News
2008
June 30, 2008 -
Summer Time!
My husband owns a big Lake Superior fishing boat and we took it out for a ride this past weekend. It was a beautiful day; the lake was smooth and the sky was bright. We putted for a bit in the harbor and up the North Shore and then headed for Wisconsin waters to see if the lakers were biting. We all had a great time. It’s so fun to be out on the water. And it’s especially fun when you are out on the lake that has such a huge impact on our daily lives. It is a big part of our culture, our industries and our landscape. It impacts the quality of the watershed and it directs our weather (it’s cooler by the lake!).
But I wasn’t thinking about all that while on the boat. I had three kids and two dogs to maintain watch over so they didn’t fall over. (The kids were wearing life vests, but I still worry. It’s my job.) As we putted along the shore I thought about how fascinating it was to see my town from a completely different perspective. Here I was, on a boat on the lake they call Gitche Gummi, looking back at the buildings, streets and landmarks of home. The lake is what we all look at and talk about, but rarely do we consider what we look like from the lake’s perspective. I saw things that reinforced why I live here (historic buildings, parks, landmarks) and also some things I’m sure people didn’t realize you could see (clutter, garbage, yuck). I would think this could apply to places along a byway. Imagine what your byway and your major attractions look like from a lake, a river, the hills, or a mountain top.
We soon tired of putting and decided to point the bow toward open water. We headed over to the red cliffs of the south shore and dipped some lines in the water. My husband rigged the poles, I drove the boat (fairly straightly, I must add), and Wyatt (our small obsessed fisherman) watched the downriggers and the other lines. The rest of the crew lay in the cuddy (some of them realized later that it’s not the best place to be). After only one unsuccessful attempt, Wyatt caught his first Lake Trout. He will talk about that day for the rest of his life.
And that is why we love our big lake.
Enjoy your summer-time fun!
Michelle Johnson
Director