LIFE GOES ON!

Offloading routine of dredge spoils  began shortly before sunup.  On its second
round of the morning, this truck receives a 5-cu.yd. deposit.  

Detroit Harbor, Washington Island -

Winds went down, as did the temperature.   Two ferries loaded at the same time for an 8 a.m. Island departure.  Slightly more traffic was scheduled to leave the island than to come in.  Freight carts and a chock-full mail truck were expected with the incoming traffic.

At the Potato Dock, trucks started hauling early.  Roads were heavily sanded by the Town in most slick stretches.  The dock approaches that softened in the rain and slush, set up nicely at 21 degrees.  The material barge had an ice crust, but the volume of muck, although stiffer this morning, was easily scraped and deposited in truck boxes.  A total of 105 truckloads have been hauled so far, which represents approximately 1110 cu. yds., or about 1/8 of the total required to provide sufficient depth for ferry maneuvering.   Yardage per truck increased slightly this morning with thicker material easier to haul, less prone to slopping over the edges of the truck box.

Wednesday morning, we're anticipating an excavator to be ferried to the island. This machine will reduce the hard spots the crane bucket can't get.

Routines continue

Ferry travel got back on track, too, this morning.  Evidently, Islanders were looking forward to the future, to Christmas, visiting with relatives and so forth, as if they never heard of the Mayan Calendar.  And tomorrow, we expect Green Bay will defeat Tennessee at Lambeau Field, keeping their train on track for the NFL playoffs.

Several readers inquired about the location of the Potato Dock in relation to the ferry dock, and so I added an aerial photo from the Washington Island Canoe & Kayak website, where you'll find many more excellent aerials of the Island shoreline.

Have a great weekend!     -  Dick Purinton

Washington unloaded backlogged traffic,
Saturday, 9:35 a.m. 

Appendage (upper left) is Potato Dock.  The northwest tip of
Detroit Island is in foreground.

Potato Dock - Dredging a second barge load, 4:15 Thursday afternoon.

Detroit Harbor, Washington Island -

Snowfall amounts were hard to measure this morning because of the wetness from rain and sleet.  Snowfall following the rain was compacted.   I estimated a slushy covering of perhaps 4-5 inches deep.  Temperatures this morning were still above 30 degrees, so it was easy to remove the mess from streets and sidewalks.  Washington Island, according to the weather radar, was in a region near northern Lake Michigan that was free from moisture as of 7 pm, and there was little to no accumulation after that. Quite a different story further south in state, we understand.

Several logs came up with the muck, maybe
old pier timbers? 

Dredging continued through Thursday afternoon, the 20th, concentrating in areas where decent production could be achieved.  Trucking commenced at 7 am today.  Roads had been cleared by Town plows by that time.   The material barge was clean by approximately 10:30 am, and then digging resumed.

In order to achieve removal of several high spots within the designated area for dredging, consisting of hardpan (stone, clay) that the crane's bucket can't bite into, a test dig was made with Tom Jordan's small excavator.  Based on Jordan's ability to rip into the hard crust, Roen is attempting to locate a larger excavator.  Weather has to calm considerably, as that heavy excavator will be loaded directly on to the contractor's construction barge from the Northport dock.

Dumping spoils at the Hagen gravel pit.

At the Hagen pit, off Michigan Road, trucks dumped their loads of black, mucky material over the bank, where it was further cleaned up and spread with a small loader.  The off-load was completed in just under three hours.

Today is mostly a day for clean-up of snow and slush, in anticipation of a better day tomorrow.  At the Island Schools, at least in the elementary wing, students are enjoying a pre-Christmas celebration.  School lets out at noon and the Christmas holidays begin for staff and students.

Joel Gunnlaugsson, ferry captain,
operated loader.

-  Dick Purinton  

11:00 am, Friday - test digging over hard spot.

AN AFTERNOON POSTING

Detroit Harbor, Washington Island -

Rain changed over to snow as the air temperature fell. As predicted, the wind picked up speed about noon today, and wet snow began to accumulate.  Thursday's afternoon ferries were cancelled.

Out at the Potato Dock, dredging is still on the slow side, but there is production.  Hard spots have been passed by, for now, in favor of digging as much volume as possible in time available.

There won't be more hauling of spoils from the site until road conditions improve, so Roen's crew will spend this night keeping an eye on their equipment.

There have been a few spectators, among them Magnus, Aidan and their dad, Hoyt Purinton, looking on as the crane's bucket brought another mucky load to the surface.  Aidan is sporting a new look since Saturday when, he said, his brother Magnus sat on his head.  That action took out one tooth and loosened the other, to where it dangled.  His mom removed that one to complete the symmetry.   We suspect the pair might have been ready to go soon without the extra help, but now he's all set for those permanent teeth to grow in.  A classic look for Christmas, we reminded him.    -  Dick Purinton

Although visibility was still quite good, snow began to fly by 2:30 pm
when this photo was taken.   The heavy rains of morning, plus wet snow,
made a slushy mess of roads.   Island plows were out to
scrape the mess before more serious snow
amounts fell.

 

DREDGING, DEPTHS AND STORM WARNINGS

Roen construction barge and material barge,
4:30 pm, Wednesday Dec. 19
filling the first barge load of spoils.

Detroit Harbor, Washington Island -

With what could be described as one of the most perfect days of the year - calm, sunny, mild - Roen Salvage arrived shortly after noon Wednesday at the Potato Dock location after a tow of equipment from Egg Harbor that began early the evening before.

Potato Dock operations began
with perfect weather Wednesday.

Dredging operations began with the first bucket scraping hardpan around 1:30 pm, and there was very slow progress in the first several hours, despite digging with several different styles of buckets.  Barges were repositioned shoreward, where bottom material was somewhat softer, and better progress was made, roughly 350 cubic yards by 9 pm.   By that time the barge had settled under its load so that maneuvering depths were near zero.

At 7 am this Thursday morning, unloading began as five dump trucks owned by Island contractors lined up to begin hauling.   It is hoped this first barge load of many can be off-loaded in time to start on a second barge, prior to the impending, predicted storm.  (Rich Ellefson, coordinating trucks at the Potato Dock, reported 38 truckloads @ 10 yds. per truck to empty the barge.  Digging has commenced once again.)

Offloading this morning, 9 am, Thursday.

 This entire dredging exercise, just this phase, could take easily a week or more, and it's dependent upon cooperative conditions for wind, sea and air temperature.  If it becomes too cold, for an extended period, Roen's equipment will have to return to Sturgeon Bay, where it will be wintered.

Contractor Mike Kahr is also anticipated to be available soon, and both the Northport dock and the toughest areas to dig around the Potato Dock may be left for his excavator and hydraulic hammer.  His equipment takes a smaller bite, which means it takes longer to dig an area, but for the toughest, rockiest bottom areas it may be the only solution.

As of 9:00 am this morning, winds were between 15-20 mph, easterly, and the air temperature was 35 degrees.  Still good for our ferry trips and not a problem for the dredge.

However, since that time heavy rains began to change over to sleet, and wind gusts have increased to 30 mph as the wind direction shifted to NE.  Velocities are expected to increase to 45-50 kt. by late afternoon, according to the NOAA marine weather forecast.  Most commercial ships have either stayed in port, or they are currently heading to safe harbor at this time.  Snow began to fall farther south, already 7 inches in Madison, 4.5 inches in Wausau, and so forth, but here on the Island and along the lakeshore, temperatures have given us (much welcomed) moisture in the form of heavy rains.

Now, as of 11:15 am, sleet appears to be changing over to snow.  

Our plan is to run this last ferry trip of the morning, then suspend ferry service until after the storm winds have passed - which could be at some point Saturday morning.  No way of knowing for sure, at this point, but all forecasts indicate both high winds and lower temperatures, so that even 30-kt. winds, manageable back in October and November, would cause heavy build-up of ice on deck.  We will avoid that, and the low visibility predicted with blizzard-like conditions.

-  Dick Purinton

IN THE ARCHIVES

Archivist Janet Berggren described
materials found in the Archives to
Aidan Purinton (center) and Atlas Beneda.

Detroit Harbor, Washington Island -

This morning, let's take a short break from talk of low water, dredging and winter storms to visit the Archives.

Last week I escorted grandsons Atlas and Aidan to the Archives where they met Janet Berggren, Archivist.   Atlas asked me as we walked to the Community Center, "What do they have in there, anyway?" and I suggested that would be a good question to start with once we were inside.

Aidan was particularly interested in a photo Janet had displayed on the Archives page several weeks ago in the Island Observer, that showed a dozen ladies, both seated and standing, from a century or more ago.  They all wore grim expressions in addition to their dark dresses as they posed for the camera.  In accompanying text, Janet asked if readers could identify the photo, or any of the ladies shown.  (She received at least one reader's response, that the photo showed a relative, and it was of the Detroit Harbor Ladies Aid Society, perhaps even the organization's charter group.

For some reason, Aidan thought the photo in the paper looked familiar, and he wanted to see the original.  Janet also made a copy of the photo for him to take home and study.

Janet gave the boys a quick tour of the vaults where photos and documents are maintained, and she opened one folder entitled, "Island Children."  Ih held, among the many photos, one of the boys' grandmother, Mary Jo, and her sisters.  Neither grandson recognized the three-year-old, considering the year it was taken.

Atlas was impressed that there were files on Island homes, of the home owners and properties, some with photos, and this might lead to a future visit as he researches his own home.

Looking up each boy's name in the computer master files, Janet found entries for each from when they participated in events or organizations that were featured in the Island paper, and consequently added to the Master File.

I appreciated the fact each boy was interested enough to want to return to the Archives some day soon, each with an idea of what they wished to find there.  Volunteers who work in the Archives often comment on how hard it is to accomplish their volunteer work when they're continually diverted by interesting photos or news items.  The amount of information contained within the Archives is never complete, and more historical documents are donated every week.

Sifting through Archives files can provide entertainment for interested visitors of all ages.
-  Dick Purinton

CHRISTMAS WISHES

Two log trucks were loaded aboard the Washington
this morning.  Water conditions and air temperature were
ideal for mid-December.

Detroit Harbor, Washington Island, Wisconsin -

We've narrowed down our Christmas wish list to these:
 Completion of necessary dredging before freeze-up, and the addition of moisture for the lake.

Roen Salvage, a marine construction company based in Sturgeon Bay, is expected to be here Wednesday to begin dredging at the Potato Dock.  With a large bucket and what we think is relatively easy digging, a good part of that project could be completed by the close of Sunday.  All available island contractor trucks will be utilized to haul spoils from the Potato Dock.

One complication:  the currently mild and calm conditions are forecast to quickly change Wednesday evening.  By Thursday, six to eight inches of snow and gale force winds from the NE are slated to hit this area, with winds then backing to the NW and temperatures cooling down as the low pressure is replaced with a high pressure system.  Friday will still be windy, but of even more concern for ferry travel on lumpy seas will be temperatures that might not get above the low 20s, icing decks and making it difficult to haul dredging spoils.  Also, contractor Roen wants to ensure their tug and barge are back in Sturgeon Bay prior to icing in the ship canal.  We hope they can complete their work here before the New Year's.

Mike Kahr, who with his barge and excavator is presently working in Fish Creek, is scheduled to dig around the end of the Northport dock.  When the Northport's work is concluded, he'll push his barge to the Island and continue working here until cold weather stops his dredging operations.  Kahr's equipment will remain here over winter, and if there is a warm-up during the winter, more dredging may be accomplished during that time.  There is much work to be done.

Yesterday Roen's survey boat recorded bottom depths in Detroit Harbor in the areas we intend to dredge.  Several spots were found that are alarmingly high - and not just for the Arni J. Richter, but the other ferries as well.  The lake level was (-17") yesterday, meaning a supposed 12' 7" depth of water remaining in the dredged channel.  (This level could drop another six inches with gale winds from the north.)   High spots were also found in maneuvering areas adjacent to the channel and near the service pier.  These need to be removed to ensure safe navigation near our island docks, despite the fact we are dedicated to operating the Arni J. Richter from the Potato Dock this winter.

Heavy and long semi trucks - any large trucks for that matter - should be ferried now given the uncertainty of the needed dredging.  Waiting until January in hopes conditions will allow carriage of a semi could bring disappointment.

We encourage shippers by truck to transport by ferry now, while it is easier to do so, rather than wait. To provide incentive for trucks carried in the next several weeks, before ice requires use of the Potato Dock, the Ferry Line will suspend until January 3rd the published Winter Tariff rates.  (Winter Truck Rates were scheduled to take effect December 21st.)

  And what gifts do we offer?

A continuation of uninterrupted service, normally a given, this year becomes a difficult stocking to fill.

The Ferry Line Board of Directors in late November approved "no changes" to the ferry tariff for the coming 2013 year.

But in a manner of speaking, we are proceeding using the "lay-away plan." We'll keep ferries, people, vehicles and freight moving across the water as best we can, with optimism that island traffic levels will be strong during the coming year.  Dredging, always an expense and of no perceptible benefit to the average ferry customer, requires a commitment of current and future assets.

So, let's collectively lay our finger alongside our nose in hopes that Santa will be here on Christmas Eve, generous and good-humored with his gifts.

-  Dick Purinton

A FRIDAY REPORT

Bench on Gills Rock ferry dock.   (Purinton photo)

Washington Island, Wisconsin -

Weather this time of year swings between snow and freezing cold, bright sunshine and clouds, wind and calm.   Of course, the general trend is cooler, both by day and night.   One week ago, Friday Nov. 23, heavy water, solid at times, flew over the pier and nearby buildings in gale force winds.   Ice formations were left behind as the temperature dropped and winds diminished.  (Before that, everything within 75 feet of the sheet piling was awash.)

This is also the time of year when many birds have begun their southward migration.   We're not exactly sure why this peregrine falcon chose to rest near the ferry terminal on Washington Island.  Sightings are not uncommon to Wisconsin, but on the other hand, the presence of such a bird was an event.  The photo below was taken by Margaret Young with a telephoto lens during the noon hour, Monday the 26th, after the bird was first spotted sitting high in the cottonwood tree south of the ferry terminal by Bill Jorgenson.  (I also took photos, but I didn't have the lens power of Margaret's camera.)

Peregrine falcon. (Margaret Young photo)

An avid birder, Margaret said this was her first peregrine falcon sighting on Washington Island.  She also sent along a shot of two eagles perched in a tree in the Bayou area, with one displaying a more complete set of white tail feathers than the other. (I saw these same two birds circle overhead earlier today as I looked out my home window.)

The annual December Washington Island bird count will take place Friday, December 14th, at which time sightings of all birds will be recorded by birders who actively spend their day spotting and counting various birds.  Counts are made in the outdoors as well as from kitchen windows overlooking hedges and feeders, and they will include several days prior to and after this calendar date, as I understand it.  Contact Sandy Peterson if you'd like to participate and contribute your sightings.

Bald eagles in Detroit Harbor. (Margaret Young photo)

More on Low Water 

Water levels were perhaps more serious than I had first believed, as I had expressed in my blog of Monday, November 26th.

I was reminded that our lake level as of Monday was measured at -21" from the Low Water Datum benchmark.   This would mean that, given the -14 ft. LWD charted depth in the Detroit Harbor channel, our operating depth on Monday would have been 12'3".    Since our winter ferry draws slightly over 11 ft. loaded, and more "squat" when power is added, this means roughly one foot of water to play with under keel, hardly enough to feel comfortable when operating the Arni J. Richter in the channel.  The Army Corps predicts perhaps another 5 inches of loss could be measured before we get into mid-January.

It is for that reason the work has been done at the Potato Dock in preparation for its use.  Our crews loaded a heavy semi truck driven by Paul Novak over the bow of the Eyrarbakki on the 27th (Tuesday).   This was a trial run to see if there was sufficient room to swing the truck in line for loading, and also to determine if the height of ramp would prove workable.  This exercise went well.  However, it needs to be said that the stern of the Eyrarbakki was but a few feet from a shoal area.  In order to safely perform this maneuver with the longer hull of the Arni J. Richter once ice is in the vicinity, an area dredged to maneuvering depth (at least -15 ft.), outward 100 feet or more from the pier face will be needed.  

That is why, until dredging is accomplished, we are anticipating the Arni J. will have to load from the side ramp only.   Remember, this is the scenario only when there is ice and the Arni J. Richter is the ferry that must be used.   Warm weather in December and early January could extend the period of operation for both the Eyrarbakki and Washington, allowing more time for this area to be dredged.

In the photo below, Rich Ellefson, Jim Hanson and Con McDonald complete grading after burying an electrical conduit in the dock.  When connected, this line will bring electrical power to the hydraulic lift mechanism at the adjustable ramp, as well as power for lighting and other uses.  The pier in general and the approaches to this ramp were graded and graveled during the past four days, creating a smoother surface for autos.

There is no getting around the fact this pier will be used during the coming winter. The question becomes, how soon will that shift take place, and when the move is made from the normal ferry landings near the terminal building, what loading options will be available?

-  Dick Purinton

LATE NOVEMBER

EYRARBAKKI headed toward Northport Friday afternoon, Nov. 23rd,
with lake freighter on the horizon.
Jim Rose photo.

Washington Island, Wisconsin -

We received our first snowfall of the season Saturday night, a couple of inches.  It was the first measurable snowfall since early last March, according to the Channel 5 meteorologist.   A cold air mass followed on the low pressure cell that produced strong westerly winds Friday and Saturday.

Friday's trips became more difficult as seas in the Door approached 8-10 feet, short and steep.  The day's last round trip was cancelled as a result.  Shown above is a photo taken by ticket seller Jim Rose from the Northport dock, around 3 pm.   This is what Jim wrote:

     The gales of November are not just part of the lyrics to a song, but were a real occurrence on Friday, November 23rd.  The Washington Island Ferry Line provided service all day, but was forced to cancel just the last trip of the day.  Winds at Northport were recorded as high as 32 knots, with 44 knot gusts, on that day.  In terms of miles per hour, that is about 35 and 50 mph.  Info from the Northport NOAA weather station may be accessed on line at:
http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=npdw3
Photos show the spray over the breakwall, and the Eyrarbakki heading toward Northport, with Pilot Island in the background, and a lake freighter off in the distance. 

The high winds depleted water from the shallows of Detroit Harbor once again, with a measurement Saturday morning indicating we reached a new low, even if it is temporary record.   Water levels in Detroit Harbor are now at their lowest point, with several weeks before the time in early January when the annual low is often recorded.

This puts the channel depth now at something like 13 feet, or only two feet of water beneath the Arni J. Richter's keel in a loaded condition.  This is one reason the Arni J. Richter won't be used until ice enroute makes it our only choice.   This morning our crew made a dry run using the side ramp of the AJR at the Potato Dock to determine if levels will work for autos and short trucks.  A shoal area about 50 feet north of and parallel to the pier must be dredged before we dare place the ferry bow-in to shore. (And the stern ramp is already too low for loading.)  Dredging arrangements are being made, and the WDNR expedited our permit application for this project.   We hope to have our marine contractor here within a few weeks to begin work.

Crew members made adjustments to the Potato Dock pier following
a trial run using the side ramp.   In foreground Rich Ellefson
smooths gravel.  At midships, Jim Hanson cuts a piece of steel.
Near the stern, Ken Berggren and Con McDonald adjust the
height of a tire.  (Purinton photo)

 As long as its feasible we'll use the Eyrarbakki, which draws less water.  But this ferry can't tolerate ice navigation.   It could well be that side loading, the only way to load the former winter ferry, C. G. Richter, will once again become a regular winter feature.  Both numbers and size of vehicles that can be carried would be affected.

Among the impacts to be realized by shifting to the Potato Dock and the use of side loading:  Trucks over 30 feet in length could not be carried due to their length.   There would be no possibility, with side loading, to load or unload a vehicle such as long as a semi.

In preparation for the very real prospect that ferry operations could well shift to the Potato Dock for part, or most, of this coming winter, operating guidelines are being developed to meet passenger, vehicle and freight logistics from that location.

In the final photos (also by Jim Rose) heavy and oversize equipment is featured.  We transported the Gersek Construction gravel crushing equipment from the island days prior to the opening weekend of hunting (approximately Nov. 15-16).  The crusher represents one of the heaviest, most concentrated loads we carry, at approximately 100,000 lbs.  

Crusher/screening plant backing from the AJR foredeck.  (Jim Rose photo)

The only way this unit could be loaded was to drive the tractor beneath the Arni J. Richter's wheelhouse, entering over the bow, where the greatest freeboard, or height above water, is found.  At Northport, the rig was then backed from the foredeck to the dock.  This ramp that was installed a few years ago at the end of the Northport pier has a lower height and an incline more gradual than any of the others.   A long conveyor was also ferried to Northport on the Eyrarbakki deck.

These loads represented two extremes of concentrated weight and dimension.   Their transport was at the limits of what is currently possible, given water levels.

Elevator takes up deck space, and then some.
(Jim Rose photo)

-  Dick Purinton

DEATH'S DOOR AT NIGHT

Paula's view across Porte des Morts Tuesday evening.

Washington Island and Northport -

Paula Hedeen, a Northport neighbor who lives a short distance to the west of that mainland ferry dock, has a vigilant eye, an excellent camera and lens, and stays up late enough in the evening to observe and capture northern lights.   With the expanse of water and Washington Island lights in the background, Plum Island's red rear range light, and the distant glow of Escanaba's lights some 30 miles in the distance, its a scene very few have a chance to observe.

In the progression of photos an isolated white light begins west of Washington Island, getting slightly larger over time.    It turned out to be an ore carrier on a southerly course from Escanaba, and without time to set her camera back on the tripod Paula was able to photograph the ship and the northern lights.  Very nicely done!

She's been generous enough to share a few of her photos in this blog.

Although it's closed for the season now, several of her northern lights enlargements taken a year ago were displayed on the wall behind the customer counter.   Paula's work is not exhibited in a gallery, but if anyone wishes to obtain one of her northern lights prints or cards,  I would be happy to relay your wishes to her.

-  Dick Purinton

KARFI PURCHASED BY FERRY LINE

Karfi hauled hikers, day visitors, overnight
campers and their gear to Rock Island State Park
each summer since 1967.

Washington Island, Wisconsin -

KARFI HAS NEW OWNER

Washington Island Ferry Line, Inc. president Hoyt Purinton announced the purchase of the Karfi from Jeff Cornell of Washington Island in the late afternoon, Wednesday, November 14, 2012.

The Karfi is a 36-foot steel vessel built in Escanaba in 1967 to ferry campers, hikers and day visitors between Jackson Harbor, Washington Island, and Rock Island State Park.  During each of the past 46 summers the Karfi was operated by members of the Cornell family.

  

The Karfi was originally constructed for Jim Cornell, a former Washington Island commercial fisherman.  At age 67, in 1981, Jim sold the Karfi operation to his son, Jack, who then operated it for the next 20 years.  In 2002, Jack sold the vessel to his son, Jeff Cornell.   Jeff had crewed for both his grandfather Jim and his father as a youngster, starting at age 12. 

Jeff operated Washington Island Ferry Line vessels as a captain from 1989 through 1999.  He then operated the WDNR fisheries research vessel Barney Devine for several years prior to purchasing the Karfi.  He will rejoin Washington Island Ferry Line in the spring of 2013 as ferry captain on the Northport ferry route.

Cornell said that although he enjoys piloting the Karfi’s daily trips to Rock Island, he’s also looking forward to a greater variety of routes and challenges.  As one of several Ferry Line captains, he’ll be able to schedule a summer’s day off now and then, too, something he couldn’t easily do as the sole owner-operator once the Karfi's season schedule began.   However, Cornell may still pilot the Karfi at least part of the time for the Ferry Line. 

School group of campers about to disembark at
Jackson Harbor's State Park dock.

Are changes anticipated for the Rock Island State Park route now that the Karfi is no longer a Cornell family operation?

“Limited changes, if any,”  Ferry Line's president Hoyt Purinton said.

“Despite its number of seasons, the Karfi has been well maintained and is in immaculate condition.  We intend to operate the Karfi to Rock Island with the same standards for public safety and spotless vessel condition as did the Cornells, with a schedule similar to that of past years.   One new consideration may be to offer a combination ticket for both the Washington Island and Rock Island ferries, a convenient, single transaction that would also be a savings for the customer.

“The Ferry Line is looking forward to serving Rock Island State Park visitors,” Purinton said.  “Many people return every summer to hike, camp, or visit the Thordarson boathouse or the Pottawatomie Lighthouse.   As an island park, it’s one of our state’s most unique parks.  We believe there are many people who, for various reasons, have never visited Rock Island, and we’d like to reach those people and encourage them to visit.  

“At the same time, we’re also pleased to welcome back Jeff Cornell as a Ferry Line captain.  He’s familiar with our operations, and he'll fit in well.  Starting in early spring of 2013, Jeff will pilot Washington Island ferries in summer as well as winter.”                

-  Dick Purinton

VETERANS DAY

Although this photo was taken on a Washington Island Memorial Day, a
parade of pipers, Legionnaires and members of the public led
by a color guard, tomorrow's tribute is similar, but to honor all veterans.

Washington Island, Wisconsin -

For the past several weeks I've been collecting photos of Island veterans.  Some of those photos had been in the upstairs of the Legion Hall for years, but most were recently dug from photo albums or taken down from wall frames for image scanning.

Chuck and Jewell Lee Grandy have collaborated with me on this project.  They've contacted many veterans or their families, and they've also sifted through the Island Archives, searching for photos of men and women in uniform.  I think we now have well over 100 individuals represented.

As it happens, many photos were lost or misplaced and can't be found, or there were none taken of an individual to begin with.  If possible, we want photos showing the veteran in their military uniform, posed in dress uniform, or in their work uniform, or both.  They provide an interesting contrast, the young soldier or sailor compared to the image of someone we're currently familiar with now, who may be in their 60s, 70s or 80s.

Despite our best efforts (and an admittedly late start without public announcement), this Power Point project-in-the-works, despite being incomplete, will be shown on screen during this year's Veterans Day program:   Monday morning, 10:30 a.m., at the Trueblood Performing Arts Center.  Because the photos to be seen will represent only a fraction of the many veterans with a Washington Island connection, this project will continue.

As more photos come in - either emailed in digital format or as physical photos that we can scan - we'll add to this file.  Eventually, this file of photos, accompanied by names, branch of service and perhaps key enlistment dates, will be donated to the Island Archives.  Family members and researchers in future generations might find those photos to be a useful connection with their island past.

John Gay, who is a veteran and an Island summer resident, has conducted numerous interviews with island veterans during these past several years. John volunteered to participate in a Library of Congress project designed to capture the stories of as many veterans as possible.   John records his interview with each veteran using a prescribed template of questions, and then the audio record is transcribed by others.  As you can imagine, each interview takes time, including scheduling an appointment with a willing veteran.  Later, there is a follow-up to review the transcribed interview for accuracy.  These photo images recently obtained in our project will add to John's efforts, because for many veterans', especially those persons no longer living, photos might well be the only information available about their military service.  (One completed binder will go to the Library of Congress, and a second binder will go to the Island Archives.)

During the course of this photo project, I had the chance to visit with a number of veterans, and in one meeting in the Ferry Office a week ago I was introduced to Mike Kumnick of Colorado.  Mike is a Viet Nam veteran whose parents, Fred and Lou Kumnick retired to Washington Island in the 1980s.  Fred was an active American Legion member and for a time served as Post Commander.  Although Mike and I might have met briefly, years ago, it was through this blog that Mike kept in touch with the Island.

Published here is a photo of Mike's father, Fred Kumnick, U. S. Army, WWII.

In order to make our file more complete, please consider allowing Chuck Grandy, or myself at the Ferry Line office, to scan your military photo, or one of an Island veteran in your family.  The scanning process takes about five minutes, and you keep the original.

-  Dick Purinton

Note:  About one week ago I had difficulty with my password to access this blog site, and with no clue to overcome this, I waited for help.  Coincidentally, in an unrelated error of movement my irresponsible forefinger, I eliminated my entire photo file in one "Poof."    My hope for help rested in Chris Haertig, who with his expecting wife Megan, had left for Sturgeon Bay in anticipation of their second child.  They have since become parents to Gideon Joseph.  When Chris returned, he restored my photos from the trash and fixed my password problem, which put me happily back in business.

Island CTA representatives off on a lark last Wednesday:   Jim Rose,
Christy Davidson, Bill Nauta,  Dick Purinton, Mary Andersen,
(in front) Carol Stayton and Ann Rose.

Washington Island, Wisconsin -

The sun was trying hard to shine Wednesday morning when the above photo was taken in front of the Visitor Center.  By noon clouds had filled in and rain began to fall.  We've seen lots of clouds and rain recently, with much cooler temperatures.   Still, we're happy to receive the moisture, and it comes without hurricane-force winds experienced in the northeast.

The purpose of Wednesday's adventures was to familiarize ourselves with businesses and attractions in Door County, to be better Tourism Ambassadors by absorbing "ongoing education." This also leads into the annual CTA re-certification.  The CTA moniker means "Certified Tourism Ambassador." When a visitor center at Norhtport was developed two years, the Ferry Line and the Island Chamber of Commerce decided training might be a good thing, through instilling a consistent and professional manner in which we can apply our knowledge of Door County when serving visitors.  Members of the group shown above work in the Northport Visitor Center, but two are also Ferry Line ticket sales people.   Each of them makes thousands of contacts with visitors in a few months' time.  (There were also several others who were unable to make the trip with us.)

The Tourism Ambassador program, a national program, was brought to Door County by the Door County Visitor Bureau.   Short, four-hour classes are designed to give workers in the local tourism industry a framework for behavior and attitude when serving customers.  An important benefit, in my opinion, comes from the added emphasis on being well-versed, not only in Washington Island information, but for other parts of Door County.   And if the many other Door County CTAs are equally well-rounded, they will be knowledgeable in northern Door and Washington Island information, too.   This concept recognizes the need to be supportive of the Door County Tourism as a whole, large and small businesses and attractions.

Bob Purman gave a short course in the production of
hard cider at his Ellison Bay facility.

Our first stop Wednesday was at Bob and Yannique Purman's ISLAND ORCHARD brand hard cider production plant and tasting room.  Apple varieties known to be superior for making hard cider are grown on Washington Island, then crushed by the Seaquist Orchard press.   Juice is then made into hard cider, currently four different cider products, with at least a six-month fermentation period.  All but a few cases of this year's harvest were left at the plant, but more juice was expected the following day, along with a shipment of yeast.  Hard cider is a labor of love for the Purman's.  While their product has met with solid success thus far in a limited market, their initial investments in land, orchard, equipment, buildings, machinery and in the labor to produce the hard cider product has yet to be offset by revenues.   Their product is an excellent one, our taste testing told us, and it highlights Door County and Washington Island.  Besides it provides additional income for local labor (including Dan Nerenhausen's crew who tends the orchard, helps pick apples, etc.)

Stop #2 was Evergreen School, and we were hosted by its imaginative and creative owner, Karin Overbeck. The visual experience is so unexpected for the first-time visitor that it is impossible to properly describe it here in one, short paragraph.

Our group posed with Karin Overbeck (red vest)in one of her many garden areas on the Evergreen School grounds, 
on County TT east of Sturgeon Bay. 
Karin's combination of artwork and plantings is more than
can be aptly described here in a paragraph.
  

Our third major stop was the Door County Historical Museum, a gem of a museum right under our nose, so-to-speak.

How many times have we driven past the limestone building on the corner of 4th and Michigan in Sturgeon Bay without noticing it, on our way to the post office, Younkers or the bank?

Its a terrific place to spend an hour or two (closed now for the season except for one special Christmas date in December) with no entry fees.  This facility and is funded by the taxpayers of Door County and through donations, so we ought to take advantage of it more often.  My last Door county Museum visit, I admit, was in 1979 when I borrowed the wooden ship's wheel from the original steam ferry Robert Noble.  That was when Otis Trodahl was museum curator and before a major museum remodeling took place!  They are ready for another expansion today, Maggie Weir and Ann Jinkins, informed us, with more visitors and a few large donors being the major roadblocks.

-  Dick Purinton

DETROIT HARBOR IDEAS ADVANCED

Detroit Harbor, Washington Island -

A meeting between Coast Guard and harbor users took place during the early afternoon today.

Current buoy types and locations,  limitations on buoy placement due to depth and available equipment, changes to the buoy numbering system, possible change to the entrance light lens color, and one new and different buoy location were among the items freely discussed.

One new idea proposed by the Coast Guard was renumbering in order to conform with typical, progressively numbered designations (right now several buoys have the designation "Alpha" as part of their description, usually meant as a temporary marker).  A significant proposed change would remove buoy 2A from its present location opposite the tripod, with a new nun located further south, near the start of the deep channel.  That relocation would permit the Mobile Bay and its buoy barge to install and maintain a larger sinker and a year-around, ice class buoy.   If this idea proves doable, it might lead to further refinement with a lighted buoy next season.  This new buoy would then be numbered "2," and the buoy designations of the others would be changed accordingly, ascending into the harbor in numerical order, the tripod becoming #3.

A question was posed about changing the color of the tripod light to green from present white, and this brought comments both for and against.  

But, while general consensus on many of the issues may have been reached at the table, for the present the ideas discussed remain only ideas until broader input is obtained, including a response from the command of the cutter Mobile Bay.

Slight position adjustments for the foam buoys beyond the ferry dock received input from the Shipyard's Lou Munao, whose experience reflected what seems most intuitive and useful for recreational boaters.

All ideas advanced today, of course, will be published in Notice to Mariners when they are officially adopted, and presumably they will also be open to public comment.  Meanwhile, the Detroit Harbor waterway survey is still ongoing, and anyone (but especially users of the waterway) can comment on these matters.  My personal impressions were that the Coast Guard representatives we met with today were not only completely open to suggestion, but they also proposed several excellent ideas that had not previously been posed.  Quite informal, this meeting was characterized as one of mutual respect, with interest in making the harbor safe and accessible for users.

 Representing the U. S. Coast Guard were:  two representatives, Two Rivers Aids to Navigation (responsible for foam buoys);  BM1 Ryan Beddes, Sturgeon Bay Coast Guard Station and Supervisor, Station Washington Island;  Doug Sharp, Marine Information Specialist, Aids to Navigation (Ninth District, Cleveland); and Chief Warrant Officer Jon Grob, ATON Officer (Sector Lake Michigan, Waterways Management).

Local input came from five licensed Washington Island Ferry Line operators, and from three representatives of the Shipyard Island Marina whose customers have experienced difficulty negotiating the buoy system while enroute to the marina location.

- Dick Purinton

THIS and THAT

Friday, October 19th.

Detroit Harbor, Washington Island -

It's been a rainy, gray week on the island, with temperatures consistently in the 40s, or low 50s at best.  But we're about to turn a corner, it appears, with sunshine and warmer days ahead.  Mixed with more rain, which in the scheme of things isn't all bad.  There are but two days, today and tomorrow, left with Cherry Train tours for this season.  Terri Moore has done her best to keep her passengers interested and warm, despite the dampness, and it goes to show what business might have been if skies had been sunny.  Our beautiful fall colors melted with the rain sometime in the past days, and now half of that color lies on the ground after pummeling winds. 

One qualification to the last blog:  I showed two photos of Kap's Marina's north section, which is currently very shallow.  What I failed to explain is that the entire south portion of the marina, toward the U. S. Coast Guard station, has adequate depth throughout, including the entrance, for all types of craft.  Thanks to extensive dredging last winter in preparation for the new Coast Guard vessel, including approaches to the fuel supply, no boater will have a problem in that part of the marina.  

Island Outpost receives commendation:   Our Wisconsin Assemblyman, Rep. Garey Bies, was on the island Friday morning to visit and also to present an Assembly proclamation to Jim and Debbe Anderson of the Island Outpost, in recognition for their successful 40 years in business.   A brief history of the Island Outpost appeared in the Island Observer in late summer, which recounted the use of the property by several owners for fishing, and freighting, before a shop was first opened in one portion of an old net shed by Cal Davidson.   One year later, with military service recently behind him, Jim opened up the Island Outpost, and it has been a landmark of Lobdell Point ever since.

  Rep. Bies, a U. S. Navy veteran, will be guest speaker for the annual Veteran's Day Program at the TPAC, Monday November 12th at 10:30 a.m.

From left:  Rep. Garey Bies, Jim and Debbe Anderson

What the heck? and other, similar, thoughts have run through the minds of people I've encountered since my nose surgery at the dermatologist's Thursday.   The Moh's procedure was performed, in which a thin slice of tissue is removed, then examined in the lab to determine if cells are cancerous.  After the second round, I asked the doc, "How big is it?" and he replied, "Smaller than a dime."  After the fourth, and final round, I asked again, "How's it looking?" and he said, with humor (I think), "It looks like someone stood on your nose and took a swing with a golf club."  Well, given the divot removed, it took a skin graft to fill, and with that, additional bandaging to secure the whole shebang in place, which I now wear for one week before removal.  Encounters since then have produced many humorous and expected remarks, like:  "Halloween's just around the corner", and "I'd like to see what the other guy looked like."  Personally, I think back to the Polanski movie, Chinatown, in which investigator Jack Nicholson gets his nostril sliced by a sharp knife from a tough guy, then wakes up in bed later and the camera angle shows the stitches up close, pointing toward the ceiling.   It was a classic, and I hope this nose will also return to classic form in a few week's time.

In the meantime, I had the pleasure one day later to parade my new, ridiculous face in front of a kind and attentive audience at the Clearing.  I had been invited by Norb Blei to speak for a bit on Rock Island and my current writing/history project on Thordarson.   Norbert's class had spent the previous week on various authors and sources that represented Rural Writing, and that was the point of my appearance.  (Julian Hagen visited the previous afternoon and spoke about his local, island inspiration for song lyrics.)  Anyhow, it was a pleasure to have been asked, and after the initial introduction, all eyes were on my nose - or so I thought.   Actually, it went very well, and afterward at least three people mentioned they had undergone similar treatment in the recent past, and all had emerged on the other end in good health and restored appearance.  My appreciation once again, for Norb Blei to think of me, and to extend that opportunity which caused me to organize my viewpoint on where I stand with the Thordarson project (maybe 2/3 of the way, at this point.) - Dick Purinton

Better days ahead!

 

LAKE LEVELS

Scene at Kap's Marina Friday, Oct. 12.

Detroit Harbor, Washington Island -

The Army Corps of Engineers report from the internet (which they update weekly due to general interest) shows that we are "zero" difference from the all-time recorded low water of 1964.   In other words, we're at the bottom of the recorded lake level curve, a statistic that took almost another fifty years to reach once again.

I stated in yesterday's blog that we had dropped approximately 8 inches in the several weeks I was away, and I believe that to be true, although it was based on casual observation rather than accurate readings from known benchmarks.   According to Hoyt, who used a line painted on sheet piling, the loss since September 1 has been 16 inches.   During northerly winds, which we have had of late, the levels drop more noticeably, what might be referred to as a "basin effect," where pressure of wind forces water from bays and shallows in the direction of the wind's flow (lower Michigan).

This fluctuation is serious for us, but it is all relative, of course.   If we lived where there were daily tidal movements of several feet, we would be equipped to deal with such phenomena, or would locate essential water services where there was less chance of being adversely influenced by the tides.  (Floating stages for loading are common on rivers and coasts, especially for boarding passengers;  more elaborate, longer sections of ramps are used for boarding vehicles.)

At the dinner table on our trip we visited with a man from a large inland lake in Texas, an area hit hard by drought of the last year, where cattle have been shipped to northern feedlots due to lack of hay, and where his lakefront has seen an 80-foot drop.   He laughed when we said we had experienced a drop of several feet in recent years, and that the historic fluctuation between high and low was in the range of six feet of lake level.

Hard to get sympathy and understanding with those figures, and we didn't even try.

Access to the marina's slips and launching ramp may be for
canoes only, given reduced depths.

But the real difference, I think, is that he could still exit his front door, on the highway side of his house, and drive to work with no real impact from his dried up lake frontage.   Here, that's not an option.

And, there is the matter of our getting used to a routine, one that was based on stable lake levels, where use of harbors and other natural shoreline features led to the development of both shoreline and upland properties.  There is no law that says today's level couldn't be the new normal lake level, but we happen to have faith that precipitation will sooner or later cause a net gain in lake storage over the next few years as has happened in the past.

The immediate future, though, will cause us to examine how we operate ferries, and what contingencies we will adopt during the interim.

-  Dick Purinton

A GOOD DAY FOR ??

This was taken during a "lull" in the morning's rain.

Washington Island, Wisconsin -

What can you do on a day that is only 40 degrees, raining, with a windspeed approaching 25mph from the south?

Find an activity indoors, enjoy the warmth of a wood fire, and wait for the water levels to stabilize are my personal recommendations.   Yesterday was a day of brilliant, blue sky which made the autumn leaves standout.  The island is about 50-75% in full color, with only a small percentage of leaves on the ground.  This may change after today's wind and rain, but the colors are later, and the leaves on the trees longer, than most years.

The water level continued to drop during the time I was away for two weeks.   During that time, the lake level dropped another 8 inches or so.    We're contemplating modifications not only for the approaching winter, but also for the coming year, that will enable us to load vehicles - especially low or heavy trucks - with the low water extremes.  Dredging in certain areas will also be a part of that plan, which will require a state permit and lead-time to get into motion, not to mention planning for project costs.

The ferry Robert Noble which has the lowest deck height in relation to the water, is now sidelined and is likely moored for the remainder of the season.    Additional concerns are with the ferry Arni J. Richter with its draft requirements (nearly two feet greater than that of the other ferries when loaded).   Rich Ellefson and Con McDonald began preparations at the Potato Dock, just in case, lowering tires used as fenders, improving to the dock surface, and welding braces.   There is also a need for dredging to ensure maneuvering in the dock area.   Continued drops in water levels could make the Potato Dock an option, and yet a lack of good all-around facilities at the Potato Dock would mean that small trucks and autos could be off-loaded, but that long semi-trucks might not be accommodated, should it be the only landing available.  

Channel depth will also be a concern in the late months of the year, when breaking seas can cause the ferries to dip in a trough when entering port.  This could easily mean the difference between running or not, in order to avoid the possibility of touching bottom in a surfing condition.  Prudent judgement in daily operation will need to be exercised to prevent occurrence of such an incident.

A good news item is that the steel ice hull buoys #2 and #6 were reset in the harbor by the Muskegon Coast Guard crew.  They came, reset, and headed back across the lake while the weather was good.  An October 23rd "pow-wow" on the island with Coast Guard representatives regarding Detroit Harbor aids to navigation has been scheduled, we have been told.

Outstanding maple on the post office corner, taken Friday Oct. 12.

Friday, October 12, was bright and beautiful (though still in the 40s for temperatures).  The Selvick towing company towed a McMullen & Pitz work barge to the U. S Coast Guard facility here to begin work Monday on a new pier for the Coast Guard's recently acquired 45-foot patrol vessel.   Of course, the local station is now closed for the season, but this dock work, contracted to the Manitowoc marine construction company, is intended to be ready for the coming season.

The Selvick tug towed the work barge as close as depth allowed,
then headed back to Sturgeon Bay.  A small boat then
pushed the barge into position.

Today, while hundreds of visitors mill about in Sister Bay during their annual Fall Festival looking for places to get out of the wind and rain and keep warm, we're seeing a small fraction of the traffic we'd typically serve who are bringing their autos to the island.   Today's forecast was for 100% chance of rain (and they were right), and for tomorrow it will be a 90% chance of rain.   Coupled with the rainy business bust of last weekend when it also rained, October's tourism numbers will be well off  the anticipated tally.

The good news is that it is raining hard, and if this trend should continue we may have some of our lake water back.

-  Dick Purinton