The Neebish Island News

SaultStar - Superior's water level higher

Lake Superior was four centimetres above chart datum level for May and is expected to rise this month. However, the lake remains 18 centimetres below its long-term average level.

Labels: water levels

U.S. Coast Guard policy would allow lake freighters to keep dumping refuse

Freighters could continue dumping tons of coal and other dry cargo residues into the Great Lakes indefinitely under a proposed U.S. Coast Guard policy

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If you did this on your boat you could face a $50,000 fine.

Labels: pollution

Do you have a small slice of land on Neebish Island or in the U.P. but not sure what kind of cottage you can build? Pre-fab homes have improved mightily in the last 10 years. And a new Traverse City company specializes in cottage designs built on piers so they go up and fast and can even be moved if needed.

Via MyNorth.com - Build Your Cottage in a Day

Official Site:
CottageInADay.com

Labels: cottage

If you are planning new plantings or landscaping this season please consider native plants in order to preserve the natural Neebish Island florae and the fauna that depend on them.

See:
AbMI - Consider Planting Michigan Native Plants

LTC - Attracting Butterflies with Native Michigan Plants

Invasive Plant Species in Northern Michigan

Labels: gardening, invasive species, wildlife

Over Memorial Day weekend we had baked whitefish (melt a couple of tablespoons butter with whatever "fish herbs" you have nearby, once melted pour over two whitefish fillets, and bake in a 400F oven for 7-10 minutes).

After dinner I could not scrub off the fish skin from the baking dish, even after soaking. I was about to harvest some scouring rush then remembered we had baking soda.

I poured out the soaking water, sprinkled in a couple of heaping tablespoons of baking soda, and by rubbing in the baking soda a paste formed that cleaned the fish right off. Plus, baking soda is good for the septic system.

Labels: tips

Even though I heard a story in the late 80's of a grazing moose spotted in one of Neebish Island's shallow bays I was quite surprised when I found moose tracks last year. I searched for more over Memorial Day weekend but only found tracks on the beach from a single coyote (sorry, didn't have a camera with me).

The New York Times reports on the return of the moose to the Adirondacks - Moose Gain Ground but Keep a Low Profile

And as exciting as seeing moose is, imagine the return of bison!
Bison can thrive again, study says

Labels: wildlife