A GUIDEBOOK TO THE GEOLOGY OF LAKE SUPERIOR'S APOSTLE ISLANDS NATIONAL LAKESHORE AND NEARBY AREAS OF THE BAYFIELD PENINSULA OF WISCONSIN (REVISED EDITION)

Nuhfer, Edward; Dalles, Mary

Geology is a science of materials (rocks, minerals, water, air), processes (weathering, erosion, transportation, deposition, tectonic processes, etc.) and change through time. Geology guidebooks are often exclusively technical works, written for geologists and geology students to provide sound information on the features found in an area. Certainly, the geology is one of the most striking features of the Apostle Islands. The arches, balancing rocks, wave-cut cliffs and benches, tall bluffs of red glacial till, the beaches and sand spits—all these are geological features. Many people who are not geologists visit the islands; they come for the beauty of the islands and the adventure of exploring them. A visit to the islands permits one to experience the scientific observations of the geologist in a setting fitting to the romantic reflection of the poet. We therefore decided that this guidebook, like the islands it describes, would contain elements of both science and poetry. These islands contain a wealth of geological features and may represent some of the finest examples of braided stream deposits in North America. They can be as serene as calm summer sunsets or as violent as the storms of their home in Lake Superior To say "the Apostle Islands are beautiful" does not even begin to capture the experience when a visit here is done correctly. A visit to see the geology of these islands is a combination of learning to recognize different kinds of sandstones, cross-beds (inclined beds of sand deposited by waves and currents), ripple marks, fingerprints of ice-age glaciers, erosional coastal features such as sea caves and wave cut benches and depositional coastal features like spits, beaches and lag deposits. However, it is also a visit with fishermen, sailors, rangers, and photographers. It includes being rocked by waves and sprayed with cold water; getting sand in your shoes; watching a matchless sunset, camping under a full moon; being among gulls, eagles, and cormorants; looking over maps in campfire light; and eventually returning to Bayfield for a dinner of poached trout and hot coffee. This is time spent in the finest way, and it yields rewards of education and adventure that last a lifetime. We, like other visitors, fell in love with the islands; each day spent here brought increased appreciation, and every passing year leaves memories of these visits undiminished. Each of the 22 islands has its own unique character and yields its own special memories. We have resisted displaying features with other than black and white photos out of respect; the visit should provide it's own feel and true colors of that day and hour. Such an experience should always be a cut above any book. Whether you have come for the day, the weekend, or the summer, this book should simply enrich your time spent here. The ultimate compliment to our guide is to see a smudged copy with some sand and water spots on it and many wrinkles from multiple trips. We would then know that it was a companion in happy adventures.