Lake Superior Surfers Hit The Big Screen

WCCO in Minneapolis covers the story of a new documentary on the subject of surfing on Lake Superior. Be sure to click on the link and watch the video of the broadcast.

Vince Deur is the filmmaker behind "Unsalted," a new documentary about surfing on the Great Lakes. The title refers to the lakes' fresh water.

"You gotta have your booties, you gotta have your hood, you gotta have your buddy to pull your gloves off and break the snot icicles before you pull your wetsuit off," Deur said.

The movie features scenes of some of the world's best surfers walking through waist-deep snow and slipping on ice. Bob Tema, who grew up in Hawaii, said the surf on Lake Superior is high quality. "The surfing is great," Tema said. "The best thing about it -- you are not sacrificing quality."

"There is still something so special about being in fresh water and capturing this moment," Deur said. "It's so rare. It just has a sweeter taste."

Don't try this alone -- there are no lifeguards, the water is close to freezing and the riptides can be deadly.

Cormorant Controversy

The Bay City Times reviews the latest controversy regarding the state of fishing in Lake Huron. This time it's the Cormorant:

Lake Huron's double-crested cormorant, a federally protected bird, hovered near extinction just 30 years ago. Today the goose-sized fish-eater numbers some 2 million in North America. A majority - some 70 percent - congregate around the Great Lakes from April to September for breeding. Federal wildlife managers estimate some 60,000 adult cormorants nest in Michigan.

To environmentalists, the cormorant's wildly successful recovery makes it the poster child for Great Lakes water quality.

But to anglers and growing numbers of resort-town business owners, the cormorant is the center point of a decimating fish population that's tied to many northern livelihoods.

Wherever the truth lies, the cormorant comeback prompted a dramatic federal rule change. Effective in 2004, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service "depredation order" now allows for cormorant population controls - including killing. Research concluded that cormorants were damaging some localized fisheries. Policy-makers reasoned that the bird was destroying vegetation and habitat where other, more fragile, colonial water birds nested.

"They're eating us out of house and home," said Steve Porter, owner of Bunyon Town bait shop in Oscoda. "The consensus among sport fishermen is that the fishery won't recover until they kill the cormorants. Killing them in little batches isn't enough. "It's like exterminating a fraction of the termites in your home. The problem will continue."

What's next for Michigan, armed with new cormorant rules, is to compile the year's new data in Les Cheneaux, Alpena and elsewhere. Then, based on the science, planners need to begin setting priorities on when and where to next exercise control measures.

Kirtland's warbler numbers hit high

The Traverse City Record-Eagle provides this article on the population count of Kirtland's warblers in Michigan:

The Kirtland's warbler population is at an all-time high in Michigan. Biologists, researchers and volunteers counted 1,415 singing males during the June nesting season this year - nearly 70 more than last year and the largest number since monitoring began in 1951, state officials said. The lowest numbers were recorded in 1974 and 1987, when only 167 singing males were found.

The birds migrate each year between Michigan and the Bahamas. When here, they nest on the ground beneath young jack pine trees grown between five and 20 feet tall. State and federal officials manage the habitat to mimic the effects of wildfires that historically regenerated the jack pine habitat in northern Michigan. Foresters clear cut or burn stands of old jack pine trees, then seed and replant about 3,000 acres each year.

The Kirtland’s Warbler, a federally listed endangered species, is one of the world’s rarest birds. Weighing in at roughly one-half ounce, their total aggregate weight is just over 40 pounds! Its only consistent breeding grounds is the dense jack pine (Pinus banksiana) forests in Michigan's Lower Peninsula in an area 100 miles long and 60 miles wide within the Au Sable River drainage area. These birds were known as the "bird of fire" because intense heat is needed to open the jack pine cone and release the seeds. The Kirtland’s numbers plummeted when there were fewer fires causing their desired nesting areas to decline accordingly.

Males arrive on last year’s breeding ground and immediately start singing to fend off rival males and to attract a mate. His loud, distinctive song can be heard up to one-half mile away as he sings from the top of a small jack pine into early June. The normal song is described as chip-chip-ce-way-o and chip chip chip-chip-chip tew tew weet weet. Females and young males arrive soon after. The females to do not sing. Seventy percent of the birds that migrate return to their breeding ground, but only 36% of the juveniles survive migration. The key to increasing their numbers is to have the right habitat for an adequate nesting site.

Announcing: New Lamp Fixtures

I hope everyone is enjoying our short summer. The condition of our grounds looks great thanks to some tweeking of the sprinkler system and lots of help from the man upstairs.

After fielding numerous complaints over the last several years regarding the condition of the brass light fixtures, your board of directors has decided to make a change.

You may have noticed all the condo numbers have been painted white. This was decided some time ago and finally achieved. The white numbers verses the brass numbers will make it easier for guests, services and emergency personnel to identify your unit.

After reviewing several light fixtures over a two year span the board has selected a white fixture which we feel will compliment the white numbers and entrance doors and add to the appearance of the exterior.

There were other reasons for our choice in fixtures such as; affordability, availability (109 fixtures), ease of changing the bulb, and maintainability. These new fixture are made of anodized aluminum and can be repainted if they start to show deterioration over time.

A sample of these fixtures has been installed on unit #28.

During the fourth quarter we will include an assessment of $30.00 per fixture. The small units have three fixtures and the larger units have six. These fixtures have been ordered and we expect delivery in a couple of weeks. The fixtures will be installed by the board members plus anyone that volunteers to help.

It is regrettable that all co-owners may not be pleased with our selection. We try very hard to please the majority of co-owners but we can not please everyone, all the time.