Along Lake Superior

• As we drove away from Sault Ste Marie on a frosty morning, blue skies and sunshine were a welcome change. Only 40 minutes later, we had our first glimpse of Lake Superior with its crisp horizon and deep blue color:
  

  

  
  We made a lengthy photo stop at Kathryn Cove, a picturesque bay having both a beach and a rocky shoreline:
  

  

  

  

  

  
  Continuing our journey, we realized not all the pleasing scenery was on the Great Lakes’ side of the road:
  

  

  
  Spending one night in the town of Marathon, we did, of course, check out its shoreline:
  

  

  Down a steep embankment was a pebbly beach piled with driftwood. Around that peninsula on the right are the remains of the pulp mill that built the town. The mill has been shuttered since 1997. Fortunately, for the town’s survival, a huge Barrick gold mine has recently opened nearby, employing 800. Copper and platinum have also been discovered in the area.
  
  Frequently, along the road we would spot an inukshuk, a pile of rocks usually in the form of a human being:
  

  

  Traditionally, such rock piles were used by the Inuit for communication and survival. Their meaning was generally “Someone was here” or “You are on the right path.” Today, the inukshuk serves as an Inuit cultural symbol and was even the basis for the logo of the 2010 Winter Olympics.
  
  Our stay in Thunder Bay was a bit disappointing. We tried to find its scenic parts but that was difficult. It is very industrial with railroad tracks dictating the town layout. We experienced inconvenient construction detours and skies leaning toward the smoggy. After the brilliant blue skies we had so recently enjoyed, the gritty atmosphere was quite noticeable.
  
  We explored some of Centennial Park, then stopped at Boulevard Park and wandered around its lake:
  

  

  Next to our walkway we found this giant chair oriented as a lifeguard might, facing Boulevard Lake:
  

  

  It is an art piece called Lyon’s View, named after J.W. Lyon, who gifted the Boulevard Lake property to the city. Perched on the chair is an over-sized man’s hat, as though Mr. Lyon were still present and simply went for a swim in the lake.
  
  Thunder Bay was created in 1970 from an amalgamation of two cities and two townships. Its name was a last minute ballot decision, narrowly beating out candidates like “Lakehead.” Due to its recent blending of four downtowns, Thunder Bay understandably lacks a cohesive layout.
  
  Just short of the US/Canada border, we made our last Canadian sightseeing stop near the TI building. A pleasant boardwalk there led to a Lake Superior beach with so much flotsam it seemed composed of wood chips.