Summer's Back Week

June 26th through July 2nd

Summer has returned to the northwoods. Last week was sunny, warm, and swimmable. Huzzah!

There was a bit of rain. Less than inch in total, but enough to keep the inflows full and the lake rising.

They had been exposed to the air for almost a decade. Last year, the lake began to take back the rocks on the North end. This year the rocks are back under the water. Now you can even paddle or row over them. Motoring over the rocks is possible, but not recommended. New props are expensive.

The rising lake level has been a boon to the wet sock consortium. Soaked feet mostly occur when waves pass under docks and piers. Mostly.

Around mid-week, the lake went up past a critical point and piers floated away. Be careful when boating. Hitting these water borne speed bumps can ruin your hull/prop/skier/whole day.

Wednesday's half ski show was a short, well executed, soggy affair. It was not the most attended event of its type unless you count the rain drops (then it would be the best attended ever!).

Sunday's show had a much larger crowd and a much louder sun.

For this time of year, the water itself is about 5℉ cooler than normal. It's clarity seems better then ever.

On Saturday, the 4th of July parade in Crandon was dry and well attended.

Loved the hood ornaments.

Bar nights ranged from subtle affairs that gently reflected the return of sun and warmth to more earthy and overstated celebrations.

The Bailey's Comet was part of the earthy and overstated ones.

Summer seemed to be drowned in a state of extended hiatus. Then suddenly it was upon us. Many were so excited by the warm that they did not properly stretch. As a result, the lines of the pulled, sore, bandaged, and casted are growing. Remember, proper warm up and cool down is as important as keeping your tips up. And speaking of tips up, ski shows at Water's Edge will be held every Monday and Wednesday for the month of July. It's unlikely that the ski club's "Footstock Dock" will go under the lake this year. The lake level usually peaks on July 1st and then retreats until either a wet fall or ice-in. The lake level on July 1st of 2017 was 24 inches above the nail. That's the highest recorded water this century and close to or maybe even above the poorly recorded high water of the late 70's. Now, if we can just get it a little warmer.<br><br>-Nemo, limping but uncasted.