It was cold this morning!  I drove down to Canal Park and took this video and photographs 20 minutes before sunrise. While the water temperature at Duluth’s end of Lake Superior’s was a balmy 36F, the air temperature was -12F which made for a delta between the air and water of 48 degrees … sea smoke!

While the water does not experience the effect of a chill factor like exposed flesh, my face did. Uff dah! When the wind gusted to 35 mph, the chart from the US Weather Service said the chill factor before sunrise was -45F (-42.7C). All I know it was cold for the ten minutes I was out of the car. Where I parked, there was security policeman sitting in an idling truck. I figured my car was pretty safe, and I left it running. Who in their right mind at -12F would try to steal a car right next to the Security Police! It was super nice to get back to a warm car.

Images taken five minutes apart as the sunrise moves from having reds to orange. I was not actually at Canal Park. Using my photography app I had determined last night I needed to be about 800 yards distant in order to get the sun which was below the horizon in line with the lighthouse.

It was extra special to see Lake Superior in her glory (video link of Sea Smoke Sunrise for email subscribers). We got back from Mayo Clinic late yesterday after a five day visit … me in a motel … Molly in the hospital. Our new journey will be fighting Stage 3 Ovarian Cancer. This cancer was unexpected, and I am actually grateful the previously planned surgery that led to the more extensive cancer’s discovery.

Thankfully Canal Park is only 20 minutes from our house. Thus a quick trip was okay.

Two afternoons ago I visited Canal Park in Duluth a bit before sundown. The Goldeneyes were using the only ice free water for miles around to feed. It suddenly dawned on me why this particular afternoon the birds did not spook (often they fly quickly away from me). Remember these birds are “sight feeders” under water. In the winter in northern Minnesota the sun is rather low in the sky, particularly in the afternoon. There is a period of about one hour where the setting sun shines right down the canal, and underwater … setting up good conditions for the Goldeneyes to see underwater. My side of the canal was bathed in sunlight, while the South Pier was not. I now understand why the ducks put up with my presence. Food on a cold day is a good motivator.

Goldeneyes at Canal Park (total flock exceeded 300 birds)

The changed the photo parameters to better capture the number of ducks