So Much Water: Exploring Lake Superior

Today was amazing and definitely a highlight for me. I love geography and have been fascinated by the Great Lakes ever since learning about them in school. Seeing them is a dream come true. Today we explored Lake Superior, which is the largest and deepest of the Great Lakes. It’s also the largest (by surface area) freshwater lake in the world. The water volume of Lake Superior would be enough to fill all the other Great Lakes plus two additional Lake Eries. Incredible! 

We took a jet boat tour on Lake Superior with Riptide Ride (which we highly recommend). This hour-and-a-half tour explores 25 miles of shoreline along Lake Superior. Along the way, we saw the Pictured Rocks, waterfalls, eagles and old lighthouses that once served as beacons for approaching water vessels. I was in awe at the grandeur and the clear blue-green of the waters. As Ariel said, it felt like being on the ocean. That’s how big it seems!

As we toured the lake we sent a wave north to Canada to all our family and friends. The kids liked the fact that my mom said she felt the wave and the love. I hope all the rest of our family and friends felt it too. Not only was the scenery breathtaking, the boat ride was also pretty entertaining. The Captain of our tour showed off his skills with some fun little spins to liven up the tour. Ariel and Wyatt both thought this was exciting. We enjoyed their shrieks each time they got a little spray as our boat spun around in the water. All through the tour, I had “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” by Gordon Lightfoot stuck in my head (later, when we got back to camp, I had to play it in the RV).

After lunch and a quick change of clothes back at camp, we were off to play on the shoreline of Lake Superior. As always, the dogs enjoyed the beach. Remi loves finding some new stick to chew and Maggie is forever digging holes. Thankfully sand holes are easier to fill back in than the ones they dig back home in our yard. We’ve noticed these crazy dogs of ours love to tangle their long wire leashes together. Every time, they look at us with sad eyes. While we scramble over to free them, they jump around excitedly and tangle us in the process as well. Ron wants someone to invent a long, tangle-free dog leash that doesn’t feel like it’s ripping off a layer of your skin if it gets wrapped around you. 

Once we straightened out the dogs, the kids played in the sand and we relaxed. Ron and I enjoyed taking in the sounds of the waves and the beautiful view. I dipped my toes and I decided I want to dip them into each of the Great Lakes. I do regret not planning ahead with a nice pedicure for these “dipping the toes” shots, lol.

For dinner, we headed to The Brownstone Inn. Ron learned they serve local fish from Lake Superior and have served food in the Upper Peninsula for over 20 years. The cozy cottage atmosphere made it appealing, and dinner was fantastic. The whitefish on the menu was just as incredible as they made it sound! 

After the kids went to bed, Ron and I had a cozy night by the fire listening to the wind rustling the leaves in the trees—one of my favorite sounds. It was the perfect end to a beautiful day. I love these deciduous forests.