If you want to see some super images taken by great photographers, browse on over to the 2020 Minnesota State Parks and Trails Photo Contest Results. I took send place for NE Minnesota with this picture of the American Spirit steaming by Splitrock Lighthouse on the last day of the shipping season. It was just before sunrise and then temperature was -17F with a HUGE wind blowing out of the NNW. The strong winds is why the freighter was sailing along the North Shore (i.e. to avoid large waves further out in the lake which would cause dangerous ice buildup). It was cold, and I was very happy to get back in the car after taking my photos.
Category Archives: Background
BWCA: Dark Sky Sanctuary!
Who has not looked up at the night sky and stared in wonder at its beauty and majesty? Unfortunately, most of you have never seen truly dark skies. Here in northeastern Minnesota we are truly blessed, and the International Dark Sky Association has just recognized that fact. The Boundary Waters Canoe Area has just been named the 13th night sky gem in the world by the Association … a location with truly dark skies not affected by human light pollution. Read an article in the Duluth News Tribune written by John Myers about the announcement which features two of my BWCA Northern Lights images, and some other great photos by other folk.
The BWCA is about 60 miles north of my home. Thus, when I want some truly dark skies, in addition to standing out on my own deck, a one hour drive gets me to locations that reminds one of time immemorial. (see Dark Sky Map of North America)
Here are the photographs featured in the newspaper article that I took of the Aurora Borealis at BWCA entry points.
The Pagami Creek Wildfire Area on Island River north of Isabella, Minnesota
Little John Lake at the end of the Arrowhead Trail (a daytime image taken 6 hours earlier at the same exact location is included!)
A map I made showing the photograph locations
A Dark Sky Map of the eastern part of North America
I will be spending a week up in the BWCA at the end of the Gunflint Trail in the very near future!
Finally … one more image. The first two photographs featured in this blog post were taken during one of the most phenomenal nights of my life. The Northern Lights danced all night as I moved from location to location. Two hours before sunrise found me driving south towards home. I was so exhausted that I pulled into a public boat launch 40 miles north of Two Harbors on Greenwood Lake. I got into the back of my Subaru Outback and lay down to catch a few winks. God thought otherwise! As the dawn light appeared in the eastern sky, the Northern Lights exploded once more and were able to overpower the sunrise. Amazing! By far this was the most amazing sunrise I ever watched in my life. I took this selfie.
Flashback Rowing
I don’t normally post this kind of stuff, but I have been teaching my oldest grandson (10 years old) how to row this Labor Day Weekend. We are using a 12 foot Lund with oars! When we got back to the dock, one of my daughter’s-in-law got out her phone to show a YouTube video of Olympic rowers (Grampa rowed for Dartmouth in the 70’s and placed 2nd at the NCAA’s his senior year in college).
Heck … I thought, why should my grandson watch some unknown oarsman when he can watch Grampa! Thus, I bring you the Dartmouth 25th Reunion Regatta. I ended up in the boat with a bunch of lightweight rowers (maximum weight is 160 pounds … at least back in their college days). I rowed at 177 pounds … a rather light heavyweight rower. These days I tip the scale at 190 pounds.
Dartmouth College Reunion Regatta Row (link for email subscribers)
The location is the Connecticut River which forms the border between New Hampshire and Vermont (Hanover, New Hampshire). I am the #4 oarsman (counting from the bow). I did not have white hair back in 2003. I suggest skipping forward to 4:38 in the video where we get on the water. At 5:22 the theme from Chariots of Fire starts and the old guys row!
One funny aside … a few years ago I bicycle toured through Hanover and stopped to watch the varsity practicing. One of the woman from the 1st eight asked me if I rowed wooden boats and oars back in my day. Yes I responded … and then found the old black and white photograph of my varsity eight which was hanging on the wall in the boathouse. The question made me feel ancient, although both the men’s and women’s varsity claimed they were impressed with the 60 year old guy (and his wife) who were bicycle touring over 2,000 miles carrying their own gear. We looked like young bucks from pre-history.