The Neebish Island News

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: birds

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

Labels: geology

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: boat

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

See: Mission Accomplished

Labels: freighter, shipping, St. Marys River

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: climate, weather

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: people

Via the SEV: Annual Barbeau Fun Run scheduled for Saturday

Labels: recreation

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: economy, shipping

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: history, law, shipwrecks