Lake Superior Aquaman

I teamed up with Padma Yoga teacher Emily Ostos to make this. Stand Up Paddleboard supplied by Duluth SUP.

I met Dozer and his owner Ian yesterday at Duluth’s epic rock beach, the Ledges. Ian’s buddy was also named Ian, and in addition to jumping off rocks as shown, he instagrams here @ILVisuals. Dozer was remarkable for his enthusiasm for swimming and for biting waves.

Not much happened for 45 minutes at 15+ feet deep, but I did get this. Going back today! This is the area shown in this video where there is a channel between two giant boulders. I wedged the camera-on-a-stick between some rocks and left it there. Lots of boat traffic not too far away and that is the noise you hear. Fish Cam pt. 1 here.

My favorite tree in Duluth hangs right over the lake at the water’s edge, down below Leif Erikson Park. It’s a great place to bring a cup of coffee and get some living done.

The sequel.

Finally got that merganser footage! These are juvenile Common Mergansers, diving waterfowl. They were with an adult with a red head and darker feathers. [Video stills here.] (more…)

I saw a family of mergansers diving in shallow water (~18 inches deep) by these rocks where I’d seen little fish before. After the birds had gone, I set my camera down there for an hour and 40 minutes in three different locations. Here I have condensed all the fish that swam by = three minutes of footage. If you wonder what mergansers eat, this is like a drive-thru restaurant for them. I would appreciate any help with identifications, there are at least 4-5 species represented.

Responding to a comment about how some of the fish seem curious about the camera, part of the reason may be it is simply blocking their way. This area of interspersed boulders is a maze-like bunch of trails for them to zoom around in all day. To keep my camera from floating, I had to pile rocks on top of it, essentially blocking one of their thoroughfares. Several fish come up to it in transit and squeeze over top of it or around, others turn back and go the way they came, adjusting their regular routes.

Lastly I will add that several times, pairs of fish (I don’t know what kind they are) seem to be playing. I think these may be the same pairs each time they appear. I have named the most prominent ones Herbert and Gerbert.

Magical Duluth.

2014

I shot this a few weeks ago at the height of Duluth’s urban guerilla ice-skating craze.

Nature Enthusiast Capturing Unique Views of Lake Superior

Footage from the icy shallows of January.

I would NOT do this further up the trail where there are sheer drops.

Abandoned car on the train tracks by the Lakewalk — just beneath Lake Place Ice Skating Rink Park.