Thursday, June 25, 2009

Getting The Fishing Secret Out

The St. Marys River is a great place for fishing. But for some reason, no one outside of Michigan and Ontario knows this.

Eric Sharp at the Detroit Free Press is doing his best to get the word out though.

See: There's nothing fishy about big, numerous steelhead
Last winter I told some California anglers about the great steelhead fishing in the Great Lakes. While they might not have considered it an outright lie, you could see they thought it was an exaggeration.

Labels: , , ,


Pictures From Around Neebish Island

Here are a couple of links to pictures people have posted from around Neebish Island.

A user by the name of Melnick5 at Flickr has tagged numerous photographs from the St. Marys River.

At PaulRetherford.net see pictures from a Boat ride with dogs around Neebish Island in St. Mary’s River Upper Michigan

Labels: ,


Another Wind Power Option For The Cottage Owner

First there was the Windspire, now ACE Hardware stores are set to start selling a supplemental wind power system. See: Rooftop wind turbine will be sold at your corner hardware store

Labels:


Thursday, June 18, 2009

Cruising The North Channel

The North Channel of Lake Huron is a freshwater paradise, yet in many places is still pristine and remote. Some of the charts have not been re-surveyed since the original soundings in the early 1800's!

And I consider Neebish Island the perfect home-base for cruising the north channel of Lake Huron by boat.

While daydreaming about cruising around in a Nimble Nomad, Nordic Tug, or C-dory; I came across an article originally posted in 1994 that reminded me about all that the North Channel has to offer.

See continuouswave.com: The North Channel and Manitoulin Island

Labels: , ,


Getting NBC Over-The-Air

I mentioned previously that with the digital transition, NBC broadcasts from the Cheboygan tower no longer reach Neebish Island.

Well... there is good news. I have heard from a source in the industry, that TV 7&4 engineers have been working on moving to a digital channel on the Goetzville broadcast towers by bouncing the signal from Cheboygan via microwave.

So, if TV 7&4 isn't available over-the-air yet, it should be soon. Most of the digital converters have a "scan for new channels" option in the menu system and this is what you'll want to try.

Next time I am on the Island I'll give it a try myself.

Friday, June 12, 2009

Caribou Hunting

Here's an interesting possible discovery of a paleo-hunting pathway that is now on the bottom of Lake Huron.

See DiscoverMag: At the Bottom of Lake Huron, an Ancient Hunting Ground
At depths ranging between 60 and 140 feet, researchers found lines of large stones, which may have been “drive lanes” that aided early hunters as they tried to take down galloping caribou.

Labels: ,


Thursday, June 11, 2009

Movie Made On Neebish Island

I don't know if this movie will turn Neebish Island into what Madison County became after 'The Bridges Of Madison County', but a new film called "The Twenty" will be released soon. And you can see some of Neebish Island when watching the trailer.

There's more at the HollandSentinel: Directors talk about featured films, coming to Saugatuck for Waterfront Film Festival
The movie was shot mostly in Sault Ste. Marie and on Neebish Island, an island in the St. Mary’s River.

Tuesday, June 09, 2009

More On The Digital Television Transition

(following up on an earlier post)

Digital Television Transition is June 12th. If you have a television on Neebish Island, this applies to you unless you get satellite TV.

In preparation, I read reviews then purchased an Insignia Analog-To-Digital converter (http://insigniaproducts.com/products/dvd-players-recorders/NS-DXA1-APT.html). I bought it mainly because it offers an RF-bypass mode when powered-off. (what this means is you can still watch analog Canadian stations which haven’t made the digital switch yet).

I plugged it in, tuned the TV to channel 3 per directions, and was on my way to auto-tuning the digital channels. The Insignia located ABC (WGTQ), FOX (W64CG), and CBS (WWUP). But here’s the bad news – no NBC. The NBC tower is near Cheboygan and it appears that their signal will not reach Neebish Island.



This is not surprising as digital signals do not propagate as well analog signals (See: Digital TV Goes Dark For Some Rural Viewers), but it is surprising that WTOM would stop broadcasting NBC to the Alpena and Sault Ste. Marie markets. I don't think the advertisers on TV 7&4 will be happy about this.

However, the antenna I am using is old (from the 1970’s I believe) and in a cardboard box in the attic. So I am not getting great antenna reception but the above-mentioned three stations all broadcast from near Goetzville so the antenna does not matter too much.

If I have any hope of getting NBC and PBS digital channels I’ll need a new antenna.

I’ve read at HDTVPrimer.com that VHF (channels 2-13) and UHF (channel 14 and above) antennas are not interchangeable (See: http://www.hdtvprimer.com/ANTENNAS/comparing.html). And it is important to note that there is mo such thing as an HDTV antenna.

The Winegard brand antennas seem to do fairly well according to HDTVPrimer.

You can order an antenna from amazon.com


The web site antennaweb.org has more information on what helping find what antenna to buy.

But, to get NBC I’d need to put up an outdoor tower and get a large antenna with an amplifier and still not sure I could pick it up. I think I'll try making a digital antenna out of coat hangers and see if it works.

But what if it doesn't work? I am not one who goes to Neebish Island to watch television. Yet there are times in the evening when I wouldn’t mind catching something on the broadcast networks; or tuning in to a baseball game. But I don’t want to pay for satellite television nor possibly waste money on a tower and external antenna.

One option would be satellite radio. It has the advantages of being less expensive than satellite television, the receivers are portable, and Sirius/XM carries all the major sports leagues.

Another option is a smartphone. AT&T has recently expanded coverage in the eastern U.P. and my wife’s iPhone worked just fine to send/receive mail and browse web sites. The iPhone can also play videos from NBC Mobile and PBS has a YouTube channel. And Sirius/XM is launching an app for the iPhone so in theory this amazing device will be able to provide all the entertainment I need.

So perhaps, in the end, a phone will replace the television.

To review what I have found, here are the Networks - Stations - Channels I can receive without too much hassle:

ABC - WGTQ - 8
CBS - WWUP - 10.1
FOX - W64CG - 10.2


Maps of television stations and more information can be found at these links:
www.antennaweb.org/aw/Stations.aspx
www.fcc.gov/mb/engineering/maps/
www.fcc.gov/dtv/markets/maps_report1/Traverse_City-Cadillac_MI.pdf
www.michiguide.com/dials/up.html

Thursday, June 04, 2009

First Great Lakes Lighthouse Since 1894 Is In Richards Landing

Via the SaultStar.com: Ray of Light — Little could dim Ray Stortini’s dream of a new lighthouse in Richards Landing
The upper portion of the lighthouse is modelled after the historic Peggy’s Cove lighthouse in Nova Scotia.

The lower portion resembles the former area lighthouse, which stood on Neebish Island.

Labels:


Thursday, May 28, 2009

A Rowboat In Lake Superior

An essay from the CS Monitor: A boat rower's slumber

Labels:


Friday, May 22, 2009

Smelting Away

A story of the disappearing smelt the the Herald Times Reporter (Manitowoc): Commercial fishermen are coming up empty
According to the Department of Natural Resources, commercial fishermen were able to pull more than 650,000 pounds of smelt from Lake Michigan in 2006. By 2008, that number was cut in third to just more than 208,000 pounds. So far this year, the smelt harvest has been a paltry 19,000 pounds.

Labels: ,


Higher Water

Via MLive: Water levels on Lake Michigan, Huron a foot higher than last year

Labels:


Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Michigan's First Real 4WD Trail

Just downstream from Neebish Island is a newly designated trail on Drummond Island for off-road enthusiasts.

See MLive: Drummond Island 47-mile off-road trail ready to rock
"Our big thrill is that it is the first and only trail in the state that really caters to the Jeep, truck and SUV crowd, full size four-wheel drive vehicles,"

Labels: , ,


Friday, May 01, 2009

IJC Report On The St. Clair "Drain" Hypothesis

Via MLive: Study: Upper Great Lakes not losing extra water
Lakes Huron and Michigan are not losing an unnaturally high volume of water to Lake Erie, and there is no need to place barriers in the St. Clair River to stem the outflow as a Canadian group is demanding, says an engineering study released Friday...

..."Climate is the main driver of the lake level relationships between lakes over time," it says. "There has been a persistent decline in net total supply of water to Lake Superior and Lake Michigan-Huron over the past two decades that has resulted in declining lake levels and a change in the relationship to Lake Erie."

Labels: ,


Lock Tease

First it was reported that the Soo would finally get a new "superlock". See: Construction of superlock to begin in June

But then the Army Corps of Engineers decided not to fund the project. See: Army Corps shocks shipping industry by rejecting lock project

However, it appears construction of new coffer dams will proceed this summer.

Labels: , ,


Tuesday, April 21, 2009

The Round Goby

See MLive: Voracious goby extends its range to deeper water, threatening Great Lakes, scientists say

Labels:


Friday, April 17, 2009

Flight Or Freeze?

It is only a matter of time until a cougar is seen in the eastern U.P. A new study indicates your best response is to leave the scene if you see one.

See PhysOrg: A new UC Davis study of 110 years of mountain-lion attacks on people suggests the conventional wisdom of standing your ground may not always be the right course.

Labels:


Monday, April 13, 2009

Restocking Herring

The St. Marys River is the only remaining area of the Great Lakes with a noticeable herring population. But the Michigan DNR is now studying the possibility of stocking this once plentiful fish.

See: DNR Studies Prospects for Sustainable Lake Herring Fishery in Lake Huron

Labels: , ,


How To Remove A Fish Hook

Here are a couple of different ways to remove a fish hook from your flesh; which if you fish often is not a question of "if" you'll get hooked but "when".

Wired: Remove a Fishhook From a Buddy

Labels: , ,


Thursday, April 09, 2009

You'll Be Watched This Summer

DetFreeP: Unmanned spy plane to patrol Michigan-Ontario border
The $10.5 million Predator aircraft, which flies at 19,000 fleet, carries no weapons, but it has an awesome camera that can spot a person crossing the border from 25 miles away, said Juan Munoz-Torres, a spokesman for U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

“It’s a great platform,” Munoz-Torres said. “It’s very, very effective.”

There is no date for the aircraft to start its patrols. Munoz-Torres said the aircraft likely would be based in the Alpena area.

Labels: ,


Monday, April 06, 2009

Deer Crossing

The Soo Evening News reports on a near-miss between the Mackinaw and some deer near the Neebish rock cut: Deer narrowly escapes collision with Mac

Deer are excellent swimmers. I thought I had a picture of a deer that swam across Munuscong Bay to Neebish from last summer but can't find it.

A friend took this picture on Little Neebish one April a few years ago.

Labels:


Lake Level Links

MLive: Scientists: Less ice on Great Lakes during winter

TCCVB: The Lakes Are Rising Again (And that’s Good!)

The St. Marys River around Neebish Island is expected to be 7 to 8 inches above the low water datum in April.

Labels:


Friday, April 03, 2009

Ice News

[I've been in Colorado and Wyoming the past couple of weeks and away from updating the site with new posts. Hopefully I can get back to at least one post per week here]

Sault Boat Watcher on the ice situation around Neebish Island: Ice Still Affecting St. Marys River

Labels: ,


Thursday, March 12, 2009

Chippewa County, We Have A Problem

The Mascoma cellulosic ethanol plant plans are being questioned again. I have been suspicious of this for awhile.

Here is the latest, from Wired.com: When Making Fuel From Wood, Be Sure You Have Wood
An official at Michigan's Hiawatha National Forest... suggests feeding the Mascoma plant would wipe out the annual harvest in the eastern Hiawatha within 180 days.

Labels:


Friday, March 06, 2009

Ice Bridge Remaining Open For Now

'Operation Taconite' starts Saturday, March 7th.

See SEN: Operation Taconite
“On Saturday we will make the initial cuts down by Mud Lake (Munuscong Bay),” said Director of Traffic Services Mark Gill, warning ATV operators, snowmobilers and ice fishermen to avoid any proximity to the shipping channels.

Labels: ,


Wednesday, March 04, 2009

Fishy Links

Here are a couple of recent stories about fish that caught my attention.

- The story of the last 400 Coaster Brook Trout at MyNorth: Saving Michigan’s Coaster Brook Trout

This story was also on IPR.

- The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on the Lake Michigan fishery; where things have changed so much that native Lake Trout are no longer reproducing on their own but the introduced Chinook Salmon is: Choppy waters on a great lake

Labels: ,


Saturday, February 28, 2009

January Birding Pictures

I recently found some pictures of owls, grouse, buntings, etc by Jerry Jourdan. They were taken around Riverside Dr. and Dunbar Forest and represent birds that may be found around Neebish Island in the winter.

See: Sault Ste. Marie - 16-18 Jan 2009

You can find more of his Michigan bird pictures at Jerry's Birding / Digiscoping Blog.

Update: there are some more pictures of redpolls, Snowy Owls, Great Gray Owls and others from the Dunbar Forest area at Nomadic Birder.

Labels:


Friday, February 27, 2009

Lake Huron Sinkholes

There are some interesting geological formations on the bottom of Lake Huron. See: Great Lake's sinkholes host exotic ecosystems

Labels:


Tuesday, February 24, 2009

What You Get By Combining An Inner-tube Plus A Trolling Motor

I cannot recommend this as a vessel for navigating the waters around Neebish Island. But for anyone who is bored and needs a little cabin fever project here is the 'One Person Water Scooter'.

Via MotherEarthNews.com

Labels:


Freeing The Algosar

The Soo Evening News had a story last week about USCG Icebreakers helping the Algosar get into port.

See: Mission Accomplished

Labels: , ,


Thursday, February 19, 2009

Weather Is NOT Climate

This is why climate scientists refer to global climate change rather than global warming. I have no intention of getting political but since the weather and climate affect all of us on Neebish Island I wanted to post responses to George Will's recent OpEd which was simply the recycling of the same column he writes every few years (See: George Will Believes In Recycling).

Mr. Will's nonsense cannot be allowed to pass this time. Every single point he makes is factually wrong. And the organizations he cites do not appreciate being politicized. Example from the Arctic Climate Research Center:

“We do not know where George Will is getting his information, but our data shows that on February 15, 1979, global sea ice area was 16.79 million sq. km and on February 15, 2009, global sea ice area was 15.45 million sq. km. Therefore, global sea ice levels are 1.34 million sq. km less in February 2009 than in February 1979. This decrease in sea ice area is roughly equal to the area of Texas, California, and Oklahoma combined.

It is disturbing that the Washington Post would publish such information without first checking the facts.”


See: George Will Denies Climate Change and Gets Slammed

I like George Will. I have read his baseball books. But he gets his climate science wrong and it must be pointed out.

Further reading:
NASA: What's the Difference Between Weather and Climate?

HuffPo: Weather Does Not Equal Climate

Labels: ,


Thursday, February 12, 2009

Rev. Richard E. "Dick" Nelson

Duluth News Tribune: Rev. Richard E. "Dick" Nelson, 82, of Duluth, passed away peacefully in the presence of family Wednesday, Feb., 11, 2009, in Benedictine Health Center.
From 1953 to 1956, Rev. Nelson served as pastor of Presbyterian churches in Dafter, Donaldson, and Neebish Island near Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.

Labels:


2009 Fun Run

Via the SEV: Annual Barbeau Fun Run scheduled for Saturday

Labels:


Thursday, February 05, 2009

One Industry Is Facing A Shortage Of Available Employees

Want to work on a freighter for five months of the year?

See: Shipping industry runs short of young mariners
Some shipping companies have told the U.S. Maritime Administration that the problem has forced them to dock or even sell vessels. Others said it has kept them from expanding fleets, or caused delayed voyages and lost contracts.

Labels: ,


Monday, February 02, 2009

Battle For The Griffon

No one yet knows if the shipwreck really is The Griffon, but that has not stopped Michigan and France from going to court.

See: France claims rights to Lake Michigan shipwreck

The project website: Search for the elusive Griffon

Labels: , ,


Thursday, January 29, 2009

The U.S. Forest Service Has An Ax Guide

Here's a free guide for those of you who use an ax on your Neebish Island property.

An Ax to Grind: A Practical Ax Manual

Labels: , ,


Friday, January 16, 2009

A Brief Overview Of Lake Levels For The Last 16,000 Years

Great Lakes water level sensitive to climate change
...the last time lake levels fell dramatically - down to 20 meters below the basin overflow outlets - it was due to dry climate conditions."

That event, which occurred between 7900 and 7500 years ago in the early Holocene period, caused the lakes to become disconnected as their overflow rivers, including the Niagara River, ran dry.

Labels: ,


Thursday, January 15, 2009

Island Life Is Not Always Romantic

We consider Neebish Island to be out of the way; but imagine teaching school on Isle Royale in the winter during the Great Depression.

See MyNorth: 1930's Diary of an Isle Royale Winter

Labels:


West Neebish Channel Closing

SooToday: In accordance with 33 CFR 162.117, the captain of the port Sault Ste. Marie will close the West Neebish Channel effective 1400 local time on January 17, 2009

Labels: , ,


Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Is Lake Superior A Natural Wonder?

See: Lake Superior in running for seven 'Wonders of Nature'

Cast your vote at New7Wonders.

Labels:


This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?