I’ve had a relationship with Lake Superior since I was a child. My parents grew up in Duluth, near the shores of Superior. Consequently, I had grandparents there and many other relatives. While I’ve never lived in Duluth (my parents moved from there after kid #5, I was kid #7), I spent many holidays and summer visits there with my family. I still visit often.
I cannot begin to name all the wonderful things there are to do on and around Lake Superior. I’ve done some things—hiking, fishing, swimming, exploring ice formations, watching sunrises—and I never tire of that majestic lake.
I’ve written about the lake many times. Last year, I wrote about the brave surfers who take to Superior when the waves are good, oftentimes during a winter storm. Yeah… did I say brave? Maybe that’s an understatement! The waves and water are daunting, but those hearty folks who enjoy the surf seem to be void of fear. What an amazing display of natural beauty the Creator has given us!
“He spoke, and the winds rose, stirring up the waves.” (Psalm 107:25)
Recently, I visited Lake Superior with a friend. We spent two days exploring the area, hiking along the rocky shoreline and stopping along the way to marvel at the water and waves. The cold, crispy air and blue sky were fantastic! The vastness of the lake is mind blowing. Superior is huge—the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area. It holds 10% of the world’s freshwater! Ah-mazing! The water in the lake could cover North and South America in one foot of water.
Its shoreline is 2,726 miles long. I’ve not explored even a fraction of those miles (life goal?). The Ojibwe name for Lake Superior is Gitchi-Gami which translates to “Great sea.” If you’ve never been to the lake, trust me when I say it truly is great.
While I could spend time describing the beauty of that vast water, I’ll show you instead. Following are pictures of Lake Superior and a depiction of the time I spent there with my hiking buddy, Jill.
Enjoy!
Me ‘n Jill near Lake Superior:
Marveling at the waves as they rolled in and crashed on the rocks:
Peace out, Jill! The rock formations along the Lake Superior shoreline are magnificent!
Lake Superior experiences a seiche effect. That is a standing wave that causes water to slosh back and forth. Maybe you’ve done this in the bathtub (as I did when I was a kid), causing the water to slosh from side to side. I like to think of Superior as a giant tub. Wouldn’t it be cool to see the lake from an aerial view? I wonder if I’d be able to see the water roll up one side and back to the other. Maybe someday I’ll find out!
Every time I visit Lake Superior, I see new things, feel new sensations, and fall in love with it even more. Yes, I am in love with a lake. In fact, I am in love with all of nature. It is my playground, my joy, and a big source of gratitude for me. As long as I am able, I’ll continue to visit the North Shore regularly.
Isn’t water wonderful? Isn’t nature wonderful? It never runs out of beauty. And wonder. And reasons to explore this wildly magnificent world.
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