husband and I were in Houghton there was a triathlon in the portage. Only a couple people were wearing wetsuits and the others weren't screaming when they entered the water. I stuck my hand in the water and it wasn't all that bad -- especially after taking a QUICK dip in the big lake a few days previous!

Only a few more weeks until we move up there for good. I CAN'T wait! I'll gladly trade the 95 degree days with about 90% humidity here in Orlando for a dip in the portage or even the big lake any day!

Here's a link to surface temp's
http://www.coastwatch.msu.edu/superior/s2.html

Thank you all for your water temp comments, and special thanks go to Pondhopper for the link to actual water temp data!

Mskatie,

That bookstore still exists, but I don't think that they are in Munising anymore. Their main store is in Cleveland, Ohio. Here's a link to their web site:

http://www.84cc.com/

About 10 years ago we spent the night in Munising, and I was able to find copies of Dana Thomas Bowen's trilogy on Great Lakes shipping in good condition. At that time, they had quite a lot of books pertaining to the U.P. and the Great Lakes. Perhaps they still do in their Cleveland store.

BTW, for anyone who's intersted in Bowen's excellent books, they are "Lore of the Lakes", "Shipwrecks of the Lakes", and "Memories of the Lakes". I think they were written in the late 40s or early 50s.

Cheers, Bill

that's my boy there -- we call him BEAR (great nickname) but his first name is actually Harrison after the writer Jim Harrison who used to live just 50 miles from Munising in the summer. Munising is heaven on earth.

Therese - you are close -- we were at Sand Point just the day before this picture. We stayed at Munising Tourist park campground - great camping right on the beach and that's where the pics were taken. Notice Grand Island and Williams Island and Wood Island off in the distance.

and for clarification -- my wife, the photographer - took the pic

That brings up childhood memories.And great pictures Jeff's wife :)