Those are the Ojibwa words for ‘The Shining Big (or Blue) Sea Water’ , which was the original name of Lake Superior, before the French, and then the English, renamed it. Personally, I like Gitche Gumee better.  It’s also been spelled Kitchi gami and Kitchi gummi.  If you are wondering where you heard that name before it may have been in two different places.  First, in the poem “The Song Of Hiawatha” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

“On the shores of Gitchi Gumee, Of the shining big sea water…”

or in the song by Gordon Lightfoot, “The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald”.

“The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down, Of the big lake they called Gitche Gumee…”

(Chippewa is another name for Ojibwa).

Anyway, this lake in question…Lake Surperior….is the largest of the 5 Great Lakes, and is in fact the largest freshwater lake anywhere.  It covers 31,700 square miles with an average depth of 483 feet and a maximum depth of 1,333 feet.  It is boardered by Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Canada.

More detail.

Just to note, of great concern is the fact that since 1979, the surface temperature of Lake Superior has risen a whopping 4.5 degrees F.

Saturday, July 22, while we are in the tiny town of Grand Marais, Joy and Shiloh get to swim in this big, beautiful lake for the first time ever.

Joy contemplates Gitche Gumee.     But not for long…..

I don’t know, but they seem to understand the significance of such a special place, and they enjoy themselves immensely!  They are in and out of the water repeatedly, and they get silly and bouncy, and Shiloh decides to dig.  They both roll in the sand many times.

Shiloh digging!

And just being content.

Joy finds a stick that she just can’t give up, so I bring it home with us, along with another one for Shiloh.

Joy with her stick.  These days she has a hard time coming out of the water. Maybe you can tell in this picture.  I’ve had to go in and help her at times.

While the dogs are having fun, I’m admiring the rocks as I walk along the shore…and picking up some pretty ones.  (There are no sea shells here, it’s all rounded rocks). No sharp edges.

Colors are brighter when they are wet.

It’s just about impossible for me NOT to pick some up, and, I have just come from Gitche Gumee Museum, home of the agate lady, where I’ve been looking at Lake Superior agates.    You can check her out at http://www.agatelady.com .  The museum has many agates and other rocks, from Gitche Gumee and elsewhere, as well as the history of the Grand Marais area.  And there is a gift shop as well.

Above is a little info about Lake Superior agates.  Below, are some examples.

Back to the beach.

Joy spends time chewing on her hard earned stick.

She thinks the view down the shore is just fine.

We are there a good hour or so, and it isn’t until we are leaving that I see a sign that states dogs aren’t allowed on the beach!  Honest!  The sign I saw before said that dogs must be leashed.  Kinda confusing?  No one complained while we were there though, on the contrary, the furry ones got loved on, as usual.

Backtracking………

On Thursday, July 20, our attempt to make contact with Gitche Gumee isn’t so much fun.  I’m quite excited as we load up for a trip to Whitefish Point and The Shipwreck Museum.  The sky is a beautiful blue and when we reach our destination the temperature is in the mid 70’s.  That sounds nice, I know, but for my furry old companions, it’s boardering on too hot.

When we arrive I see a beach area with a trail nearby, so we get out, get leashed up, and head that way.  Before 2 minutes pass, the flies attack! They literally cover Joy and Shiloh and the dogs are going crazy, trying to get them off.  These flies don’t scare easily and waving my hands around doesn’t make them leave.  They have to be literally brushed off.  So gross!  We hurry back to the truck and the dogs are upset.  They get a drink, I give treats and say calming things while I turn on the A/C.  After awhile I try again by myself.  I’d really like to explore here a bit, but it will have to be fast.

Nice day, minus the flies.  That looks likes the remains of a pier out there, with birds sitting on it.

The lighthouse at Whitefish Point.

There is no shade to park in, anywhere, but I turn off the engine and leave the windows open.  I’m concerned that hordes of flies will come inside but that doesn’t seem to be happening.

I take a few pictures and talk to a few people, and find out, low and behold, dogs are allowed in the museum!  They must be leashed and well behaved and we are good on both counts.  Back I go to the truck, swatting at flies all the way.  I unload Joy and Shiloh and we rush to the museum.  I’m brushing flies off of them as we go in the door.  Ugh!

I pay my $13 and find that the museum is contained in various buildings here on the grounds near the lighthouse.  Dogs are allowed in all of them.  However, it’s crowded today, there are lots of people trying to escape the flies.  It’s hard to look at displays and control Joy and Shiloh, even though they are good dogs.  I go through the exhibits, more with my mind on not letting the leashes get wrapped around someone’s legs, than the interesting facts, diagrams, pictures and relics around me.

The star of the show is the SS Edmund Fitzgerald, which is the most recent major ship disaster on Lake Superior.  I remember when it happened, as I lived in Michigan at the time and it was in the news for days.  The 729 foot freighter sank 17 miles from Whitefish point in a huge nor’easterner on November 10, 1975.  All 29 members of the crew were lost and no bodies were ever recovered.  The ship lies 550 feet below the water surface, split in half.  The ships bell was recovered and is in the museum.

The bell recovered from the Edmond Fitzgerald.

Now you know the story too.  This stuff gives me chills when I think about it.

They show a movie about the Edmund Fitzgerald in another building and I’d really like to see it.  We hurry over to that building but I find it even more crowded than the main museum.  It’s going to take awhile to get in the door, meanwhile the biting flies are all over Joy and Shiloh again!  (They aren’t as bad on the humans).  We can’t stand here waiting to get in.  Nope, this is terrible, we are leaving.  A very kind lady offers to walk the dogs for me while I watch the movie ( it’s not a very long movie apparently).  I thank her very kindly but explain that the flies are eating them alive while they are outside, walking or not.  We rush back to JR, load up, and turn on the A/C.  Windows are up!  We’re outta here, never having gotten near  the water.

I’m glad our second attempt worked out so much nicer!  Happy dogs, happy mommy!

Oh yeah.  I managed to find time to sip on this Margarita too, while we are at Grand Marais.     Here’s to a little more happy!