Check out the Sea Smoke

http://www.duluthharborcam.com/?page_id=37

Duluth Harbor  Click on link above

Winter Deer Feeding on Fall Lake

http://elyminnesota.com/fall-lake

Watch this often and see the Deer Feeding Station on Fall lake

Check out the Ice Fishing Houses on Shagawa Lake

http://elyminnesota.com/shagawa-lake

View Shagawa Lake or Park View

http://elyminnesota.com/whiteside-park

Lost Luggage

T-shirts and sweatshirts and birch bark canoes;
Film and a camera with a panoramic view.
A box of smoked lake trout and ciscoes on ice;
Smoked salmon and steelhead cooled and wrapped twice.
Pebbles worn smooth from the Lake’s rugged shore;
Artsy craft stuff from Gnedesh General Store.

Toothbrushes, toothpaste, dirty underwear;
Gin in flask we bought at Lake Aire.
A pair of slacks now too tight in the gut;
New shorts with a stain where I fell on my butt.

Brochures, matchbooks and a nice travel guide
From Barbara, a friend on my mother’s side.
Three pairs of moccasins and a Norwegian sweater;
An afghan that is Duluth to the letter.
Six packages of candy that look just like rocks;
Amy’s five sweatshirts and more dirty socks.

A replica in ceramic of Split Rock Lighthouse;
Water from the lake and one linen blouse.
A large cardboard box that held all of the gear;
Rods, reels, and lures that the men held most dear.

Bass sandals and Birkies and tennies not clean;
Like a used collection from Double L Bean.
Two bottles of sunscreen to ward off the heat;
A bottle of Off!, but those ‘squitoes did eat!

Not to mention the luggage, nine pieces in all;
A cooler, three pullmans, a box that was tall,
One canvas bag, one suitcase that’s small,
And two you could hardly lift, tote, or haul.

The storm closed the airports at the Cities and Duluth;
We missed our connection by the skin of a tooth.
So on to St. Louis the Coopers did fly;
With no luggage, no tickets, but call we did try
To Bill, Seth, and Doug and Melinda to stand by

Our flight in to Dayton was nearly midnight.
We landed exhausted, all tired and spent;
And nobody could tell where our luggage went.
A pang in the heart, a flicker of dread;
The money we spent! Our guts filled with lead.

The loss of our memories, our tokens, our week,
Our favorite clothes; We could hardly speak.
So off to the claim, and then out to eat.
We avoided talk of luggage; we were beat.
But the happiest sight I did see the next day
Was the delivery van from TWA!

Created July 10, 1996
Cherie Cooper-Darragh

Duluth Harbor Cams

Check out the Harbor Traffic Cam

http://www.duluthharborcam.com/?page_id=37
The harbor will be closed until ice out, around April 1st. 

Cabin Update

We recently had the exterior of the Cabin remodeled.  We updated the windows, Doors, Siding, and Roof.  Shown is before, during, and after completion. 

Mrs Birch goes Blond

As the fall colors change so has Mrs Birch changed her hair style

Outhouses on Bear Island Lake

When we were young our parents would take us to the cabin, I remember going to Lake St. Mary’s (Grand Lake) and the resort, Windy Point. Each cabin there had a path and an outhouse. Nancy went to their family’s cabin on Lake Amnicon, just south of Superior WI, which had an outhouse. Our cabin has hot and cold running water complete with full bath and separate shower.

The South Shore of Bear Island Lake was developed in the early 1950’s. All the lots were at that time government lease lots. An individual would pick out an available lot and lease it for up to 99 years. The rate of the lease would be paid annually to the US Forestry Service. (This is our understanding) Taxes were assessed in line with the value of the cabin and improvements; paid to the county as real estate. In the early years there were no building codes, no electricity, and the road was mostly a rut. As time went on road improvements made and utility lines ran service to the area. In the early years all the cabins had an ice box, pitcher pump for water, and an outhouse including a path which would lead to it. It was usually back off the lake some distance. There are still some rustic cabins with working outhouses. This past week we walked the shore and took pictures of a few of them. Here are four of them; can you pick out the matching interiors?

Seth on the Tube

WOW!  LOOK AT HIM GO!!!

More North Shore Pictures

North Shore

Spending a couple days on the Shore

Just Hanging Out

Sometimes it is good to relax while watching the waves roll in!  Chuck and Gary watching the bobbers.

Ron and Nel Cooper Visit with Mrs Birch

Ron and Nel Cooper visited our cabin for a few days.  We drove to Duluth, the North Shore, and made the Shops in Ely.  It was good to renew old friendships.  I also managed to put Ron on some nice fish as shown.

The one that Got Away

“That’s right,” Phil told me as he was re-baiting his hook, “You shouldn’t lay your rod over the net, particularly if it has a lure tied on it” he exclaimed with a harsh growl. “Well Phil,” I said, “It is your other rod and you loaded the boat!” Well now, that was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

Earlier we had tried to fish the Sunken Island with no luck. I thought we might want try something these Walleyes had not seen before, Erie Deries. It did not take much to convince Phil either. So we loaded up the boat, put a couple distinctive colors on our rods and off we went. You see, we use these lures on Lake Erie tipped with a Big’ol Crawler. They work great there but we haven’t tried them in Minnesota. I located our spot and Phil threw out the marker, now to set up our troll over the spot. After about three passes all hell broke loose. Phil had on a fish, a big ol’walleye.

“This must be a big one, can’t turn him”, Phil explained. “Keep the rod tip high” I said. I always say that, as most people that lose fish don’t let the rod play the fish! Anyway, Phil played the fish correctly; the fish did come up and back down again. Just as the fish came up the second time, I grabbed the net; the fish went to the back of the boat and wrapped around the outboard motor. I abandon the net and raised the tilt on the motor to get the line untangled. “Loosen your drag!” I shouted to Phil, “Ya’gota give him some line so I can untangle it.” He did and I was able to get the line free.

By now Phil had the fish almost worn out, at least we thought so. I grabbed the net but when I laid it down to untangle the line, I must have laid it right on top of one of our rods and it got all tangled up in on a hook. Well I scrambled to get the hook out of the net and stuck it in my thumb. “Matza, rattza, fratza, nab’it anyway” I shouted in a gruff tone. But with modest effort I managed to get the hook off my thumb and out of net.

I now hurried to assist Phil in landing this fish, which seemed by now to be a 28-30” Walleye. We later estimated it at least 8 to 10 lbs. As the fish surfaced now the third time, I lowered the net but the fish had other ideas. With one big splash and a turn of the head he threw the lure back at Phil which knocked his hat right into the lake. With net in hand, I retrieved his hat. I don’t think I’ve seen the Irishman so frustrated.  All we both could do was grin and bare it!!!!

What makes a Cabin on the Lake

Over the years our Cabin has meant many different things to all of us. It is a place to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. A place to relax, sit back and watch the world pass by. To Nancy, it is a place that takes her back to her childhood. The Cabin on Amnicon Lake, the pitcher pump in the kitchen, swimming off the raft, picking blueberries and catching sunnies for the fish fry. Of course, being the first one to spot the Cabin as you made the turn around the lake.

To me, the cabin also brings back memories of going to Lake St. Mary’s as a child, my dad teaching me to fish, how to hook a minnow and so much more. Today I love the aroma of hot dogs over the birch fire, the call of the loons to each other, seeing the sun rise each morning with every vista being different. The music nature makes as the waves hit our shore, the call of the wolves, and sounds of the night.

There are Cabins and there are Cabins. A Cabin is not a lake home! Some only have a path while ours is complete with running water. But taking several showers with a limited amount of hot water is not easy. Most do not have televisions, mostly a clock radio, something to hear the weather report. A lot of Cabins have a bunkhouse with extra beds, we have a large bedroom with two doubles and a twin, and sofa and love seat that will sleep three. Sleeping at the Cabin is always hostel or dorm style and no one ever thinks twice about walking around in their shorts or night gown. That’s the Cabin way! Most have a dock and small place for the kids to wade or swim. But all Cabins come with affection and warmth.

We love our family and friends visiting the Cabin, the trips to the beach, fishing off the dock, the boat rides, and let’s not forget the trip to Mealey’s. The list goes on and on.

Actually the Cabin on the Lake is a frame of mind.

June 29th

The wind had been blowing out of the North now for two days straight. It was cool and Tuesday Night in Ely was upon us. Nana wanted to drive into town and take in the festivities, being to windy to fish, I agreed. A quick stop in Pamada for a couple items and up town we went.
We walked down the street from Zups to the Front Porch where the Boundary Water boys were performing. We listened through most of their second set and while a listening to their “End of the Road” number, this Ranger (Black Carharts and Cowboy Hat) in front of us lit a cigar and the smoke drifted right in our face. Needless to say within minutes we were tracking back up the hill towards Zups. We made the leisure drive back to the cabin looking for deer, moose and bear. We managed to see one nice buck and three does, no moose or bear, maybe next trip.
While getting out of the car, Nana said, “It would be nice to have a fresh fish sandwich for lunch.” Enough said, I grabbed a rod and walked down to the dock. It was just past 9:30. The temperature was in the low 50’s, almost like a fall but being Minnesota, typical for a cool June evening. The sun had just set over the trees and the colors in the west of hues of scarlet with crimsons fading into blues to dark in the North. The lake was as calm, smooth as glass, first time in about three days.
After making a couple cast, I had a nice bass on. As I leaned over to put it into the fish bag, I decided to release it for another day. I stood up and made a quick survey, the May flies were landing here and there laying their eggs for next years hatch. I heard a sunny slurp one up for its evening meal. The loons were calling and the last flicker of light was upon the lake. As the chill of the night formed goose bumps on the back of my neck, I scampered back to the cabin for the warmth and a little Hudson Bay on the rocks.

Phil is trying out Cherie's new Kayak.  A little choppy for the first paddle.  Gary even tries out Seth's.  What a HOOT!

                                                                         Limit on Lakers and three Salmon.  Phil has a fish on!

Moose on Highway 1

We spotted this Moose on Monday while traveling back to the cabin from Silver Bay.

Spring is Here

The ice is out and the leaves are starting to bud.  Opener is next Saturday, Spring is here!

View the season: http://www.elyminnesota.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=26&Itemid=41http://

Wild Fire Update

Many Wild Fires have broken out near the cabin.  This is due to lack of rain and snow this winter.  To review current conditions check here.  http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/forestry/fire/area-reports.html#245

This picture was taken as we were leaving the cabin.

The ice is starting to break up, spring is near!

Lake of the Woods

This is my first burbot, freshwater cod.  Taken on light ice fishing tackle, what a hoot!