We have just returned from several days of touring Minnesota's North Shore, and I thought I'd share some of the things we saw which may be of interest to forum members.

Minnesota's North Shore runs from Duluth northeastwards to Thunder Bay, Canada, and the wooded and rocky Lake Superior shore line rivals that of the State of Maine for "Wow" effect.

We started at Grand Marais, MN, and walked out the several-hundred-yard-long breakwater protecting the harbor. The Grand Marais Breakwater Light is at the end of this fun walk and is a square tower supported by four steel legs. The harbor, light, town, and the Sawtooth Mountains in the background make your photos look just like those on calendars.

Next stop was the famous Split Rock Light about 20 miles or so northeast of the town of Two Harbors. The day was clear, cool, and dry, and was a wonderful opportunity for taking stunning photographs. The light is part of a state park which is excellently run and maintained.

There is an interpretive center with a theatre, displays, photographs, and a very well stocked giftshop. State park employees in the uniform of the U.S. Lighthouse Service provide tours of one of the three keepers' houses, the fog horn building, the lighthouse and lantern room, and the other attractions on the grounds.

These are extensive and include the site of the original derrick or hoist used to lift the building materials from boats (there was no road back then) up the face of the 80 foot cliff, the oil house, and the tramway. The actual tramway, used later to transport materials from a small dock, has been dismantled long ago, but there is an extensive wooden walkway incorporating scenic overlooks which will take you down the cliff to the beach. Beware! There are 171 steps involved in this, and if you're no longer a spring chicken you might want to give your camera to a younger person!

Photos taken from the stone beach are best taken with an afternoon sun to dramatically light the lighthouse perched up the colorful mineral streaked cliff, nestled in the trees, with all of Lake Superior in the background. The sight is really beyond description.

Yes, I was naughty and jumped a fence halfway up the cliff to get a better photo of the lighthouse from a rocky outcropping. Later, up on top, I found my $200 wireless phone missing from my belt clip. Feeling ill, I retraced my steps back to the fence, rocky outcropping, and then all the way back down to the beach. No phone. Returning to the top, I went to the interpretive center, asked them to call my number in five minutes, and went back to the scene of the "crime". Knowing full well that my phone had taken the 100 foot plunge over the cliff, I can't describe my feelings when there it was, happily chirping "Ode to Joy" from beneath a bushy fern, six inches from the edge. Oh, Joy, indeed! (And yes, I did the "right" thing and made a $10 donation to their maintenance fund)

After that adventure, we went further southwestward to the town of Two Harbors, MN. There you can see a bright red square lighthouse in the form of a two-story keeper's house with a cylindrical tower/lantern room on top. This has been reopened as a three-room bed & breakfast, each sharing a common bath and kitchen. Situated on a hill, it's another breathtaking view.

Next door to it is a small maritime museum and the pilot house of a Great Lakes freighter which sank within sight of the light.

Lower down, you can walk out to the Two Harbors East Breakwater Light. This is another square tower on steel legs.

If you're not all "lightoused out" yet, travel down to Duluth to the inner harbor to what is known as Canal Park. You can spend the day there, viewing the shops, pubs, restaurants, horse-drawn carriages, maritime museum, and, of course, lighthouses.

There are no fewer than three distinctly different lighthouses here, and all can be photographed in a single frame. One is the Duluth North Breakwater Light and is a steel conical tower in fine shape. Next is the Duluth South Breakwater Outer light, and this is a square building with a light tower and fog horn. The Duluth South Breakwater Inner Light is a steel tube lantern room supported by four steel legs, and all three of these lights are active.

Many of the shops in the area sell postcards of all the lighthouses I've mentioned in this rambling post, and these make good scrapbook items.

If you're thinking of a trip to this area, autumn (mid-September through mid-October) is a marvelous time to take vivid "fall colors" photographs, but make your hotel reservations early! Everybody else in the Great Lakes region wants to do the same!

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Bob Steinbrunn
Nautical Research Guild


[This message has been edited by Bob Steinbrunn (edited 08-24-99).]

Thanks for your report Bob. Kim and I are planning a trip to MN in July, 2000 and your shared experiences will certainly be useful to us.


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Keepin' the flame
[This message has been edited by LamarB (edited 08-24-99).]

If you haven't gone to Split Rock and the area that Bob has just taken us for a tour or like Lamar you have the trip planned in your future or you just want to see one of the best Photo Galleries on the Internet, in my opinion.
Go to:
http://www.northernimages.com/snapshot/index.html
I think that you will share my opinion of Dennis O'Hara's Gallery and his talent.

Paul L Brady

Sounds like you had a most enjoyable trip, Bob. They must have done some serious work at Two Harbors this past year - when we were there last year (Aug 98) they had quite a bit to do to get the B&B going. Glad they have and hope it will help their funding.

Lamar, don't forget major mosquito repellent in July!

Dave

Thanks for the tip Dave H. I doubt seriously I'd have thought of that. Living in south Louisiana I have a plentiful supply. Mosquitos and repellent! I'll just take some with me. Repellent, that is.

Paul:

Thanks so much for the link to Dennis O'Hara's photo gallery! His stunning and evocative photographs bring out the beauty of the Duluth, Minnesota, Superior, Wisconsin, and North Shore areas.

Having seen his, I think I'll just throw out my photos! :-0

Living just down the road from Duluth in Minneapolis, one tends to take for granted places like these and Split Rock Lighthouse State Park, and Dennis' gallery reminds us just how special these areas are.

And Lamar, please be advised that the mosquito is Minnesota's state bird.....bring gallons of DDT or Deep Woods Off, Industrial Grade!

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Bob Steinbrunn
Nautical Research Guild

The coast road along Superior from Duluth up to Thunder Bay is a magnificent drive in the Fall. Thunder Bay is a funky town - makes you realize much of Canada is still a frontier, eh. Go down to the water and you'll normally see some big lakers at dock.

If you make this trip, don't forget to check out the Blue Water Cafe in Two Harbors. Home of the world's best Walleye sandwich. Little non-descript place near the water - locals hanging out drinking coffee.

Since you're in the area, upon leaving the Gopher State, swing east from Duluth and take the coast road to Bayfield, Wisconsin and the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. A really super driver's road and stunning Fall colors. Seven maginificent lighthouses in the Apostle chain.

Here's a site I just stumbled over where you catch some more great photos of the Apostle's lights and other Great Lakes lighthouses, including those Bob mentions: Aerial photos of Great Lakes Lighthouses

If you're in the area between Sept 4 - 28, you can enjoy the 4th Annual Apostle Islands Lighthouse Celebration. For more info check out: Apostle Island Lighthouse fest

For those not in the upper MidWest, I'm sure this seems like a remote far away area. Well, it is. But believe me folks, western Lake Superior is truly beautiful. If you have the time to come up here its a wonderful trip and the Lake area is quite reasonable in cost. And it doesn't stop in the West - the entire Superior coastline is a lighthouse lover's dream road trip. You've got to do it at least once. From the Apostle's, drive East toward the Michigan UP and Copper Harbor - keep working your way East to Sault St. Marie. (see my Gallery #1 at hl-dot-com for a few snapshots)

Of all the Great Lakes, Superior has the strongest pull on me. I'm still trying to figure this out - why I am drawn here. I don't know the answer, but I know I will be back to ask the question again.

Thanks Bob, for the story of your trip.

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/im

If any of you are contemplating a trip to Duluth and Minnesota's North Shore, you may be interested in the following Web site. It can be a good means of planning your trip:

http://www.4duluth.com

While you're surfing that site, use their search engine and look for "lighthouses". You'll get more results than you'll have lifetime to explore!

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Bob Steinbrunn
Nautical Research Guild

To activate the link...


[This message has been edited by JChidester (edited 08-26-99).]