A Rough and Icy Great Lake, Velvia Edition
February 28, 2011
A Rough and Icy Great Lake, Velvia Edition, photo by friday1970.
About this photo from Burtchville near Lakeport in the Thumb, Tim writes:
A very windy night produced large waves for Lake Huron, causing the ice shelves built up along shore to break up and float down the coast. About 50 ft out were these mushroom shaped mounds of ice, which served as a subject in this photo.
Just before I shot this, a wave splashed up and instantly froze to my camera. I had to quickly scrape/wipe the ice from the lens to capture the sun behind the clouds while it lasted. The filters threads were covered in ice, so I hand held the GND in place during the shot.
A photographer’s version of drama?
Check this out background bigtastic and see this and another shot from the day in his slideshow.
Country road in red, white & blue
February 26, 2011
Country road, photo by R.J.E..
Check this out bigger and in R.J.E.’s slideshow. (seriously – his slideshow is off the hook!)
See more barns on Michigan in Pictures, and I hope everyone has a really great weekend too!
That’s a job creation engine out there…
February 25, 2011
Layers of Michigan Winter, photo by nasunto.
The Wall Street Journal reports:
An analysis by Michigan Sea Grant at the University of Michigan says more than 1.5 million U.S. jobs and $62 billion in annual wages are linked directly to the Great Lakes.
The study was released Thursday. It says Michigan has 525,886 jobs connected to the Great Lakes, more than any other state. Illinois ranks second with 380,786, followed by Ohio with 178,621.
Most of the jobs are in manufacturing. Others are in tourism and recreation, shipping, agriculture and other sectors of the economy.
Jim Diana, director of Michigan Sea Grant, says the study illustrates that protecting the lakes is crucial to attracting and retaining businesses and jobs.
That’s a lot of jobs … and at an estimated $62 billion in wages, it’s a very compelling argument for Michigan to take a leadership role in protecting the Great Lakes. Here’s the news release from Sea Grant and the PDF of the Great Lakes Jobs Report.
About the photo Nina writes On the shore of Lake Michigan: Cold sand and a layer of ice. In the distance, snow, ice, whitecaps on the beautiful and temperamental lake, and a cloud-filled sky. Check it out background big and in her Lake Michigan slideshow.
Keweenaw County: Tops in the Nation for Water!
February 24, 2011
Red Ridge, photo by We Are CS.
This morning I found out that my native Leelanau County is the 2nd watery-est in America. Wikipedia’s Keweenaw County entry says that Michigan’s northernmost county holds the title though:
Keweenaw County is the northernmost county in Michigan. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 5,966 square miles (15,451.9 km2), of which 541 square miles (1,401.2 km2) is land and 5,425 square miles (14,050.7 km2) (90.932%) is water. Of all counties (or county-equivalents) in the United States, Keweenaw County has the highest proportion of water area to total area.
In essence, 90.932 percent of the county consists of a significant part of Lake Superior, while only 9.068 percent is actually land. Isle Royale is its northernmost section. It is the largest county in the largest state east of the Mississippi River.
Check this out big as … well … Michigan’s biggest county and see many more in Kyle’s massive Keweenaw Peninsula slideshow!
Seussian Scene, Yooper Style
February 23, 2011
Untitled, photo by Blondieyooper.
The last Wednesday of every month is a Weird Wednesday on Absolute Michigan. In honor of that, here’s a funny little still life from the UP.
Check it out big as a blueberrishroom and in April’s Dr Seussish File slideshow!
Like this:
National Cherry Month means only 5 months to fresh Michigan cherries!
February 22, 2011
Untitled, photo by Christina**.
February is National Cherry Month and Absolute Michigan has your cherry goodness including a neat four season cherry photo essay by Megan @ American Spoon.
See this bigger in Christina’s slideshow and also check out her photography website.
Like this:
The Trestle Bridge at Hamilton
February 21, 2011
The Trestle Bridge at Hamilton, photo by bill.d.
Hope you enjoyed your morning commute…
Check this out big as a bridge and in Bill’s Allegan County slideshow.
Miles more bridges on Michigan in Pictures.
Like this:
U.S. Coast Guard Icebreakers and the Great Lakes
February 19, 2011
International Partners, photo by KathysPix.
Icebreakers and the U.S. Coast Guard is a great article from the Coast Guard Historian’s Office says that the origin of icebreaking in the United States came in the 1830s as side-wheel steamers with reinforced bows were found to be excellent for clearing harbor ice. This page tells the story of CG icebreaking around the country, and the Great Lakes were certainly a part of that. The Escanaba class light icebreakers in the early 20th century didn’t get the job done, but World War II made icebreaking an essential technology and led to the development of the Wind class vessels. In addition to to these four ships, a fifth was built in 1944, the icebreaker Mackinaw:
The final heavy icebreaker built during the war was the Mackinaw, a ship specifically for Great Lakes use. She was, according to Admiral Thiele, a “squashed down” Wind class vessel, with greater beam and length, but shallower draft than those vessels. Her powerplant and general design were those of the Wind class, but her hull was of mild steel, for fresh water operations. (The ocean going cutters were of high tensile steel.) This vessel was designed to extend the operating season in Great Lakes ports, a strategically important task considering the essential raw materials originating on the Lakes: iron ore, coal, limestone, etc.
In 2006, the Mackinaw was decommissioned and replaced by the new USCG Mackinaw, which we see in the picture above.
You can see more of what was involved in freeing a stuck freighter in Kathy’s Coast Guard Cutters slideshow.
Fly Fishing: Eagles in Grand Haven
February 18, 2011
Fly Fishing, photo by KevJams.
I think Kevin shot this near Grand Haven. He has so many eagles in the first shot of his Birds of a Feather slideshow that it looks like Alaska. I rolled back through “Eagle” on Michigan in Pictures and found this photo of eagles over the Grand River in Grand Haven, so I guess it’s a regular happening.
View it bigger.
Follow the flowing water to Spring?
February 17, 2011
Flowing Water, photo by corinne.schwarz.
Things have really heated up in Michigan this week, and as Ashley says: Peace out snowpocalypse. It’s been real..
Michigan’s own Weather Underground looks like April: 48° in Battle Creek, 49° in Grand Rapids, 38° in Marquette, 46° in Traverse City, 47° in Detroit!
Check this out bigger and in Corinne’s Lenawee County slideshow.
