When I am on Lake Superior in a boat or kayak, I always get an immense feeling of awe at the great expanse of water surrounding me. This week I got that feeling again but I wasn’t in a boat. We have lived along the shores of Lake Superior for 30+ years. We have never had clear, beautiful ice thick enough to skate on. That’s right, skating on Lake Superior. Ice covered the big lake from the Duluth lift bridge to the French River. Hundreds took advantage of the opportunity.

I clambered over the pressure ridge at Brighton Beach to put on my skates. Caution was needed as the outer ice was being pushed under the ridge next to shore leaving water about 6 inches deep in spots. Away from the ridge the ice was great. I was gliding along on the largest freshwater lake in the world. I wasn’t alone as people were playing hockey, fishing, hiking, pulling sleds with kids, and even biking. It was February and it was lightly raining. Twice lightning flashed out on the lake. My ankles were giving out after about an hour so I headed to shore to photograph others enjoying the ice. Just before dark strong offshore winds came up and there was a mass exodus to get off the ice. No one wanted to be stranded if a crack opened up.

Today, Lake Superior decided to flex its muscles and most of that thick ice is being piled up by 40 mile an hour winds. The first two photos were taken Wednesday and the last one was taken tonight right before dark. You can see the snow blowing across the ice shards. It was hard to look into the wind as the snow pellets stung your face. This week will be a great time to visit Lake Superior as that thick ice will continue to pile up over the next two days.