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20080314

Kayaking in Caves


These caves are near our cabin on the S shore of Lake Superior, not the big caves. The house-sized big caves are out on the islands, hundreds of caves. They interconnect so you can go in one cave and come out somewhere else on the island. Lake Superior Kayaking can be rather unpredictable and exciting.
Karen in white hat, red kayak, ready to go.
(Note, these pics are from a cheapo disposable camera).


 The water is crystal clear and you can see the floor of the caves 20' beneath you, almost like you're suspended in space.

These are the same famous "Ice Caves" of  Bayfield (Cornucopia).
 






  The Bayfield Peninsula caves are about 1.5 miles from the launching place, around that point in the distance (There is no closer access to the caves). 

Getting closer to the "real" caves.


A different trip....
We were compressed against the ceiling. One time 20 miles out on Devil's Island exposed to the big lake it was glassy calm and we were deep deep way back into a huge cave with not much headroom left.

 Suddenly the water quickly rose a few feet and in an instant and we were being scraped and compressed against the roof of the cave 200’ in from the entrance. We pushed against the roof but of course it did no good. Then just as suddenly, the water level dropped to normal as we were swept out of the cave and the water was glassy calm again.
WHY did the lake surface rise? About 15 miles out, a large ocean freighter had passed by the island and it was the wake from that ship that nearly squished us. It's nearly impossible to see those waves coming (swells).
Note - The Indians named it Devils Island because of the odd moaning and rumbling sounds as the waves were squeezed deep into the caves and the air gushed out. It causes the whole island to tremble.

20080306

Dinty Moore Stew used AS BALLAST..

 

Pictured below is Jerry Spiess. He crossed the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

Long ago I survived on DMS (Well, actually, I still do). I would tear the paper off the can, open it and put the can on the gas stove (no dishes).  Removing the paper is important because I discovered that the paper catches on fire and certain salad dressings burn when poured on a fire.

My boss's husband was a famous World sailor in a 10 foot sailboat, I met him several times. Then one day he mentioned that he took Dinty Moore Stew with him on his famous trips across the Atlantic and Pacific oceans... as BALLAST in his boat.

Very interesting story this link.... it’s a short but fascinating read, hard to quit reading.

http://www.sailingbreezes.com/sailing_breezes_current/articles/Nov05/yankeegirl1.htm
http://www.marlinbree.com/work6.htm