Good Folks in Grand Marais

As a Minnesotan born and raised, it’s tough to admit Grand Marais MI is better than Grand Marais MN. But it just is.

Friends and family traveled to visit, bringing homemade blueberry pie and supplies. I enjoyed a day with my twin brother who’d driven through the night in between work shifts and kid duty so he could be a small part of the adventure.

Folks started popping by with food looking to chat. I shared my site with an instructor from GLSK Symposium who had come with his daughter to surf. He gave me some foam to improve the fit of the boat and then saved my life.

Without light pollution other than bonfires, the night sky glowed with stars and streaked with northern lights.

The lake hinted at its true power. A windstorm was forecast when I’d wanted to leave. In my usual insanely stubborn thinking, this was only my next challenge. The instructor pleaded with me to reconsider. I hated having to sit and wait, but it was the right choice. We guessed the waves reached over 8.

The day I left the waves were still high. As I made my way across the harbor, I joked with a rec boater gawking at me that I might be coming right back again. Waves spilled into the harbor over the pilings and rocks. In the channel they slammed the breakwall and ricocheted, folding over onto themselves and doubling into colossal mountains of water. I went straight down the center. Waves attacking from both sides, picking me up and flinging me around as if I were a toddler with his favorite uncle. Looking down the waves into troughs so deep they revealed the lakebed below, I kept loose and flexible. It was disorienting and exhilarating. Gripped with euphoria, I started laughing uncontrollably at the opportunity to wrestle a little with the great Gitchee Gumee.

July 28-August 12, 2023

Route Map - Munising to Grand Marais