We have visited the sea caves via kayak and they are awesome. It takes us about forty-five minutes to drive up to Cornucopia to Meyer's Beach to see them. This is the first year since we've lived in Ashland that the lake has frozen enough to walk out on Lake Superior and check them out. The last time they were accessible it was no big deal. This year it is a phenomenon. There even was a reporter from NBC Nightly News (great shot of all the people) do a story on the ice caves. So holy smokes have they been crowded. Upwards of 11,000 people a day. The librarian at the high school lives a mile from the park road and was asked by the Sheriff to clear a few acres of land for overflow parking.
Nick and I have been keeping an eye out every year we've been here, hoping they'd freeze so we could check them out. But man alive we weren't going to go on a weekend and fight all that traffic and tourists (some who apparently wore heels to hike the approximately three miles). We didn't want to miss out though - so we decided to play hooky. On Tuesday, Nick gave an exam, which he could have a research student proctor. I took a personal day, we dropped Lilly off at day care, finished getting ready and headed up to Cornucopia. We arrived around 9:20 or so and were able to park in the park, but not in the main lot. We bundled up some, a high of 37 was predicted, and headed out onto the lake. There was already a line of people . . .
After about a mile of walking on the lake, we arrived at the start of the caves. There were people all around but it never felt super crowded. Photos weren't ruined by strangers popping in but we'd have to wait every now and again to take a picture and not have other people in it. It was a great morning, here are photos so you can save yourself a trip out. Normally I'd do some Picmonkey work and put a few side-by-side but it is cropping them in bizarre ways and Lilly is about to wake up from her nap. So, sorry for the long scroll through of pictures.
On the way back on that last stretch after the caves before the beach (again about a mile) Nick and I decided to count the people we passed. We counted 300 on a Tuesday morning. It was a great morning, followed up by a great lunch in Washburn, then home for about an hour before picking up Lilly. In that hour Nick graded exams and I did laundry. We know how to have fun!
Nick and I have been keeping an eye out every year we've been here, hoping they'd freeze so we could check them out. But man alive we weren't going to go on a weekend and fight all that traffic and tourists (some who apparently wore heels to hike the approximately three miles). We didn't want to miss out though - so we decided to play hooky. On Tuesday, Nick gave an exam, which he could have a research student proctor. I took a personal day, we dropped Lilly off at day care, finished getting ready and headed up to Cornucopia. We arrived around 9:20 or so and were able to park in the park, but not in the main lot. We bundled up some, a high of 37 was predicted, and headed out onto the lake. There was already a line of people . . .
This picture doesn't do the line justice.
After about a mile of walking on the lake, we arrived at the start of the caves. There were people all around but it never felt super crowded. Photos weren't ruined by strangers popping in but we'd have to wait every now and again to take a picture and not have other people in it. It was a great morning, here are photos so you can save yourself a trip out. Normally I'd do some Picmonkey work and put a few side-by-side but it is cropping them in bizarre ways and Lilly is about to wake up from her nap. So, sorry for the long scroll through of pictures.
 |
| This picture spot was super crowded on our way back to the beach. |
 |
| This made us chuckle - everything else is coated and here is just a little chandelier of ice. |
On the way back on that last stretch after the caves before the beach (again about a mile) Nick and I decided to count the people we passed. We counted 300 on a Tuesday morning. It was a great morning, followed up by a great lunch in Washburn, then home for about an hour before picking up Lilly. In that hour Nick graded exams and I did laundry. We know how to have fun!
Comments
Post a Comment