Lake Superior is a photographers delight, with her many moods, from calm and serene, to the violent and thrashing. We can always count on Roger Kangas to capture her mood just right. This photo was taken somewhere on her eastern shore. It won't be all that much longer and we'll be seeing the built up ice start to break away and melt, but it will be awhile longer before Lake Superior warms up!

Anyone know why we always refer to our lakes and boats as a 'she' ?

Could it be from the French: The clock, she is wrong! Lac la Belle?

I have heard it's because most ships captain's were men and the sea so unpredictable ( like women:)), they had had to constantly stay on their toes trying to figure out how to handle their ship through thru the waters.

gary Mi

First time - how cool!!

You call those things Beautiful because you don't call a man beautiful, just a woman. I'm Right maybe.

What a Beautiful and Peaceful Photo. It is currently on here as my background. Looks like another Snow Day here in the Sunrise Side. At least it covers up the dirty stuff.... Everyone have a Wonderful Day!!!!

gary mi....How Cool??? Oh...the water is about 42 degrees eh!! ;)

Mary, well I'm not sure why they are always referred to in the feminine, but Lake Superior is truly beautiful, but cold, icy and constantly eroding at the soul of the earth.....Hmmmmmmm! ;)

So peaceful. Makes me long to be there. Looks like the water is not that much colder than when I'm up there in the summer :)

I think Ive hear that captains and miners were
very superstious people... and I watched a program
on the BBC about miners that if they went to work very early in the morning and if they passed a woman on the way its was very bad luck...and I think something simliar to that about captains and ships...

You could say Lake Superior is cold, icy and constantly eroding at the soul of the earth, or you could say she nourishes and replenishes the parched earth and souls of the people around her. Depends on your point of view, I suppose.

Most ship Captains didn't have time for marriage, They loved the sea so much they considered themselves married to it, and their ship was their constant companion.

Steve, Eagle River,WI
Correction.
Nimrods leave Rhinelander 8:15am, Saturday.

Thanks Roger -- great shot!

Go Nimrods! Have fun in the big city! I hope you folks at Pasty central going to remind us the day they are going to be on??

COULD THIS BE WHY SUPERIOR IS CALLED "SHE"?

NAME: The first French explorers approaching the great inland sea by way of the Ottawa River and Lake Huron referred to their discovery as le lac superieur. Properly translated, the expression means "Upper Lake," that is, the lake above Lake Huron. Kitchi-gummi, a Chippewa Indian translation, signifies Great-water or Great-lake. A Jesuit name, Lac Tracy, was never officially adopted.

Being on the water...what a wonderful thing, anytime of year. Enjoy it if you are there. Beautiful picture.

A geologist friend once told me the bottom of Superior is constantly rising. The weight of the glaciers pushed it down and it is rebounding so to speak. The rate is very fast as I remember, I believe it was somewhere between 1 inch and 1 foot per year. That is bloody cookin' in the world of geology.

What is happening with the famous Nimrods?

Pete:
It is true that the land under and around the Great Lakes (not just the bottom of Lake Superior)in rising or "rebounding" after the removal of the tremendous weight of the glaciers. Measurements seem to indicate that the rate of rise is faster as you go farther north... The difference in the rate of rebound may be because the land farther south has been uncovered longer or wasn't compressed as much because the ice was not as thick or it wasn't covering the landmass as long... interesting stuff eh??... Great Photo today! Good Luck Nimrods!

I don't know of any great lakes frieghters with female names; Stewart J. Cort, Herbert C. Jackson, Arthur Anderson, Edmond Fitzgerald, etc. The funny thing about it is that when you are on board one of the freighters, they are still referred to as she. If you remember, hurricanes always had female names until NOAA and the weather service were forced to change their ways.

joefinn,Rhinelander thank you for the update if all works out I will see you at the airport. and my 2 cents on the she thing would have to do with the mood swings...........just kidding ;)

Beautiful picture of my favorite lake!
(A troll who wants to be a yooper)

Ahh, the waters of ol' Gitchee Gummee once again beckon the hardy fisherman to venture out in his sturdy craft to lure the wily lake trout and salmon from the rooms of their ice-water mansions.

This looks like a place in Jacobsville. If I recognize this correctly, about a hundred years ago there was a dock at that very point. It was one of four from which Jacobsville's sandstone was shipped. Some of which went as far away as England. New York's Waldorf Astoria was constructed with Jacobsville sandstone. I wonder if it left from that old dock that use to be there so many years ago?

Mary, The custom of calling ships "She" possibly came from ancient Greeks. They had feminine names for their ships apparently in honor of the goddess Athena, patroness of warships.

The Nimrods are going to be on Jay Leno on Monday night! Go Nimrods! We love ya! My former boss retired to Watersmeet and keeps me filled in on what is happening up there, so I am behind the guys totally. Hollywood only wanted to take the coach and a few players, but da coach held out until the entire team was invited. What a good leader. See Leno's guest list here.

http://www.nbc.com/nbc/The_Tonight_Show_with_Jay_Leno/guests/

RoudyMI,
How old ARE you? Do you really remember that dock and recognize the point from a hundred years ago?

Now JM, your readin' waaayyy to much into it.

You ever watch Joan of Arcadia on Fridays? I could tell you that picture was taken around 11:40 A.M.

thanks for the info on the Fighting Nimrods- I'll try to stay up and watch!!!

"Why are Boats Referred to as "She"?"

Connie asks: I am trying to find out why boats are always referred to as the female gender.. When and why did this practice start?
According to Yarns of the Sea, Legends, Myths, and Superstitions: Although women were considered to bring bad luck at sea, mariners always use the pronoun "she" when referring to their ships. Whether its proper name is masculine, or whether it is a man o'war, a battleship, or a nuclear submarine, a ship is always referred to as "she."

This old tradition is thought to stem from the fact that in the Romance languages, the word for "ship" is always in the feminine. For this reason, Mediterranean sailors always referred to their ship as "she", and the practice was adopted over the centuries by their English-speaking counterparts.

One source suggests that a ship "was nearer and dearer to the sailor than anyone except his mother." What better reason to call his ship "she"?

Nah... stormy, constantly changing, unpredictable and cold!

What a great photo! Wish I could put it up as my "wallpaper" but since I switched to SBC that is no longer an option! So I keep "saving" them to a folder where I can open them up any time to enjoy them.

I thought she was there to replace the main squeeze back home. Could be wrong, but men away from women too long might come up with this kind of stuff.

I have a place in Eagle River. I'll be needing new carpet when I get there in early July. Who can I contact as far as local businesses? I'd appreciate some help. Thanks.

Nah,she has strength like women (Lake Superior)!!!

Roger, thanks for a great picture.

What an absolutely BEAUTIFUL shot. This is now my Wall Paper. It is one of the best in recent times here. I am SO homesick now!

Rose - Channahon, IL: I too noticed that when I switched to SBC DSL I could no longer just right click on the photo and click "Set as Wallpaper". Try this: right click and save the photo (I save into "My Pictures",so I'll remember where it is). Then go to "My Computer", on your desktop, find the file and open it up. You should then be able to right click and "Set as Wallpaper". Good luck!

Boat Fan it sounds to me like you have been on the wrong boat(s) for quite awhile or taken on some nasty rides(wink) Perhaps a newer, better model would change your opinion.

Not only is pasty cam into real estate:') it sounds like it could now be dating cam??? Patt, Boat Fan????????

to mackinacbride kc, mo
if you have not yet made a choice, would like to suggest Birchwood Lodge in Paradise. Steve Harmon is owner. close to town (about 1000 feet) but all the feeling of the deep woods. cabins number 1 and 2 sit right on the lake (well, okay, maybe 30/40 feet back) on a bluff. stone work fireplaces. 2 bedrooms. he also has smaller units. if ref to the cranbery farm, it's Centennial Cranberry Farm out on Wildcat road, just a couple of miles from Whitefish Point. But to be sure, the Sunrise cabins are nice also, I just prefer something not so close to the road. in any case, you can hardly go wrong. this is a wonderful part of the best peninnsula in the greatest state! hope you enjoy!

Today's Photo HAS to be a WOW!

Roundy and others...If you have info on other small, little known copper country shipping ports please contact me. I am working on a book of ports & piers in the Upper Peninsula and would appreciate help from some of the locals.