Tricks, Returns and Events

Boy, this spring surely didn't want me to have to miss winter like I thought I did!  Nearly every time I had to drive to the big town, I drove through snow, freezing rain or slush.  But I didn't have to shovel, and I didn't get to go skiing.  And after being acclimated to an Arkansas spring, I really couldn't put on enough long underwear to stay warm.

So I stayed inside a lot.  I was just plain cold.  Shivering with the wind.  Deploring the precipitation.  Preferring to stand in front of my wood stove and think about the sunshine.  That experience, of feeling trapped in my house because of the weather conditions, made me understand a term that I never understood before.  

Cabin fever.   

Cabin fever does not mean you yearn to go to your cabin.  It doesn't mean you are sick while being in your cabin.  It means, that with every fiber of your being, you want to get the hell out of your dwelling and soak up some rays.

So thank you, crappy Keweenaw spring.  Now I get it.

But this whole week has been sunny!  It's funny because Brady P and I get out to throw rocks into the big lake each day it's tolerable.  And I know darn well that other places are 70 degrees in this sunny weather, but we are at 50.  Especially by that big lake.  Her Majesty, Lake Superior.  I don't mind.  I have jackets to wear.  And the rocks are usually warm, so I just lay in them gratefully.

Today I submerged my foot in the lake.  Usually, by this time, I would have dunked myself in her glory, but the air has never been so warm to make me wish I was cooler.  Today, however, I accidentally threw back a rock that I wanted to keep.  It wasn't too far out, so I just took off my shoe and sock, stood carefully with my shoed foot on a protruding rock and stepped in with my naked foot.  Sure it was chilly, but my motivation kept me warm.  Braeden thought it was pretty neat, too.  Not an exciting story, but a story.  Wink.

Guess who is back in the harbor?  The bell buoy.  It came back on the 3rd or 4th of May.  I looked for it one morning, to no avail, and by the afternoon, there it was!  What the heck, bell buoy!  How do you always sneak in on me?  After my 11 springs here, I have never once witnessed its return.  But I guess there are worse things in the world.

The Isle Royale Queen, however, I greet each time she returns for the season.  The captains now come off the boat and say, "You're always here for this trip, Amanda.  You're like a tradition now!"  Yes.  Yes, I am.  Because Isle Royale has such a big place in my heart, and the Queen is what gets me there.  So yeah, I like to greet her upon her return from the Portage Canal.

The Harbor Haus has reopened.  Jamsen's Fish Market and Bakery is open Friday through Monday.  Some of the gift shops open up -- at least on the weekends.  So we're getting back into business around here.  It's kind of nice to see some more activity around town.

And the biking and hiking trails are open!!!  Alleluia.  I got to go for my first trail ride a few days ago.  Man, that felt good.  And I am stoked for more rides to come!

Not much for blooming life yet, however.  I believe that the hepatica has been the only wildflower I've seen so far, but the arbutus are soon to follow.  No leaves on the trees, but some of the buds got brave and popped.  The waterfalls are still pretty rockin', and lake levels are high.  Still no bugs -- for the most part.

There are some events coming up.  I hope you can read through the glare, as I took pictures of the posters already hanging on the general store's door.  Keeps it authentic, right?

Please note that the Zik is actually July 1st.

Well, maybe we will see you up here for one of these!  Take it easy.

On the Verge of Winter

Well, I was right about one thing: the bell buoy got stolen from right under my nose.  But today, as the sun shines brightly and the lake is calm, there is plenty of freighter action on the lake.  I saw three, and that's when I wasn't even trying!

That means winter is coming.  Sometimes, by now, we are already buried in snow.  Not this year!  Look what's on the ground in the woods on the last day of November!

Snow cover in the woods as of 11/30/2015

Not a whole lot.  But there are other signs of winter.  Just looky here at the frost I saw on my hike today.

Ground frosties!

And take a look over here at the potential first ice skating rink!

Clyde's pond icing over nicely

And wouldn't you know it, Donny K. Jr. is out in the park putting up Christmas lights so "we can have the best light display in the U.P."  Looks like he had some help from the big boys today.

Don sending lights to the top of that cedar

If you are up, feel free to help him out by decorating a tree.  He always needs volunteers.  We'll see how cheery things look this year.  Actually, you can see them too at Winter Wonderfest.  This year it's December 12th.  Crafts, gifts and goodies in the community building all day, then the park lights up at dark!  It's always a lovely time.

Know what else was a lovely time?  My parents came up two weekends ago.  One day my mom volunteered to watch Braeden (bless her heart), so my dad and I could get out for an adventure.  

On that blustery day,  we hiked the south shore of Hunter's Point.  Then we sat on the point for some time while we took it all in.  We hiked the north shore back, and each time we could jut out to the beach, we did.  We stood at each outlet and watched the waves crash.  It was neat because at each spot, the waves hit the shore differently.

Now I must say that my dad is really awesome because not everyone will stand there at each outlet on the beach and watch the waves crash on the shore and love every minute.  Thanks, Daddio.  We'll have to do it again sometime.

I also got to take my parents out to my new favorite rock.  That day was sunny and not as windy.  Though ice covered the stones up to the rock, and waves flooded the path between the icy stones, I timed it out, so I could sit up there and bask in the wonder of my spirit.  I just love that spot.  Here you can see my boots overlooking the eastern edge of Porter's Island in the distance.

The view from my rock

Now my goal is to get out there as much as possible this winter and take this photo. What will be different each time?  Lighting, ice, snow, my boots, my pants and whatever else will surprise us!  Now it may not be easy getting out there with little man and Duce through the blowing cold days, but I'll do my best.

So yeah.  I am pumped for winter.  Excited to see what it brings.  Hopefully I can show Brady Boy some ice skating moves before too much snow falls.  But I surely won't bet on that!

And want to know what's extra cool about this winter?  December 13th marks 10 years since Aaron and I moved up here.  Ten years!  I'm so excited, I just might have to celebrate!

The Harbor All Over Again

So remember, I have news for you.

Sunday, April 26th, I had a great hike with Annele and Braeden.  B had the easy ride in my backpack while I got to sweat extra.

Along the way, I saw those tough oval leaves trailing through the fallen brown oaks.  Arbutus?  Is that you?  Sure enough, it was another arbutus plant.  She even had buds!  Annele knelt down to smell them, but apparently they need to be open to be fragrant.

As we ascended the ridge, we heard a boat motor on the lake.  It was really loud, and it lingered.  Well, when we approached the top of the ridge at Stairway to Heaven, guess who we saw!  The buoy tender!  How cool.  I have been waiting to see it drop off for years, and by some chance it was out there while we crested the ridge.  B would have seen it too if he wasn’t snoozing the whole time.

The buoy tender from afar

But that is not my news.

Today was magical for B and me.  Only, he doesn’t realize how special it was (or does he?).  It was a day full of firsts for him.  Here are a few:

• ·      He got to see his first wildflower – hepatica.  I picked one for his stroller.
• ·      It was the first time we got to take the stroller on the crushed gravel trail beside Fort Wilkins.  Only a couple snowy spots.
• ·      It was his first real experience with Lake Superior.

Let me elaborate on the last one.  We journeyed to the shore by the lighthouse overlook.  The sun sparkled the water and the trees at the mouth of the Fanny Hooe Creek held the breeze at bay.  I decided to take B out of his stroller, so he could get a better look and feel of things.

I sat him in my lap and put a warm rock in his hand.  Then another and another.  We threw some for Duce, and he got to watch that crazy doggy splash around in the water.  I even sat him right on the rocks to warm up his tushy.  Then I laid him belly-side-down, so he could feel all those rocks underneath him.  He seemed to enjoy the scene!

We found driftwood, and noticed how the creek entered the Big Lake.  We listened to the buoy ding, and I even dipped his little fingers in the water.  He was taking it all in.  I realized that I didn’t have my camera to capture such inaugural events, but as we waved good-bye to the shore, I was actually glad that I didn’t have to try to pose him for pictures.  Our time there in the moment was really wonderful.  I’m so glad that I get to share this beautiful place with such a perceptive little being.

I realized right then and there how much I am going to love being a mom up here.  What a unique way to experience the Keweenaw – like it’s the first time all over again!

That is not my news either, though.  Here it is.

So, this blog is titled “A Little Slice of da Harbor.”  “A little slice” refers to the fact that it is only my perspective.  And “da Harbor” refers to Copper Harbor, a harbor town on Lake Superior.  Well, would you be mad if I was at a different harbor town on Lake Superior for a little while?

My little family is moving to Duluth, MN from July through September.  Aaron has a trail building contract out there, and he doesn’t want to miss us all summer again.  Awww.

At first I decided to do it for the family.  But now I sort of feel like it will be a neat change for me personally.  Duluth is a cool city (albeit a city which is scary), and variety is the spice of life.  Braeden won’t know the difference because he’s never had a summer anywhere besides in my belly.

So there you have it.  My slice of da Harbor will be from Duluth this summer.  We’ll be back, though, don’t worry.  Our hearts are in this little harbor.

Summer in a Hurry

In March and April (and May) of 2014, as the winter dragged on, I kept a vision in my head.  A wish, if you will.  I kept imagining myself sitting on my back porch, wearing short sleeves and sipping a cool beverage.  Right now I type to you from that very place.  No biting bugs.  A sunburn ripening.  Slight sweat beading on my temple.  We yoopers finally get our chance to enjoy the weather.  This whole weekend was unbelievably beautiful.

It's almost as if spring lasted for three days.  Last week, when I got back from North Dakota, some plants were starting to bud, grass was starting to come up and the early flowers started to bloom.  Now most of the tree leaves are about half way out.  The area is just gorgeous, and we can sit out in shorts and bask in the sunshine with, I repeat, no bugs.  It's a little slice of heaven.

Good thing I kept notes throughout the week because there's a lot to tell you!

I found some hepatica and trailing arbutus earlier in the week, and forget-me-nots are just popping.  I find myself roaming the woods with my eyes out for anything green or with petals.  Here are some pics of the beauties.

Hepatica breaking through

Arbutus, I smell you!

I bet I know what you're thinking.  "Oh, boy.  Now I get to hear about all the flowers again.  Just like last year and the year before..."  Well, you're probably right.  I fricken love wildflowers and wild edibles.  I am enamored with their beauty, variety and uses.  So much so, that I have a surprise for you.

But first, I have to tell you that I found trailing arbutus, a Michigan protected species, in five new places this year.  I don't know if it's blooming better this year, or if I just have a better eye for it.  If you are up in the next week and you want to see some, come find me, and we'll go.

That rightfully leads me to my my first surprise.  The Keweenaw Adventure Company has asked me to guide nature tours!  One of them will be, what I describe as, a Wildflower and Wild Edible Identification tour.  I get to take people out to teach them about one of my favorite parts of summer!  How awesome is that???  I can hardly contain myself, I am so pumped.  

I also get to guide one of my other specialties: a Creative Writing through Nature tour.  If you are in the area from June 12th to early September, and you're into that stuff, come take one of my tours!  Click this link for more information on those.

Let me segway with a picture of the Isle Royale Queen IV back at her dock in the Harbor.

The Queen is back in action

Right now she's running Mondays and Fridays.  It's nice to hear the horn again.  Speaking of boats, I've been watching the CGC Alder, the ship that took my bell buoy last fall.  

It was stuck in Duluth Harbor for a while, as lots of ice chunks blew in with the last eastern winds.  It got out Saturday, and I watched it yesterday.  However, I neglected to look today until this afternoon.  Here's an image of the path it took by the time I checked.

The CGC Alder's latest path

Wha-wha-WHAT?  When did that happen?  From the looks of this, that boat went into Portage Canal, where I believe the buoys are stored, dropped off at Eagle Harbor then dropped off at Copper Harbor.  I was on the Keweenaw Ridge today, but only thing I heard from the lake were fog horns.  

Well, I grabbed my binoculars, hopped on my bike and coasted down to the Harbor Haus dock.  Laughing at the still lingering fog bank, I didn't need those binoculars.  I bent an ear and listened.  I listened so hard for that familiar sound.  Perhaps I heard a faint tinging out there, but I couldn't be sure.

As I rode back up the hill, Aaron, who was just out kiteboarding by the lighthouse said he didn't notice it out there.  So it was a bit of a mystery... until the fog lifted.  Then there he was, floating tall and proud.  I heard him dinging on my way up the hill the second time.  Welcome back, bell buoy.

Some friends and I also got to see a pelican out past the east end of Porter's on the rock island where all the seagulls hang out.  I thought it was an ice berg until it flapped its wings.  That's a huge bird.  Nice to see it up this way!

Let me bring you back to land.  I ate my first fiddlehead yesterday and my second today.  But today's fiddlehead must have had a bug in it.  It stung my upper and lower lip.  Yeouch!  I spit that sucker out in a hurry.  I will check my fiddleheads for bugs before I chomp them.  Let that be a lesson to us all!

Fiddleheads and thimbleberry bushes progressing

Bilberries progressing with leaves and flowers

As an update, Touring the Tip, my latest adventure guidebook, should be ready by early June.  Not quite Memorial Weekend like I hoped, but everything happens for a reason, right?

And Memorial Weekend was busy.  Man, I saw boats and ATVs and bicycles and Harleys and families and dogs and campers and people up the wazoo.  It was like a taste of summer on the most gorgeous weekend.  

And now the town is quiet again.  See you next week!

Yarg, Me Dinger is Gone!

Back from Wisconi.  I mean, really.  If you were a female (maybe you are), would you want to spend  eight days at home while your husband hosts Deer Camp?  Come on!  I can only hear the same buck story so many times!  But bless their hearts.  We got our meat for the year.  I will spare you any images of our nine hour butchering session yesterday... in the kitchen.

And the CH trails are still closed for hunting, so guess where I went today.  Up to Brockway's Nose!  It takes some ambition (or caffeine) to want to climb that steeply graded  hill.  Today I had both, so Duce and I went.

A pan of the town with a fresh dusting of snow

What a great walk.  I actually want to do that again soon!  And Duce posed nicely on our way back home.  Can you tell where we are?

My good boy sits so nice

Now let's rewind.  Wednesday, as I pedaled around town looking for my dog, I saw an interesting boat past the gap on Superior.  The drop in my gut told me what was going on.  I pedaled down to the Queen's dock, and looked for my bell buoy.

It was gone.

Sunofagun, I just went out the day before to make sure it was still there!  You took my buoy!  I screamed at the ship, nearly in tears.  In my eight years of living here, I have never seen the buoy drop in or get yanked out of its spot.  But the ship was heading west, and I knew what to do.

I flew home and checked the Marine Traffic site to make sure what I saw was real.  Yup, she was a Coast Guard boat labeled as a tender... going 6.6 knots.  I had time to spare, but I packed up for a trip to Eagle Harbor.  I was going to see what those buoy tenders do.

At the Eagle Harbor Lighthouse, I found a nice front row seat on a cold, wet, unyieldingly hard rock.  Anticipation rose as I watched the ship close in on the buoy.  I had my camera ready for you.

So I sat and waited and watched.  Oh, my.  I sat and shivered for an hour waiting for that tender to whisk that melodic three-toned buoy out of the Big Lake.  

And then it happened.

The buoy, lifted by ropes from a large crane, rose out of the water and timbered into the ship.  I tell you what.  I watched that crane the whole time, waiting for any movement.  The only thing that actually moved (from where I could see) was the cable connected to it.

I seriously sat there and recorded most of this process with my numb fingers holding the shaking camera as I shivered on an off-camber bolder of shore rock.  I didn't mind any of that.  But the lifting of the buoy was so anticlimactic from the camera's point of view that I rather not even waste the bandwidth uploading it.  You get my description and a picture instead.

The C.G. Alder full of local buoys

But hey, now I have officially witnessed the removal of a bell buoy.  One more item to cross off my bucket list!

Here is a picture of one of the older buoys displayed at the museum by the lighthouse.  Those things are way bigger than they look in the water.

Historic buoy at the Eagle Harbor Lighthouse Museum

Okay, now the sun came out.  After hearing about tomorrow's potential storm, I better get some vitamin D before it disappears for the winter.  I'm not joking, you know.

Spring is Creeping In

Back in da Harbor, a shift has taken place.

The Isle Royale Queen IV is parked at her dock.  I can only gaze longingly at her because I will not make it out to the Rock this spring.  Can't win them all!

Another old friend is bobbing in the lake.  The bell buoy!  I missed his arrival by a day.  In the evenings, I hear only three sounds: the wind, the buoy and guess who else?  The peepers!

Yes, the sounds of spring are back, and I can feel that buzz in the air.  People are already  driving the Mandan and Brockway Mountain Drive.  Tiny buds are speckling the trees, turning the landscape hues of red, green and gold.  I even saw the first hepatica wildflowers in my yard!  All sorts of birds are swimming, flying, nesting and singing us songs.  Cheery indeed.

I was longing for some waterfall action.  Lots of my friends said they got out for waterfall tours.  Three days ago, I hiked up Manganese Falls and made you this video.  For some reason, Blogger would not let me pull it from youtube, so don't be afraid to click the link below!

Manganese Falls Spring Rage 2013

Did you get wet?

From there I hiked up the Mango Trail to Lake Manganese where I found the only bridge uprooted, flipped and flushing with water.  

West side of the broken planked bridge...

Call me stubborn (or crazy), but I was crossing that bridge.  Otherwise, I would have to go down the way I came up.   I pulled off my boots and socks, tied the laces together, slung my boots over my shoulder and rolled up my pant legs.  With a deep breath and a test of the chilly water, I slowly shimmied across the planks.  I knew I couldn't take either foot off for too long, or the force of the water would take me with it.  But I also couldn't tarry because that water was cold!

I found a happy medium and made is safely to the other side.  

East side of the broken planked bridge!

Never a dull moment, I tell you.

Yesterday, on a bike ride to practice for the Keweenaw Path, I pulled in to my trusty arbutus site to see if those fragrant little crawlers were blooming yet.  No such luck.  I'll try back next week.

Well, how 'bout them lakes?  Manganese is slightly frozen on the south side, Fanny Hooe is pretty much open and people throw their arms up in wonder when Medora will thaw.

Things are coming to life, despite today and tomorrow's light snow.  That Mother Nature, she's keeping us on our toes!

Oh, I almost forgot!  Here is the link to that kiting video.  I still laugh every time I watch it.

Snow Kiting on Lake Medora

Goodbye Buoy, Hello Snow!

I'm not really sure what's going on here.  Since my last post (on Saturday) it really hasn't stopped snowing.  Not for long periods of time, at least.  We shoveled twice today.  Well, I shoveled, and Aaron blew the snow off with the Stihl BR600 Magnum leaf blower.  There is nearly two inches on our porch now.  If the temp wasn't predicted to rise to 50-something this weekend, I would be pumped for an early winter.  Oh, Mother Nature, you are a trickster.

I must confess, I forgot to tell you something very important about da Harbor.  The bell buoy has sailed south for the winter.  I remember the day, sometime last week, when I noticed its absence.  My first thought (besides why do I never get to watch the buoy go in or out?) was I remember the day I first heard it this spring.

It was the eve of Thursday, May 3rd.  My family came up to celebrate my and Aaron's wedding on Saturday.  My brother, sister and I started taking shots at dinner time.  We later ended up at Zik's singing, dancing and hula hooping.  It was about 3 am, and my sister and I decided to walk down Highway 41 in the almost full moon.  We were close to the water treatment plant when I heard it.  Ding ding, da ding ding.

I fell to my knees.  Bell bouy!  You're back!  I shouted (not at all influenced by tequila).  Katie!  The bell buoy is back!  I told her, as if she didn't notice me on the ground praising it already.  Spring is here!  Welcome back, bell buoy!  I love you!

Yep, that's pretty much how it went down.  The absence of the bell buoy was a much milder story.  In fact, I don't remember much about it besides wondering why the heck I never know when the bell buoy is going to change positions.

But I found out how I can.  I can just call the coast guard!  They'll be receiving a call from this young lady at the end of April.  I guess the raising and lowering process takes about four hours, but I could get some good video for you.  Please remind me about this in the spring.  Thanks.

Here is another one for you.  I already saw a snowmobile cruising by.  It was in St. Germain, Wisconsin.  I had to rub my eyes.  It had only been snowing for about 12 hours, but there was enough for those crazies to go for a ride.   Kudos to them.

I can't wait to ski.  I better get out before it melts.  But this time next week, I'll be on a tropical island!  Snow?  What the heck is that?

Quoth the Bell Buoy...

Remember when I heard the bell buoy dinging up a storm last week?  Today, on my walk, I realized what he was saying.  "So long, Mateys!  I'll sees you next spring.  Argh, now gets me outta these frosty waves."

Know how I know this?  I noticed he was gone today as I hiked along the shoreline.  I looked out and thought, hmm, I must be at the wrong angle to see the buoy.  But I didn't hear him, and he never came into view.  That little bugger went back to the Portage Canal for the winter.  I miss him already!

But I found something new and interesting on my hike today -- concentric lichen.  It's okay to scratch your head.  These patches of lichen were formed with white and black dots -- alternating in layers -- to look like mini bullseyes.  I have never seen lichen like this before.  Bullseyes!  At first I thought there was just one, but they were all over.  They were less than an inch in diameter.  Try that for target practice!

Though it snowed here last week, none of the fluff stuck in da Harbor.  We had to climb in elevation to see patches or piles of it.  But Calumet and Houghton got about eight inches!  That's what we get for being at "sea" level!

Other than that, rifle hunting season starts dark and early tomorrow for deer.  Wear blaze orange if you're going in the woods.  Or heck, just stay out for a couple weeks!

What the Weather Brings...

I heard the bell buoy today.  I couldn't tell if he was squealing with glee and child-like amusement, or if he was cursing the winds and frigid waters.  I'll let you take a wild guess.  

It was funny, though, because when I sat on Lake Superior's shore today I could watch him bobbing and tipping about, but I couldn't hear him until I was on the shore of Lake Fanny Hooe.  The wind was probably too loud in my ears.

And the wind was cold on my cheeks!  This is really the first day this fall that I can say the wind from the lake stung my face.  Brrr!  But yet it was so invigorating!

On the rest of my walk beside Fanny Hooe, the sky started dropping this crystally wet stuff.  I would like to call it snow, but snowflakes have intricate structural design.  These looked like misshapen blobs of ice.  I hear we're supposed to get some of that refined fluffy stuff, though.  The lake sure looks like she's brewing a batch!

Want to know what's ironic about this today?  I saw bearberry flowers on that same walk.  The flowers!  Those come out in May!  But the last warm spell we had must have tricked them into thinking it was spring again.  Here is proof.  You can see the red "berries" have already fruited too.

The flowers are the pink cluster toward the bottom center.  What an unseasonal treat!

It seems like all is well in da Harbor (I really only know my little slices), and I hope all is well with you!

Interview with the Bell Buoy

I thought I was going to have to find a canoe and paddle out to the bell buoy.  Instead, I biked out to my old stomping grounds at the lighthouse, and found him floating in the calm waters with a muffled ding.  I conducted the interview from the rock in the picture below.  The buoy is in the upper left corner.  He was not even a football field away.

Before I begin, I want to fill you in on a little history that we share.  While I lived on the Norland Trust for four years, I often went out to the lighthouse for a jog or hike.  I would always blow a kiss to the bell buoy.  Our meetings were brief, but heartfelt.  What can I say?  We enjoy each others’ presence.  I was glad to see him today over such calm waters.

Me: Good morning, Bell Buoy!  Nice to see you again!

Bell Buoy: Ahoy!  Mornin, Angel!  It’s been weeks since I seens you last.

Me:  It has!  Hey, can you hear me okay out there?

Bell Buoy: Clear as a bell, Love.

Me: Great.  I want to let you know that my readers voted for you as the character from my book that they want me to do an interview with.

Bell Buoy: That’s mighty fine of them.  Seems they gots good taste.

Me: I guess!  How’s the weather been treating you so far this year.

Bell Buoy: Ay, she’s beens a wicked one so far.  Some days me dinger dings so loud I feels my metal’s dentin.  

Me: Ouch!  I believe it!  Just the other day I heard you when I was all the way up at Lake Manganese.  That’s like two miles from you!

Bell Buoy: Me sounds got to carry far as it can, Matey.  That’s why I’s out here!

Me: True.  Would you mind explaining a little about your purpose here on the Big Lake?

Bell Buoy: I’d loves to.  I gots a few of them.  One is me dinger.  On the real foggy days, me sound lets the ships know where they ares when they hears me bell.  See, I gots one tone: ding.  Ding, ding, ding.  The bloat down at Eagle Harbor, he gots three tones, like a “do, re, mi.”  Three bells in his dinger.  I’s embarrassed to say, but sometimes I gets dinger envy -- I wishes I could play songs like that. 

Me: Well, I think you  have a great dinger.  And like you said, that way the ships know where they are; you just have your own special sound.

Bell Buoy: I appreciates you tryins to flatter me.  It works.

Me: Good.  What about your color?  

Bell Buoy: Well, I’s red and white.  That’s another way the captains knows.  Red and white means Copper Harbor.  Plus I gots this little “CH” on me likes a name tag.

Me: Can you tell me a little about your placement here?

Bell Buoy: Indeed.  You sees Porter’s Island?  All alongs that ridgeline bes the ridge right under the water.  That bar extends almost the whole way to the lighthouse where you sits so pretty.  Any ship that enters through here gots to enter by me and in line with the range lights alongs the shore of the Harbor.  That way they’s guaranteed a safe entry.  Ay, I’ve seen some smaller boats trys to cut across the rock.  It shivers me timbers when I watches them pass over the ridge.  

Me: I believe it!  A person would have to have a tiny boat to want to chance that.  But it does add a lot more distance to come all the way to the east side of the Harbor to dock at the west end.

Bell Buoy: That ain’t somethin I cares about.  I’m just the landmark.  They wants to boat out here, they haves to abide by the rules.  

Me:  Well put.  So how long have you been out here?

Bell Buoy: Since spring.

Me: Right, but how many years have you been floating on this spot dinging your bell?

Bell Buoy: How’s I supposed to know?  I ain’ts a math whiz.  

Me: Well, it’s not really math, but you don’t know how many years you’ve been out here?

Bell Buoy: What’s the point?  Every year they brings me back up from the Portage Canal.  Sometimes me gets a new paint job.  Alls I know is I’ll bes out again next year, so adds one more.

Me: Okay.  Is there anything else you’d like my readers to know about you?

Bell Buoy: Ay.  Don’t climbs on me.  I ain’ts a swimmin buoy.  I means, if you’re a cute dame, I’s a life raft, but alls I gets is men jumpins from their boats to climbs me.  It ain’t safe, I tells ya.  Don’t risk it.

Me: Good advice, I suppose.  Now I’ve been really curious about something.  I know you live on the water, so I’m not too surprised,  but where did you pick up the pirate language?

Bell Buoy: Yarg, what’s a pirate?

Me: It’s a -- oh, nevermind.  It’s been a pleasure speaking with you on this beautiful day.  Enjoy yourself out here.  I’ll be listening for you!

Bell Buoy: You bets, me Angel.  Come visits again soon.  

Ding.  Ding.  Ding.