The Shower Building

It was, until later afternoon, a partly cloudy day at Mirror Lake State Park near Lake Delton. Near 2200 acres it preserves a great deal of land some of which was previously developed, and other land that was not. Until we hiked the Pulpit Rock trail, I was not aware that so many houses, boathouses, stairs and a resort or two were in what is now the park. This story is not about the old buildings, with a few foundation blocks yet in place, but a newer building that provided protection during a tornado warning. 

In the late afternoon on Tuesday when my camping partner and I went to town to pick up some ice, and a couple of small ice cream treats. Before hand we ate dinner in town, and while we ate we could watch the dark clouds start to move in from a westerly direction. Rain seemed imminent, so we hightailed it to Kwik Trip for ice and some ice cream. We then negotiated the WI Dells traffic, and headed back to the campsite. It started to rain, more a sprinkle, and as we headed back we could see varied employees on their electric scooters heading to and from work on Gasser Rd. They came and went north on Ishnala Road, while we turned south. Perhaps an efficient way to travel for such entertainment industry staff, except during inclement weather. 

As we were in the park and approached our campsite, I think we were near or beyond the shower building that serves the four loops in which we camped, our phones went off with a tornado warning and telling us to seek shelter. At that point I decided, with light sprinkles, to go back to the campsite and as we did we saw the fellow campers making their way out of the last loop on which we were camped. When we got out of the Jeep, we could hear the sirens from Lake Delton, although cell service at the park was one or perhaps two bars most of the time.  My purpose in going to the campsite was to make sure our screen tent was secured, where I pulled the side flaps down about half way, and we left the camper windows open a bit too. My wife secured the rain fly on a neighbor tent which was almost blown off. From Illinois, the young couple perhaps did not properly secure the rain fly. It covered part of their roof but not much down the sides and the strong wind perhaps could blow rain into the tent door.

After securing the items, we got in the car to drive to the shower building and that is when the heavy rain really started. With the strong wind and rain we really did not wish to get out of the Jeep, but we made a rush for the men's restroom on the other side of the building. No one was in the restroom, but we decided to head to the shower area. The shower has six individual showers, each accessed by its own door, with a six to eight foot wide portico running the length of the shower doors that provides benches at the edge. The benches were too wet to sit, and there were a good number of people. At that point two young women came out of the last shower, nearest us, and said we could have that one. We decided to stay under the portico and if conditions got worse, we would hit the shower. 

A few minutes later two women come into the portico and as they walk by some of the shower stalls and see people huddled in them, but the doors open. It seemed as if they were completely unaware of the situation unfolding. At that point, just a few feet from us, they ask something to the effect of: "Why are their people in the shower stalls and not taking a shower? We need to shower!" They repeated that "We need to shower!" At that point a man whose wife was in the shower stall near the middle, and close to the two women spoke up and said, "In case you don't know, there is a tornado warning and this is one of the safe spaces in this situation. The ladies seemed unimpressed and one entered in to the shower my camping partner and I planned to use. About ten minutes or fifteen minutes later she reappears and the other women is going in and asks people to knock on the door if a tornado comes so she can get dressed in case the door blows off. My wife commented that given the location of the door to the direction of the shower that would likely not happen, but she did not seem to believe that logic. It is not like the doors were hollow wood, they were solid metal. If the door were to potentially rip off, I doubt anyone nearby would be in a condition to knock on the door to let her know. We likely would have been swept aside. And, at that point who would care?

When the 5:30 pm expiration time for the tornado warning arrived we departed as the rain was now less intense. Fairly wet anyway, getting to the car in heavy rain would not have made much difference.  I cannot recall the second woman leaving the shower before the 5:30, but she may have. 

When camping and you think of a safe haven, it is the shower building, not staying at the campsite, even though the shower building was at a higher elevation than our campsite. If we were at say, Cunard Lake Campground, I am not sure what we would have done, perhaps go under the picnic table at the beach. Many years ago at Laura Lake a neighbor told us about a warning, we were tent camping, and we simply got in the van and headed the five or six miles to Armstrong Creek and parked at the open parking lot of the Catholic Church where we could see the storm just to our north. At Mirror Lake, I wonder what happened to the family walking to the beach as we made our way to the campsite right after the warning went off on our phones? 

I guess, to all but two women, the shower building was for shelter and not a shower. If a tornado had been in the park, the woman in the shower took up valuable space for those under the portico right in front of the showers. Unlike Dorothy (Wizard of Oz) who ran in the house and not to the storm cellar, we headed to the nearest safe place--the shower building.

Photos by author at Mirror Lake, August 2026

Historic Marker

Historic markers are common in Wisconsin. Sometimes I feel as if I should take the time to stop and read them when we travel. The state, according to AI, has somewhere between 609 and 650 such markers. I think it would be neat to view them. The wife would regard this as one of my particular peculiarities, "a waste of time", and in her mind akin to when we "stopped at that place with that marker in the ground." This last comment of course referred to the only one of four places, easily accessible, on earth where the 45th latitude and 90th longitude meet. Of those, four, two are in an ocean, and the other in a mountain range. That marker is located west of Wausau near Poniatowski, WI.  However, I am happy to say the state has just received its its 610th to 651st Historical Marker. The marker is in front of my house for an event that occurred on the evening of July 21, 2026

Historic Marker in front of my house

How you ask, was a historic marker able to be placed so quickly?  In just a month time? It is because an exceedingly rare occasion in humankind occurred on the evening of 21 July, that the State Historical Society was quick to act to recognize the event with the Historical marker. Given the bureaucracy of the state, this is quite an achievement. The event broke the two rules of marriage and male-female partnerships, the first rule being that the woman is always right, and the second rule being that even if the woman is wrong the first rule applies. I think this is more rare than the alignment of all eight planets, or the appearance of Haley's comet, hence the reason the state acted so quickly. 

First two rules of Male-Female Relationship

What occurred? For some reason we had a show on Netflix, which made me think of the PBS Barney children's show, Barney being that big purple dinosaur. I started singing that common song, which like many children songs you get in your head and it will not leave, a brain worm. The lyrics go: "I love you, you love me, we're a happy family with a great big hug and a kiss from me to you, won't you say you...[Now the part I could not remember "love me too."]  I asked my wife if she recalled the last part, she did not know, but insisted that the lyrics did not say kiss. I insisted it did, and found it online with Barney singing that song. When I played it for her, her simple comment was, "That would not be allowed today." Barney stopped running in 2010 and all reruns ended in 2016. I am not sure why it ended, if it ran its course, or, if like other things in the nation it was canceled by those infected with what Bill Maher calls the "Woke virus." Even th queen of Woke has expressed that, what she termed Woke 1, was crazy. So while the wife was wrong on the lyrics, she well may be correct on why it was canceled, a male-voiced purple dinosaur may be seen as promoting something for children that is inappropriate, if not creepy. And even if she is not correct on the second part, rule 2 usually applies, except in this case because she did not really care, or because having rule 2 apply set aside for two consecutive events would be unheard of.

Part of the deal to make the historic marker happen was going through the all-female committee on domestic accuracy, which had to ascertain the facts that I was correct. I guess the body is comprised of all females, since women are always right, except for this one time, and as we know if they are not right, the are still right. The longest part of getting the sign installed was not the Historical Society, or even the Committee for Domestic Accuracy, much less getting the sign made. It was getting village approval and the concrete base installed. I like to think I am fairly knowledgeable about local and state government operations, but the Domestic Accuracy Committee was news to me. I wonder if I got extra points from the committee for being married to a redhead?

At book club a few weeks ago a couple was talking about the baptism of their grandchild, and how their daughter and son-in-law had given them a day-long couples retreat at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Crosse. The woman made some comment and identified what she said was the first to two things the retreat master led with, the husband interjected and said, "You're wrong, it was the other way around and I will prove it to you when we get back to the car." I would hate to be him in that car as they drove home.

I proudly have the historical marker in front of the house, not for me, but for those rare occasions when a husband was actually correct and was able to avoid invoking rule 2. The committee for Domestic Accuracy was rather flabbergasted that my wife could not recall the full lyrics of the Barney PBS show. I defended my wife, I commented that she knows plenty of other children tunes, and I suggested that perhaps the John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt tune, or Wheels on the Bus, or Itsy Bitsy Spider (the latter two which she does with the grandchildren) are so ingrained in her head that the Barney song was replaced. Not to mention, the potential downside of Barney being canceled. As for now, the historical marker proudly stands in our front yard. The men who walk by realize there is hope, but all the women that walk by do my wife's favorite past time--shake their heads.

Top image, Gemini AI generated

Second image:  Google Images

The Rip

Beginning the first Monday of August for two nights and three days my travel partner (also known as my wife) and I spent time in Door County, WI. The last time we were there was seven years earlier when we camped at Peninsula State Park. We were in Door County in June 2018 and Aug 2016 (with 2016 being the bridge incident). For this venture, we departed early Monday morning, only to get stuck in a traffic jam exiting Hwy 12 on to the Interstate by Madison. Just getting up the on ramp to the interstate took 10 minutes. Not a good beginning, but after that, it was smooth sailing. What was not necessarily smooth were the waves on the Lake Michigan side. Mother Nature had other ideas, and that is where rip currents (formerly known as rip tides) came in to play.

Monday we arrived at Whitefish Dunes State Park, we had lunch and then walked along the path to Cave Point Co Park, about a mile hike. Cave Point is quite different, with larger parking areas and more people than when I first encountered it during my youngest brother's wedding in May 1988. Wedding photos were taken in the park. After the hike, I went swimming at the Whitefish Dunes beach. When we were there in 2019 the lake was so high that there was no beach. Not this year, which saw the level much lower producing a long white ribbon of sand between the water's edge and the dunes.  Not that I am a regular visitor to the beach, but two of the four lots were full of vehicles when we arrived, and the beach was teeming with people, just what one would expect on a beautiful early August day. Kayakers were prevalent, including some kayak tour groups touring along the shore. My wife told me to be careful and to get out of the marked area on the map that shows were rip currents are most prevalent. That meant I walked perhaps near half a mile to get out of the marked area. Not as if the signs did much good considering the number of persons in that mapped area. The waves were large, often white caps, that could catch you and haul you in and then retreat and haul you further out. It was rather fun swimming.

Whitefish Dunes State Park, ribbon of sand, taken from picnic area,
right after our arrival, about 11:30 am. Waves became whitecaps by the time
I went swimming after completing our hike to Cave Point
There is an abrupt change from dolomite outcropping to sand and sand dunes

Rip currents, per Ocean today are: "A rip current is a narrow, fast-moving channel of water that flows directly away from the shore. It cuts through breaking waves like a river running out to sea, moving at speeds up to 8 feet per second (5.45 mph, or almost as fast as Michael Phelps at his fastest). They do not pull you under, but they can quickly carry you far past the surf zone." Hence, a swimmer can tire out. The method to get out of a rip current is to swim parallel to shore and when out of the current, to swim back to shore. I will not bore you with details on the geomorphology and meteorological occurrences that can lead to rip currents.

Not an uncommon shoreline from Whitefish Dunes beach
north to beyond Cave Point Co. Park

Of course, on our way up we had heard that the loss of two kayakers between the peninsula and Washington Island had turned to recovery, and in fact we heard that the bodies of two twenty year old persons kayaking without life jackets were recovered. As if one recovery was not enough, to show people are people, on Tuesday we heard more news on rescues. First, on Monday night two people on paddle boards at 9:00 pm, yes 9:00 pm when the sun set at 8:15 pm in Sister Bay, had the wind change direction and took them further out, beyond the calmer embracing arms of the landforms that form the bay and moved into Green Bay. They also did not have life jackets. The report from the emergency service scanner recounted the incident, where drones and  thermal imaging camera read:

Little Sister Bay - water rescue - juveniles out paddle boarding - winds switched - unable to get back to shore at Pebble Beach - no life jackets - attempting to swim back - thermal imaging - Request Ephraim & Gibraltar to assist with water rescue - Request Egg Harbor Fire for drone - Coast Guard en route ETA 45 min + Coast Guard Helicopter en route - paddle board is orange & lime green in color - approximately 2 football fields off Pebble Beach drifting north - dispatch is on the line with them - they have vistual (sic) lake contact before stand down orders - Ephraim Marine unit has both victims on board & refusing medical - cancel all further responding units

 

The Cave in Cave Point

As if first responders were not busy enough, on Tuesday there were two rescues at or near Whitefish Dunes. On Monday, my weather application had a warning for beaches from Rock Island south to Manitowoc County for concern of rip currents starting at 2 pm. I read the alert and realized that the more protected Newport Beach was not on the list. My travel partner and I made our way to Newport Beach State Park, which was our plan anyway. We did a three mile hike, and then had lunch. I then went to swim. On the way back we stopped for ice cream in too busy Sister Bay. Some seaweed was in the first few feet of the water. There were probably about 30 people at this lesser used beach, but only a few others entered the water. As at Whitefish Dunes, I go out to about chest to neck depth and then I swim parallel to shore. First, to assure that if something happens, I am in water that I can stand in, and second, if a rip tide catches you, you swim parallel to shore . Hence, my swim pattern helps in case I hit a rip current. 

Portion of WI State Park Map for Whitefish Dunes
Red by author to highlight prevalent rip current area (parallel lines by beach)

Actually, my wife says I was to be safe, and since I always listen to my wife, I swim safely. After all, I did not want to become that 68 year old man swept into Lake Michigan by a rip current, or even that 68 year old man rescued. If I were rescued, I think my wife would put an end to me swimming in open water in areas without a lifeguard, at least areas susceptible to rip currents. Hence, being safe is in my best interests. I would never hear the end of it, not from the rescue group but from my wife, if I was the one who had to be rescued. 

After swimming at Newport Beach, we departed, we had talked the night before of going back to Cave Point to see the large waves hit the rock formation, but instead we went to Sister Bay to get ice cream (made at the Sister Bay Ice Cream Factory and Sandwich Shop, if you go don't waste money on a one scoop dish, get a one scoop waffle cone). Cave Point is southeast of Egg Harbor so we would have had to go a back north to get to the ice cream shop after Cave Point. I am glad we did not go, it was likely a large traffic jam given the occurrences in the area that day. 

Part of Whitefish Dunes seashore

Notwithstanding warnings of rip currents, eye witness accounts say people were still swimming in the area of Cave Point, diving off the cliff into the water, and swimming at Whitefish Dunes. That day, rescue crews responded to two incidents. It was not just the local fire department, but the Coast Guard which sent their helicopter and dispatched their rescue boat, which makes me think of the movie The Guardian, starring Kevin Costner. Other jurisdictions responded for mutual aid. The thing is, in Door County, very little is just a few minutes away. The Door County station for the Coast Guard is in Sturgeon Bay is 26 minute travel time to Whitefish Dunes and Cave Point. They sent  a boat and a helicopter, and Jacksonport responded with a boat. It is about 10.2 miles by water, likely longer distance fighting waves. The woman who made the call, had been at Cave Point and saw people jumping in. She then said she made her way to the sand beach, which is really Whitefish Dunes, because all other areas from Cave Point south is dolomite outcroppings, a form of limestone. Anyway, the story goes that two young teens and their dad were in the water, about waist deep. The female teen got caught in a rip current which pushed her out, and second pushed her further out. Her brother and dad, who recognized what was happening, went after, but got in the same current, as did one or two others who  jumped in and tried to help. One person was transported by Coast Guard ambulance. Apparently, there were five persons caught in the current which took them about 600 feet from shore. By the time rescuers arrived some had gotten out, local rescue got one or so out and the Coast Guard also got one person out. If that was not enough, later two juveniles were rescued after getting caught in a rip current, but much closer to shore they were. The beach was then closed. The thing is, I am not sure where the rescues occurred in relation to the mapped area, but recognize the warning was for the shoreline and it listed Whitefish Dunes. 

Whitefish Dunes Beach

The search and rescue persons encourage people to wear life jackets, and some are available on shore for use. The Coast Guard made this Facebook post about the second incident: 

Whitefish Dunes State Park (not related to previous call) - Water Rescue - two juveniles 15 feet from shore - stuck in a rip tide - no life jackets - requesting Jacksonport fire with boat - Sturgeon Bay Marine731 en route - male party still in the water multiple people actively trying to help also without life jackets - Coast Guard Boat en route - all parties out of the water on shore

The Door County Sheriff's office stated that "Door County's waters are beautiful but can be extremely unpredictable. Weather, waves, currents, and water conditions can change rapidly, creating dangerous situations for boaters, paddlers, and swimmers."

Over the course of three days, there were three water rescues and one, unfortunately, recovery operation. The rip currents can suddenly show. Whitefish Dunes website identifies the occurrence of rip currents: "Lake Michigan can produce dangerous rip currents [exit DNR]. These currents are most serious when large waves are present. Rip currents typically occur within 200 yards of the ramp leading to the beach. Signs and flags identify this area. If caught in a rip current, swim parallel to the shore. Rip currents are seldom wider than 30 feet." (A web site for the ocean and rip currents says they can be 50--100' wide.) It is that 200 yards, or 1/8 mile that the beach is clearly marked for rip currents. I walked down to the second beach access point from the first access point, using a mat provided in the sand to a safer swim area, beyond the normal rip current zone. Of course, pets are not allowed on the beach, but plenty of them were to be seen, so I guess people will also figure they can be in the water in a area not suggested for swimming. People will be people.

Post Scripts:

This past Friday (8/7) at Myrtle Beach, a 47 year old school teacher from Georgia, and father of four, died after rescuing a girl from a rip current. Lifeguards had just ended their duty for the day when the girl was caught in the rip current at about 8 pm. He got her to safety, when he was "ripped under by the current."  

About 100 people a year die due to rip currents each year.  

Founded on Aug 4, 1790, two water rescues occurred on the 236th birthday of the US Coast Guard in Door County alone.

Henry

It was a breezy and sunny early afternoon on Thursday when the medium sized SUV pulled into the campsite next to us at Cunard Lake. Out popped three boys and their dad, and the family dog. We had been fortunate to reserve the Tuesday morning prior to their arrival (the day we arrived) a lake side site that sits high above the water with a steep drop to Cunard Lake. We knew someone had that site reserved for part of our stay, but we obviously did not know about Henry. I never met Henry, but here he is having the title of this blog post.

Map of Cunard Lake Campground
With notations.
Source: WI DNR

Henry, about eight years of age, was likely several years younger than his tall teenage brothers. Henry may not reach the height of his dad or brothers, but he can beat them out in one aspect--talking, or chatting. The mom joined them later in the day pulling up in a Prius, so Henry had his mom around to talk to. I am not sure how much attention his older brothers paid to chatty Henry. For a while, before the mom showed up, I wondered how they would fit three tall males and Henry in the rather middle sized tent, and maybe with the dog. Mom brought a small tent, and I don't know who slept in it, perhaps the two teenagers, but they would not even be able to kneel in it. If they slept in it, it would almost be like a cartoon with the feet hanging out the door of the tent.

If Henry were to kneel he may have been about the height of their large dog. My wife became enthralled with Henry, well actually his chattiness. To the other side we had campers in our demographic group and for two nights they gathered with neighbors to their opposite side. They were rather chatty too, and I cannot imagine what it would be like if they got together with Henry.  The adults departed Friday morning, so we mainly had Henry for talking on Friday, before we departed Saturday morning. It would have been trying to be sandwiched between the chatty adults and chatty Henry for another night.

Fungi on a stump, Cunard Lake Campground, site 30

Cunard Lake, is one of two quiet campgrounds in the Northern Highlands American Legion State Forest (NHAL), the other being Starrett Lake, which is further northeast, not exactly too far from the heavily used Musky, Crystal and Firefly lakes. For several years Cunard has been one of the three least used Campgrounds in the NHAL. Why this is the case, I am not sure, but the lake does not allow craft with gas powered engines. It does not allow generators, or radios to play. Although the way things are moving, like electric bikes, which are scooters powered by electricity over gas, they may need to keep abreast of what is being marketed for water craft. I doubt it is not long away there will be an electric powered paddle board. 

Anyway, annually, the NHAL puts out a small newspaper with varied information, but mostly ads, to pay for it, and they list the most used and least used campgrounds and sites at the NHAL. In 2024, Cunard was second least used, but in 2025 it was the third least used. The other least two used sites are Big Lake and Sandy Beach. We drove through Big Lake one time after biking from Manitowish Waters toward Boulder Junction and back, and it was logged or had significant downed trees, so I can see why people do not camp there, or they logged it because it is not in high demand. We have not driven to view Sandy Beach Lake, that I recall. If we did, it was not memorable.

Yet, Henry was so memorable that he gets one of my famed blog posts named after him. All I know about Henry is he liked to chatter. It may be sexist, but speaking is not necessarily a strong suit of males, ask any female. I hardly heard a peep out of his two older brothers except for one time as they were setting up. The one thing that occupied Henry's time when he was actually did not say much during the day was when he pounded in the tent stakes. 

They had their tent set up, Henry was chatting, the dad getting other camping gear out and the oldest son rather than helping his dad went to the lake to fish from the beach. The middle son was using a hand pump to fill an inflatable kayak. I was walking by their site and all of a sudden, as I am opposite the boy pumping there is a large horrendous boom. The kayak exploded, as I looked I saw the boy looking down to realize what had happened. His dad stopped what he was doing and asked what happened and the son said he had just completed pumping it up and opened a zipper on the side, wondering why it was there and it exploded. The dad was calm, perhaps more so than I would have been, and examined it and then made a call. I was back at the campsite and the wife was wondering if everyone was alright and what happened. She then overheard the dad's conversation and the kayak had just been purchased and had been a floor model. The oldest son, who was fishing came up and I think was about to give the third degree to the his next in line brother (the middle child)  when the dad intervened and said he thought it was defective after having been inflated too long or something. Later that afternoon they made a trip, perhaps to Woodruff or Minocqua and brought back a canoe. We middle children are well versed in taking grief from older and younger siblings.

I am not sure what it was about Henry that made my wife comment on him. Perhaps, she could not believe a boy could talk so much. She worked at elementary and middle schools as a nurse for part of her career, so would have familiarity with a large group of children and their tendencies. Normally, I don't think one expects the youngest to be chatty, on the other hand one would expect teenage boys to be taciturn, which they were. 

The one thing that would have produced more noise than the boom of an exploding inflatable kayak, would have been if my wife, whose favorite time to get into water is bath water, went by chance into the water at the beach and was approached by the common water snake. That snake seems to find comfort at the beach in the late evening. I saw the snake last year and it was rather disconcerting. I have tended to only notice the water snake at around dusk. My wife ventured to the lake and did not see the snake. Last year the snake came out of the water a bit lifted its head and hissed at me. I backed up as quick as I could. People say, don't be scared they can bite but not poisonous. That is like saying, cut yourself, with a knife that is not dipped in poison. Who wants a bite even if it is not poisonous? Whether Henry saw the snake at the beach, I don't know. This year I thought I would take charge, so I took a determined step to the snake and it backed up slithered over the way a few feet and then started to lift its head, and I decided I best not do that again. The snake probably knew I was more scared of getting bit then it was of me grabbing it.

Snake at Cunard Lake Beach, July 2026

Henry was pretty talkative through the night and after we went into the camper about 9 pm. However, at 9:30 Henry was quiet, so I am thinking he reached his bed time. Non-campers can occupy the park from 6 am to 11 pm, and those happen to also coincide with quiet hours. I think quiet hours starting at 11 pm is rather late. If I got up a 6:30 or 7:00 am and made the noise my wife thinks I do, I think other campers would be upset, so is it acceptable to be upset with a good deal of Henry noise at 9 pm?

Campground for large RV's near Hancock, WI

As much as Henry was annoying with his constant chatter, I am not sure he ever breathed, my wife commented that it was nice that his parents and siblings took him camping at campground in the NHAL rather than some of those where large camper after large camper are on top of each other, such as the one near Hancock, WI which you can see from Hwy 51, otherwise known as I-39. Camping at the NHAL, even with Henry would be a better experience than at a large RV park.