Flat Water, New Road

After a very wet early Monday morning, last week started off flat, dry, and hot. High temperatures pushed into the 80s°F and the stillness of the lake measured over 20 megaDeBelaks on the Knottlane foot-o-meter. A finer time to be up north you will never find. That changed mid-week with a lumpy lake, good rain, and cooler temperatures.

The rain that ended early Monday and kicked off the hot part of the week added over 2 inches to the lake level. With over 6 inches of rain in 3 storm events during the month, we are looking forward to the lake level check on September 1st.

Sunsets during the hot part of the week were great.

On some of the calmer, hotter days, the lake seemed to boil above some cribs as hungry panfish munched bugs and bubbles from Lucerne's surface.

Oddly, not many skiers ate up all that flat. Back to school, nagging injuries, or simple exhaustion were all cited as possible causes.

The best way to escape the early week heat was to get into the lake. It was noted that the water is not near its boiling point.

Many (all) golf balls missed the mark when chipping for the bucket on the raft last week. Most, if not all, were gathered up for re-chipping.

After about 30 minutes we had a fine crop of balls and pruney fingers.

Divers felt that the 74°F lake was a little warmer when the sun was out from behind any clouds.

On Wednesday, just before the weather changed, the local highway department gave the upper part of West Shore Drive some much needed attention.

Since it was paved over a quarter of a century ago, heavy equipment and foot traffic have taken their toll on the road's smoothness.

Huzzah!

The end of the hot was precipitated with some heavy-ish rain that came from an almost cloudless sky.

Along with the cooler air came the end of the flatness. Big breakers slammed the north beaches during much of the weekend.

I was warned by a passing walker that there was an eagle in one of the pines on West Shore Drive, but it still startled me when it swooshed out overhead.

A bunch of mergansers were fishing up the north end of the lake all week.

The trees around the area are still in their summer finery.

If you look closer, there are some subtle signs that the tree's Fall Finery will soon be upon us.

If you need a perfect garnish for a glass full of Jeppson's Malört or an otherwise frightening side dish, there's a bumper crop of milkweed pods along almost every road.

The cool and damp weather of the weekend (Boo!) heralded the start of Slug Season (Ick!) in the northwoods. Be warned that if a DNR officer catches you outside with a salt shaker and no hunting license, they could confiscate the salt and all your other spices.

Summer seemed to be fading during the weekend, but it looks and feels like it will be back soon. We may not see a string of days in the 80s°F, but the high 70s°F and some sun can give a strong enough impression of hot as to be all but indistinguishable to all but the most degreed summer expert. Hopefully the hotter weather will drive the slugs back to Seattle where they belong. Until then, watch your step.

-Nemo has never used a slug as a garnish, even with Jeppson's Malört.

Flat Water, New Road

August 22nd through 28th, 2022