First Rocks and More Iceberg Photos

Yesterday was warm with temperatures in the 50s and 60s, but the rain and thunderstorms kept me inside. On Friday, though, I hiked the dunes from Sable Lake over to the Lake Superior bluff. I must admit that it was weird to not have snowshoes or skies on my feet. As of Friday over 95% of the snow melted in the dunes. With the warm temperatures yesterday and the rain, there probably isn't much left at all now, other than in the woods.



At the request of many of you agate hunters, I have been watching for signs when rocks are exposed at the high water mark. As of this past weekend, the shore ice in town was still holding tight. Of course it is not legal to agate hunt in the national park, but I will report that there are rocks showing. Along the Grand Sable Dunes there were two rows of icebergs this winter. The near-shore ice is mostly gone now, exposing rocks. The beach is protected by the row of ice that formed off shore. Today we are getting wind gusts up to 45 mph, so my guess is that even some of the shore ice in town will break up. But here are a couple of shots taken from the bluff of the Grand Sable Dunes.




This shot from the bluff looking back east towards town shows how the ice is thicker on shore in front of Woodland Park.



I just love the artistry of the ice breaking up. It truly is nature's art.







A sunset over ice.