Water
Hidden Power
The sun had risen by the time I snapped this image but was being blocked by a low bank of clouds over Lake Michigan. Still, it managed to break through and make it’s presence known behind the Kewaunee, Wisconsin lighthouse and pier.
The image seems kind of dark…but that’s because it was kind of dark…until the sun hit that open band.
Wide Scene Format
The sky offered larger-than-life beauty but to take advantage of the opportunity I would have to take several photos and join them together to capture this wide, panoramic view.
This is a sunrise over Lake Michigan, behind the Kewaunee, WI pier and lighthouse. I like the way this photo gives the viewer a good idea of just how long this pier extends into the lake.
Because I combined four separate images (each 24mb) to create this image, it resulted in a huge file. The file was large enough to choke my computer to a near standstill. It took me many hours, twiddling my thumbs while it processed, to arrive at the final product.
Unfortunately, the narrow format of my website doesn’t do justice to the panoramic view. To view a larger version – one that will stretch the full width of your monitor – click on the image.
Simple Start
Heading for Open Water
A commercial fishing boat (the Oliver H. Smith) breaks its way through the ice of the Kewaunee, Wisconsin harbor on their way to the open waters of Lake Michigan.
The ice in the harbor was thick enough to make getting out a challenge and it took quite a while for the boat to break through. It would push and crunch its way into the ice, traveling 20 or 30 feet at a time before it would be halted. Then it would back up and take another run at it…for the next 20 or 30 feet…back up and repeat until it finally got to open water. This shot shows it clear of the solid ice, heading out of the harbor. I’ve included a short video of the struggle below.
The Oliver H. Smith, is a commercial fishing boat built in 1944 at Kewaunee Shipbuilding and Engineering Co. during World War II. It was purchased in 1999 and is operated by Lafond’s Fish Market in Kewaunee.
To view a larger version with more detail, click on the image.
Daydream Catalyst
A guy can daydream, can’t he? I look at this photo and daydream about being on a beach in the Caribbean, relaxing in the warm glow of a tropical sunset.
Of course, this is Kewaunee, Wisconsin at sunrise. Even in summer, it’s never “tropical” warm on the beach in the morning. But, in the grip of arctic winter weather, with temperatures below zero and wind chills much lower, a little escape is nice – even if it’s only in my mind. Feel free to pull up a beach chair and join me.
To view a larger version of this image, click on the photo.
Frosted Branch
This is another shot from a very cold morning in Kewaunee, WI. The open waters of Lake Michigan created enough moisture that everything along the shore was coated with a light, fluffy frost. This branch is a prime example.
If you look closely, you can see some little white specks (particularly on the right side). Those are little flakes of the frost falling like snow off the branch at the slightest movement of air.
Also, you will notice the Kewaunee lighthouse in the background. If you compare this photo with my previous post, You’ll be able to see this same branch from a very different perspective. Both photos were taken the same morning using different lenses. This one was 45 minutes or so after the other.
To see more of the details in this image, click on the photo and a larger version will open in a new browser tab.
Blue Harbor Ice
This image accurately portrays the very cold conditions yesterday morning at the Kewaunee, WI harbor. The ice was slowly flowing past the channel marker, out into Lake Michigan. To get this shot, I had to walk out on the long, ice-coated pier to the lighthouse.
Rising early and enduring the cold (temperature around zero) produced some worthwhile “winter” scenes like this…with more to come. Stay tuned.
If you have a decent-sized monitor, you can view a larger version of this image by simply clicking on the photo.
The Churning
Icy Morning Mist
When air temperatures are below freezing, the slightly warmer Lake Michigan waters can create a mist around areas that haven’t frozen over. The early sun highlights the mist around the harbor and lighthouse of Algoma, WI.
Last February I posted another, very similar, view of this morning scene entitled, Frigid Sunrise Fog. This version offers more of the rocks and ice in the foreground.
You can view a larger, more detailed version of this image by clicking on it.
Cold Climb
As cold as it is, it only seems natural to post a photo that reflects current conditions in Wisconsin.
The pier at Algoma was coated with Lake Michigan ice. The red ladder is a safety measure, giving anyone who were to fall off the pier, into the water, a way to climb out. The water of the harbor wasn’t visible, due to the ice buildup.
To see more of the cold detail, click on the image and a larger version will open in a new browser tab.