Snow, Not White Sand!
The Lake Michigan beach at Bailey’s Harbor on the very northern part of Wisconsin is hidden in winter by a heavy covering of snow, and rows and rows of snow fences.
Sure, some of the tropical parts of the world have pure white sand beaches, but this beach’s white stuff is of the frosty variety.
Door County is Famous for its Cherries
Door County is famous for its cherries. Orchards have been planted throughout the county since the 1800s. Lake Michigan and Green Bay keep the weather conditions ideal for both the cultivation of cherries and apple – warm days, cool night. Perfect.
Door County has nearly 2,000 acres of cherry orchards and another 500 acres of apple orchards – 1/10th of the land in Door County is planted with fruit trees. The air is filled with the blossoms’ fragrance in the spring and the harvests fill farm stands with luscious fruit from August through October.
In winter, the orchards make great subjects for photographs. Love those red tinged trees in the drifted snow.
Early Winter Ice Formations
We decided to stop at Cave Point County Park before we ended our long week-end in Door County and headed south back to Madison and the end of a long and busy holiday season. We have never been to Door County in the winter, and so I’d never had the opportunity to see the legendary ice formations on these limestone cliffs overhanging Lake Michigan. Pounded by the frigid northern waters, I can imagine these icy formations are only beginning to form. Imagine what another eight weeks or so of below freezing winter temperatures will do to these cliffs. I am already considering a return trip in March if the weather stays cold – a rather safe bet in this locale.
I won’t discuss (too much) how I didn’t really get the photograph I wanted, mostly because my Sherpa kept grabbing at my pack and pulling me away from the edge of the cliff. I want to make it clear for the record – at no time was I dangerously close to the edge and I always made sure I had good footing. Even I am not foolish enough to tempt fate on these high ledges. Nor did the icy waters below didn’t appear too inviting for an unplanned swim. But Sherpa has a decided fear of heights – a fear we do not share – and so he was quite vocal about his opposition to my photo plans.
We hadn’t planned on an extended stop, and with the winds already blustery and the temperatures dropping, I agreed this probably wasn’t the right time for a prolonged photo shoot. We weren’t really adequately dressed, plus we had a five hour drive home ahead of us, and we’d been taking photos non-stop for three days. Neither of us wanted to push our endurance before the drive home.
I look at the photographs I did get, and think how spectacular these icy cliffs might become given a couple more months of below freezing weather and the relentless pounding from Lake Michigan’s surf.
Yes, indeed! Another weekend trip to Door County in March is beginning to sound like a great plan.
Eagle Harbor
We’d been traveling and taking photographs in Door County since sunrise and just before sunset I called it quits. With the temps close to zero, taking photographs can get me bone tired – I think it’s all the jumping in and out of the car to warm up between shots. So I was determined to head back to the motel and relax in the hot tub until…
…until I took a glance in the rearview mirror and saw the ice gleaming orange from the disappearing sun. A quick U-turn and another 30 minutes and then we hit the hot tub.
After going through another few dozen, I found a second photograph I wanted to share, one with a slightly different perspective and composition. If possible, this one makes me shiver more than the first.
An Even Colder Perspective
Door County may be a bit frosty, but it provides endless opportunities for “just one more”.
Do you have a photo preference? Do you like the first, the warmer version, or second photo, the colder one? And why?
Do you take photographs in winter climes? Anything you do to keep you and your camera gear warm – well, warm is a relative word here. I mean warm enough to stay out for “just one more?”
Canada Geese in Glow of Sunset
No, I’m not taking a holiday in Antarctica, though truly, sometimes I start imagining the Canada geese I see are really penguins! Not near the Pole, but winter in Wisconsin can still be a little long. Strong winds broke open the sheet of ice covering Green Bay near Fish Creek, but there is still an icy slush along the shores. Even in the glow of the setting sun, it all looks cold. And with temps hovering in the single digits and the wind chill dropping to 10 below or colder, taking photographs becomes a challenge.
How fast can I set up the shot, take it, and make it back to the interior of the warm car? Hmm. Not quite fast enough.
