Some years winter is long here.
This one started in November, and we still had some in May. I teased it and called it Inter. Shame on me! Apparently Inter is long and drawn out.
The Keweenaw Snowfall Report said we did not yet reach our previous year's snow total -- or even the average -- but it's only May, so anything can happen.
Sheesh!
I will say that yesterday the power blinked on and off more times than I ever remember it doing in a single day. I would say 20-30 times my refrigerator and furnace shut off mid-run. And the internet had to reboot after each time too, so loading yesterday's podcast was a battle. Oy!
But let me tell you, when I picked Brady P up from school yesterday, and took him to Hunter's Point to see the waves, it was worth enduring another storm.
He knew we were going, and he reminded me of that the whole way there. He even told me where and which way to turn.
Once we parked, he got out of the van and RAN to the shore. Just ran! He had a date with the big waves. "As big as a house!" he told me.
He found his perch and sat there for a whole hour.
Sitting next to him watching the lake dance was really enchanting. His heart flutters with every wave. He loves the big hits and splashes and he only relaxes during the lulls.
Here is something I never noticed before.
The waves come in. Crest, trough. Crest, trough. Crest, trough. Seemingly endless with those north winds. This I knew, but sometimes something different happens.
Somehow, so much water gets pushed to the shore at once that the old crest zone becomes the trough zone. This is incredible to watch. It looks like the lake just rose 4 feet! And each time this happened, I had a vision that the tallest wave was a row of navy blue stallions with white mains and tails charging at us.
"Oh boy!" I would shout and bridge myself up on my hands and feet. I knew we were going to get wet. There was no mistaking it.
Whoosh! The waves came at us from all directions, and lapped from behind. We squealed, shouted and... got soaked.
Only twice in one hour. The rest just missed us, and most of them were not a threat. Haha. It was not a passive wave-watching experience. We had to pay attention.
We finally got so wet (and I was the only one to admit I was cold), that I made him abandon his post. I had to start moving or parts of me would go numb. I bet he secretly had the same problem. His jaw was quivering.
We hiked the north shore for a bit, then I got us onto the south shore.
It was glorious. Calm and sunny.
After the last week, those words are not to be taken for granted. Calm and sunny felt like another planet -- or an impossibility just hours (and days) before.
But we found it. It really makes the soul relax. I can still remember how wonderful it felt.
B liked it too. He knew his pants were wet, and he was starting to admit that we should head back... after he found a tiny beach to throw rocks at. Ha! I hiked a few out-and-backs while he threw.
I will leave you with one more picture of the wild lake. The color of the waves in the sun was such a rare treat.
Enjoy. And have a wonderful day!