The Au Sable Point Lighthouse was built in 1874. An eighty-seven-foot brick tower was built on a rise, placing the light about 150 feet above Lake Superior's surface. The Third-Order Fresnel Lens displayed a fixed white light. The attached, two-story brick keeper's dwelling was large, but those who lived in it knew theirs was one of the most remote mainland light stations in America. The nearest town, Grand Marais, was more than 12 miles away, and there was no road. Keepers either hiked in or came by boat.
On and off snow showers throughout the day made it questionable whether or not it would be possible to photograph Split Rock Lighthouse on this January evening. The January Full moon is the only night of the year when it’s possible to photograph the lighthouse and moon together from this particular angle. I decided to take my chances and make the one-hour drive to the lighthouse and hope that the sky would clear and the moon would be visible. As it turned out, it was a beautiful evening on the ice-covered shores of Lake Superior, and the +5F temperature made it quit pleasant. I was able to enjoy a nice chat with a few other photographers who had already arrived and we all scratched our heads, trying to figure out where exactly the moon would come up. It wasn't long before the first glow of the moon popped through the scattered clouds, and everyone adjusted their tripods and lenses to capture a most incredible and relatively rare sight. I fiddled with my camera controls making adjustments for the changing light, and took a dozen pictures while the moon transited through the horizon. It was an unforgettable sight, and one I hope you enjoy. On the drive home, I though about the history of this wonderful lighthouse which has stood sentinel atop the 160 foot cliff for nearly 100 years. I though about the old light keepers who hauled supplies from the lake up the steep cliff and faithfully tended to the beacon, in good weather and bad. They must have watched the January full moon rise with the same awe that we do today. Split Rock has withstood the elements for so long because of its solid rock foundation. Rocks have always represented the strength and power of our creator God, and that is why his creation reveals his attributes in such magnificent ways. The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. Psa 18:2
