Some objects are further than they appear

 

On some days, Isle Royale looks like it's not that far away at all. Yesterday was one of those days. I made these photos on my way to work. The Island hovered above the horizon and certainly appeared to be closer than 20+ miles away. When I drove past the Susie Islands overlook, Rock of Ages lighthouse looked like it was only a couple of miles beyond Big Susie Island, when really its between 13 and 14 miles from Big Susie. Of course, these photos were made with a telephoto lens, which further aids in distant objects appearing closer than they do with the naked eye. 

Snow-covered rocks

 

It's been a while since I've come across a good abstract photo. This one was made while driving along a forest road. I came across a drainage that had some frozen water with snow-covered rocks sticking up above the water. It was one of those things that I initially drove right past but then decided to back up to make a photo. I'm glad I did!

Lake Superior Sea Smoke at Negative 25 Degrees Fahrenheit

 

Yesterday morning was the coldest morning yet of this winter.  As I was making these photographs, the outside temperature gauge on my vehicle was showing minus 25 degrees Fahrenheit. In such conditions, the water of Lake Superior is quite a bit warmer than the air directly over it, and that clash of temperatures generates an incredible amount of steam or "sea smoke", as a lot of people call it. On these mornings I love watching the steam as the sun rises. I get mesmerized by it. 

I spent two hours in this spot watching the light change as I could hear trees popping in the cold down below the overlook I was sitting at. I could also hear some ravens calling from the forest below. Even on the coldest days, there is life moving around out there. At one point, I could see a large bird flying around in the steam over the islands. When I looked at the photos on my computer, I could see enough detail in the wings and shape of the bird that I could tell it was an eagle. I could only imagine what the steam would look like from the perspective of that bird as it flew around over the islands.

Sea Smoke and Sun Rays

 

A beautiful winter sunrise over Lake Superior and the Susie Islands in Grand Portage, MN. I am fortunate enough to drive past this view at least twice a day, on my way to and from work. It never disappoints, but some days are more special than others and today was one of those days. 

Grand Marais Sunset - January 7, 2025

 

This evening's sunset in Grand Marais, MN. I didn't think it was going to be a very good one, as the sky was almost 100 percent clear. However, nature likes to surprise us and as evening approached a cloud bank appeared on the western horizon and by the time the sun was going down, it made for a pretty dramatic scene.