Outer Island Articles

Discover the Park – Islands

Tongues in trees: Celebrating National Poetry Month

Tongues in trees: Celebrating National Poetry Month

In Act 1, Scene 2 of his famous play “As You Like It” William Shakespeare wrote “And this our life, exempt from public haunt, finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, sermons in stones, and good in everything.”  Shakespeare never visited Lake Superior or the Apostle Islands, but if he had, he would have certainly found “good in everything” in these islands as well as heard the poetry in this place. The summer wind strumming the waves, the slow repeating verse of the surf, birdsong in the bogs at sunrise. There is a beauty in these islands that speaks to the poet’s soul, and...

Lakeshore Logbook – Dave Chesky

Lakeshore Logbook – Dave Chesky

As part of our 50th Anniversary celebration, we are collecting and sharing the stories of people connected to the islands, whether they are park guests, former residents or former park employees. This is the 20th in our series called “Lakeshore Logbook,” a collection of memories provided by former National Park Service employees. Living and working in the park on a day to day basis, they’ve experienced a lot to be sure. We hope you enjoy their perspectives. Dave Chesky worked as a Seasonal Park Ranger GS-5, during the 1978 and 1979 seasons. What is the coolest thing you did in Apostle...

Scientists discover tiny new species on Outer Island

Scientists discover tiny new species on Outer Island

You'll never see it without a microscope but a newly-documented species calls Outer Island home. And it's named for a retired water quality specialist from the Great Lakes Inventory and Monitoring Network division of the National Park Service. We're talking about a microscopic species of algae, Semiorbis eliasiae, named after Joan Elias, of the Great Lakes Network. These diatoms have ornate cell walls made of opaline silica, or biologically-produced glass. When the diatoms die, these skeleton-like fragments settle to the bottom of shallow lagoons, including a lagoon on Outer Island, in the...

Friends of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore receives new capacity building grant from National Park Foundation

Friends of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore receives new capacity building grant from National Park Foundation

BAYFIELD, Wis.  Friends of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore is one of 36 park partner organizations to receive a Strong Parks, Strong Communities capacity building grant from the National Park Foundation, the official nonprofit partner to the National Park Service. This grant will enable Friends to facilitate a community-wide effort that acknowledges the important role local businesses, organizations, schools, nonprofits, tribes and individuals have in stewarding this park’s future. Lynne Dominy (NPS photo)   “The economy of the local area is closely tied to the integrity of its...

Where in the park is Neil? The week 4 answer is Outer Island

Where in the park is Neil? The week 4 answer is Outer Island

As part of the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, we’re going on a virtual tour with Neil Howk, a man who has spent decades exploring the islands and teaching people about what makes them special. He knows the islands like the back of his hand. At the fourth stop on our digital tour, Neil is at the fog building on Outer Island. Outer Island is the easternmost, northernmost and largest island in the National Lakeshore, in the at 47.0478° N, 90.4330° W. Many light stations included steam whistles or horns to warn mariners of danger when the lights...