Just a quick hello to say, IS EVERYBODY EXCITED FOR CHRISMOOOOOOSE?
Countdown: 8.2 hours to go. (You know, "ish.")
After a busy week in Snug Harbor with plenty of full boats and a string of long, packed special programs by guest speakers (including Rolf Peterson, Tom Gale, Ann & John Mahan, and Ned, the AIR) we're ready to kick back, share some food, and watch what is anticipated to be an epic relay race with our nearest and dearest at Mott Island.
Full story and photos after this weekend!
Friday, July 29, 2011
Monday, July 25, 2011
The Lodge Chrismoose
It's that jolly time of year once again...Chrismoose season. I wish I knew the history of the tradition - all I know is that once a summer, the island celebrates cameraderie and friendship, with long tables of food and perhaps some friendly competition. (In searching around the internet about 'Chrismoose,' I discovered this "Moose Nativity" scene, which was too surreal not to share with everyone.)
Yesterday was Chrismoose for Rock Harbor Concessions, which any walk around their dorm or rec hall would have told you: red ribbons, lights, and twinkling golden stars everywhere. It was quite festive. We met up behind the Employee Dining Room, near the Guest House, at eight pm. There was quite a showing; besides Justin, who's off island, I believe every other NPS Snug Harbor resident was there, and almost all of the concessions employees. There was a long table of smoked, barbecued, and sausaged meats, coleslaw, and macaroni salad. There were Christmas sweaters. There was cake with tiny sugar Santa heads on top. There were coolers full of sparkling apple juice and tiny glass Coke bottles.
Before dessert, we all joined in a rousing chorus of Christmas carols, led by Donna and Sam. This was probably my favorite part of the evening. When else in my life do I get to belt out "Deck the Halls" and "Jingle Bells" on a wooded island in the middle of July, surrounded by people who are from everywhere from Michigan to Alabama, Jamaica to Turkey, China to Russia? Our timing was a little off, our notes were a wee bit creative, but it was kind of something spectacular.
The night ended with a three-legged race using old potato sacks (or perhaps some other kind of sack; you know, I've never actually seen potatoes come in a sack like that) and the traditional canoe race, which had previously been postponed about four times, and finally happened last night. Whoever won the three-legged race was obscured by an epic two-team spill onto the dirt road, but the canoe race was clearly and proudly won by our very own Pete and Casey. They paddled in, an intimidating duo of speed, several canoe lengths ahead of the second place canoe (Jack and Phil from the Lodge.)
It was a chilly night, thick with swarms of mosquitos, but the laughter in our hearts kept us warm and...bug-free. Well, maybe that was the bug spray.
In just a few days, we'll all be gathering at Mott Island for the NPS Chrismoose. The celebration never ends!
Yesterday was Chrismoose for Rock Harbor Concessions, which any walk around their dorm or rec hall would have told you: red ribbons, lights, and twinkling golden stars everywhere. It was quite festive. We met up behind the Employee Dining Room, near the Guest House, at eight pm. There was quite a showing; besides Justin, who's off island, I believe every other NPS Snug Harbor resident was there, and almost all of the concessions employees. There was a long table of smoked, barbecued, and sausaged meats, coleslaw, and macaroni salad. There were Christmas sweaters. There was cake with tiny sugar Santa heads on top. There were coolers full of sparkling apple juice and tiny glass Coke bottles.
Before dessert, we all joined in a rousing chorus of Christmas carols, led by Donna and Sam. This was probably my favorite part of the evening. When else in my life do I get to belt out "Deck the Halls" and "Jingle Bells" on a wooded island in the middle of July, surrounded by people who are from everywhere from Michigan to Alabama, Jamaica to Turkey, China to Russia? Our timing was a little off, our notes were a wee bit creative, but it was kind of something spectacular.
The night ended with a three-legged race using old potato sacks (or perhaps some other kind of sack; you know, I've never actually seen potatoes come in a sack like that) and the traditional canoe race, which had previously been postponed about four times, and finally happened last night. Whoever won the three-legged race was obscured by an epic two-team spill onto the dirt road, but the canoe race was clearly and proudly won by our very own Pete and Casey. They paddled in, an intimidating duo of speed, several canoe lengths ahead of the second place canoe (Jack and Phil from the Lodge.)
It was a chilly night, thick with swarms of mosquitos, but the laughter in our hearts kept us warm and...bug-free. Well, maybe that was the bug spray.
In just a few days, we'll all be gathering at Mott Island for the NPS Chrismoose. The celebration never ends!
Friday, July 22, 2011
Wild Weather, Serious Fitness, and the Adorable Cisco: Typical Snug Stuff
The weather this week in Snug Harbor has been an eclectic, exciting meteorological menagerie. We've had everything from storms, bringing thunder, dark clouds, big waves, and frenetic lightning:
(the Reporter on Raspberry Island)
To dense, interminable fog hanging over the harbor:
To dazzling, perfect rainbows, all the way down the channel from our very own Snug to Moskey Basin:
Whilst enjoying the daily ups and downs of the island weather gods, we here have been making plenty of time for personal fitness; anyway, a couple of us are. Namely Pete and Casey (joined by Erin L. and Paul N. from Davidson and Mott, respectively.) Pete led a personal fitness evaluation last Sunday, prior to the Lake Superior Day jump, which included everything a 1.5 mile run, flexibility and strength tests, and an agility sprint which which was extremely amusing to photograph.
I wouldn't want to leave you without a photo of the lovely Leah and Sam, two of our interp rangers, on a routine trip to Mott in the ever-faithful Cisco, the boat that keeps on trucking:
Enjoy your own storms and heat waves, and don't be afraid to come visit, now!
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Lake Superior Day Photographed
Despite heavy fog, several NPS employees (representing interpretation, trail crew, natural resources, maintenance, and law enforcement) and an entire troop of boy scouts, along with their leaders, leaped off the Ranger III dock in Snug Harbor this Lake Superior Day, cheering "We love Lake Superior!" as we went. We jumped off several times over a twenty-minute period; the water temp has warmed up considerably.
With temperatures today in the eighties, everyone is longing to jump in the lake - summer has finally reached Isle Royale, complete with an epic summer thunderstorm and magnificent sunset over Tobin Harbor last night. I was very excited for this weather to come, but I must say, it's sort of depressing when you finish a thirty-minute harbor walk drenched in sweat. (Especially when a pair of Texans on my walk scoffed and laughed when I called it a hot day.)
Today is also the first day we haven't been swamped with a thick, almost tangible fog. It's the first day phones have worked in Snug Harbor for nearly two weeks. We were living in a cloud for awhile there; you could actually watch wisps of it blow about around you. Finally, we have been released!
I encourage my fellow Isle Royaleans to get out there and make some splashes in this heat - and stay tuned for photos of the Fitness Challenge, Tobin sunset, and Raspberry Island.
Yours sincerely,
the Snug Harbor Reporter
Friday, July 15, 2011
Lake Superior Day
This Sunday marks the official Lake Superior Day, which we will be celebrating here in true Snug Harbor fashion: lots of splashing, cheering, and competing. At three thirty pm, shortly after the Queen has departed, we'll have a massive jump off the Ranger III dock into the channel - public merrily welcome. The Cisco will be ready in the water in case of any mishaps.Later that evening at nine pm, once all of the concessions employees are off work, we're hosting an NPS/Lodge Canoe Relay Race. The actual details of this relay remain to be seen, but some sprinting, jumping off docks, paddling, and getting into and out of canoes in the water will likely be involved. We need to represent the Park Service in full force, so Mott people, get your paddlin' selves over here! The public is invited to watch the event and cheer or boo as they see fit.
Local herring appear to be revving up in anticipation of this great event; two days ago, we saw a swarm of them circling slowly in the dock area where the Lorelei usually rests. Glen Wuori took these fantastic pictures of the interesting collection of fish.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Happy Independence Day, and Welcome to the Busy Season
Hello again, everybody, and a late but very Happy Fourth of July! I apologize for the rather long-ish pause between posts; I was off-island for a few days over the holiday and my whole schedule got rather out-of-whack. That's what going back to the mainland will do for you. It will also make you suddenly aware that elsewhere in the world people are enjoying temperatures that are actually over sixty five degrees most days, and that some places actually experience sunshine more than once or twice a week. Sigh.
While I was gone for the fourth, I hear through the grapevine that everyone still here had a fun, albeit wet, day. Many of the lodge-hosted activities, including the canoe race, unfortunately had to be cancelled due to way too much rain (what is WITH that lately?) but the feast (held indoors) was supposedly delicious. Of course, when is barbecue not?
We're revving up for "high season" here in the Snug - mid-July through the end of August, when visitors swarm the shore like vikings, only with way less cool headgear. So far, however, the daily routine remains much the same, although daily numbers in the Visitor Center are steadily rising (a typical number now is something like 150 people in there each day.) We have had a few more medicals lately, including a helicopter evac from Mott a couple days ago, our second of the season. Here's hoping it's also the last, no matter how cool it is to see a helicopter land up close.
We are currently missing Marshall Plumer, District Ranger, and his fun and friendly fam, but Pete's doing an excellent job in his stead and we know they'll be back soon. With Robert also gone for a few days, however, our Snug family has substantially decreased in size, leaving just eight of us here to hold down the fort - so feel free to, you know, come visit, bring brownies, etc.
In the meantime, many fond regards from
Your Snug Harbor Reporter
While I was gone for the fourth, I hear through the grapevine that everyone still here had a fun, albeit wet, day. Many of the lodge-hosted activities, including the canoe race, unfortunately had to be cancelled due to way too much rain (what is WITH that lately?) but the feast (held indoors) was supposedly delicious. Of course, when is barbecue not?
We're revving up for "high season" here in the Snug - mid-July through the end of August, when visitors swarm the shore like vikings, only with way less cool headgear. So far, however, the daily routine remains much the same, although daily numbers in the Visitor Center are steadily rising (a typical number now is something like 150 people in there each day.) We have had a few more medicals lately, including a helicopter evac from Mott a couple days ago, our second of the season. Here's hoping it's also the last, no matter how cool it is to see a helicopter land up close.
We are currently missing Marshall Plumer, District Ranger, and his fun and friendly fam, but Pete's doing an excellent job in his stead and we know they'll be back soon. With Robert also gone for a few days, however, our Snug family has substantially decreased in size, leaving just eight of us here to hold down the fort - so feel free to, you know, come visit, bring brownies, etc.
In the meantime, many fond regards from
Your Snug Harbor Reporter
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