Sea Caves Articles

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“Why I support the Meyers Beach accessible ramp may surprise you.” Public comment period ends May 12th

“Why I support the Meyers Beach accessible ramp may surprise you.” Public comment period ends May 12th

An unseen patch of late-winter black ice changed my life in an instant. My feet took flight as I went airborne. I landed on my side with a bone-shattering thud, a shout and a groan. In that instant, I became something I never expected. I became physically disabled. During many months of recovery, I experienced varying degrees of mobility challenges. I learned to use a wheelchair. A walker. Then a cane. I also felt what it’s like to require help from others for even the most-basic tasks. This accident taught me a valuable lesson: We are all an instant away… whether by accident, by illness or...

Holiday Weekend Delivers Typically Atypical Island Adventures

Holiday Weekend Delivers Typically Atypical Island Adventures

We have all heard the term “multi use park’’ but only the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore could deliver the wide range of experiences park visitors experienced over the long holiday weekend. We may try to plan our visits across the water but in the Apostle Islands, it’s the wind and waves that determine time and destiny. Some call it “wayfaring.” If you were a sailor, Friday’s 25-30 knot winds out of the southwest tested skill levels and rewarded those who chose the lee side of an island to change sails. Likewise, a quiet bay was a welcome anchorage.Sailor Erica Peterson works the...

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 – Jim Feldman

Lakeshore Logbook – Jim Feldman

Jim Feldman 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 23rd 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. Jim Feldman served as a seasonal interpreter, stationed at Raspberry Island lighthouse in 1999 and for a couple of weeks in...

Lakeshore Logbook – Jason Johnson

Lakeshore Logbook – Jason Johnson

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 tenth 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. Jason Johnson worked as a park ranger in the protection division starting in 2005. What is the coolest thing you did in Apostle Islands...

Lakeshore Logbook – Jeff Rennicke

Lakeshore Logbook – Jeff Rennicke

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. Jeff Rennicke This is the eighth 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. Jeff Rennicke worked as an interpretive ranger in 2004 and as a volunteer lighthouse keeper.  He played an important...

Investing in local beauty and history: “Friends” passes fundraising milestone for Apostle Islands

Investing in local beauty and history: “Friends” passes fundraising milestone for Apostle Islands

It’s been called the best idea we’ve ever had.  Our system of National Parks, begun with Yellowstone nearly a century after our country’s creation, is as treasured today as any of our most valued American institutions.  Yet the long-term preservation of these special places today is proving more challenging than their legislative creation.  That is why a recent milestone reached by the Friends of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore is so significant and a cause for celebration. This non-profit organization, born and nurtured in the Chequamegon Bay area, recently announced that it had...

Lakeshore Logbook – Jim Dahlstrom

Lakeshore Logbook – Jim Dahlstrom

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 fifth 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. Jim Dahlstrom served as a Protection Ranger at Little Sand Bay during his time at the Apostle islands National Lakeshore, from October...

Apostle Islands ice caves remain closed

Apostle Islands ice caves remain closed

BAYFIELD, WISCONSIN (National Park Service) – Public access to the mainland ice caves in Apostle Islands National Lakeshore remain closed due to unstable ice conditions. As recently as February 4, there was open water at the caves, and ice cover on Lake Superior was at record lows. In spite of the recent cold temperatures, most of Lake Superior remains open water and the ice that has formed near the caves is unstable, jagged, and rough, creating high risk conditions. “Ice at the caves is so unstable and jagged that it will not allow safe access by rescue teams using snowmobiles," said Chief...