• Wednesday-What'sUP July 30 - 07:48 am

The rocks on Lake Superior's shores vary from tiny little pebbles to the biggest slabs of rock you can find. That's just what Lynn Virtanen found at Rockhouse Point, near Toivola's Agate Beach. Lynn's Grandfather, Charlie used the flat rocks from this very point and also Wolf Point, in the stonework he did around the Copper Country and beyond. The last photo of the smoker is an example of some of that artistry, using these Lake Superior rocks. What a wonderful piece of work to have around, not only from Lake Superior, but built by her Grandfather's hands!

Charlie's smoker is a beauty! My son and cousin took a trip out to
Agate Beach and Misery Bay this weekend. It is a very special spot.

I agree, Kosk. I haven't been to Agate Beach in years. Time to go back!

Are people allowed to take rocks from public access areas of the shores of Lake Superior for their personal use in building such a structure as the smoker, or larger?

Nice area! In the first photo, it looks nature did some landscaping with its own patio stone.

Nice area! It looks like nature did some landscaping using patio stone in the first photo.

They look like pavers. The variety of beaches up here is unreal.

As a kid, I remember my Mom & Dad taking round rocks to use in/on the sauna stove. We always had wonderful Lake Superior rock in those stoves. Thanks for bringing back the sweet memory.

I remember as a youngster going with my Dad and Uncle's along Lake Superior's shoreline to hunt for the perfect Sauna rock's for the Sauna stove. It was my first lesson in identifying rock's.Oval shape and flat that don't break easy,around size ten shoe.

I dont think a few stones/agates would be missed compared to how Uncle Sam treated the lake in the past centuries...

This was on boatnerd site today.

7/29 - Duluth, Minn. – Recovery of Department of Defense barrels dumped into Lake Superior half a century ago will begin next summer. But in a report released this weekend, the number of barrels dumped may be half of what has been previously thought.

The engineering firm EMR of Duluth did a comprehensive sonar scan of 96 square miles of Lake Superior last year, searching seven sites where 1,440 barrels were reportedly dumped during the Cold War. The 55-gallon drums held top-secret ammunition parts that the Department of Defense wanted to keep from the prying eyes of Soviet spies.

Beautiful pics.

we are headed up to our house in Gay tomorrow, to spend a week or so. Can't wait! I am going to try and find this agate beach. Looks like a great place. I need some rocks for the garden.

Looks like Freda Sandstone, and lots of it!!

Well, tonight is our last night in Marquette before we leave for Laurium tomorrow. Today was an exhausting day; lots of different sites we visited and photographed. Now, after a nice dinner, we're in the room vegging......

Years ago when we went to the Whitefish Point Lighthouse before anything was there as it is today we would gather rocks and take them to the car. Later visits we would use a Walmart bay. There are alot more people around now so not sure you can do that anymore. The rocks I did bring home are around a rose bush to this day and remind me of Lake Superior when I walk by them. We do love Michigan and those ships at the Soo. Hope we can make it up there this fall for the leaf colors again. Thank you for the Pasty Cam.

In the 1950s, there was a garden supply store on Northwestern Hwy in the Southfield area that had a big sign out front advertising "Lake Superior blues", sauna rocks for all the Finns living in the Southfield area at the time.

I have some nice,flat type rocks that I like to put my feet on when I am at the computer. I also have some rocks from Lake Surperior and Lake Huron when we go to Oscoda. ;O)

Sometimes I even put some in the water when I give myself a pedicure.