|
“The historical value of lighthouses has always interested me,” said Christian Dalbec of Two Harbors, Minnesota. “Also, the location they are in. They have to be up high and far out over water in order to do their job. It’s appealing and eye-catching.”
For the past seven years, Dalbec has photographed Lake Superior’s Two Harbors Lighthouse or Split Rock Lighthouse nearly every day. Beyond the time commitment, what makes Dalbec’s efforts even more remarkable is that he doesn’t stand on shore and capture the easy shot. Instead, he immerses himself in the frigid freshwater lake, capturing one-of-a-kind scenes that are only possible thanks to his tenacity coupled with mental and physical toughness.
Not even the ice, snow, and brutal cold of Minnesota winters stop Dalbec. He is so committed; he swims in Lake Superior all year long, even when water temperatures are barely above freezing and the surrounding shore that he must traverse is treacherously icy.
Clad in a cold-water wetsuit, ice cleats, and helmet, with his camera protected in a durable waterproof housing, Dalbec arrives at the lighthouse before sunrise and leaves after sunset. This allows him to shoot the magical light that photographers call “the golden hour” when soft, warm hues bathe the rugged scenery in oranges, golds, and pinks.
Dalbec’s images celebrate the immense beauty of Minnesota’s North Shore from a perspective that is rarely captured. His vantage points within the lake allow him to create breathtaking images, including not only the lighthouses, but also unique waves, frozen-in-time splashes, and usually hidden underwater features. The cool aqua waters lashing out against the warm pink or golden sky create a magical composition that only Mother Nature can orchestrate.
What Dalbec is doing is not easy, to say the least. Extremely cold temperatures, fast-moving currents, large waves, plus a sharp and jagged shoreline of shelf rock, make Lake Superior especially treacherous. “I bump my legs a lot,” he said, “and I’ve had some close calls that led me to research how surfers approach the big waves. I’ve learned to alter my style of swimming. I started out with a life jacket, but now I wear 15 pounds of weight to help get me to safety under the waves.”
Dalbec wasn’t always so disciplined and anchored in life. Like an unmoored boat drifting with the current, he struggled to find direction well into adulthood. Twelve years playing guitar in a rock band led to a lifestyle that was hard to sustain. In his 40s, he found himself washed up on the rocky shores of alcohol addiction. “It was all day, every day, and nothing but problems. Alcohol is extremely addictive for me,” he admitted. The booze had caused strife within his family and relationships, and created overall problems in his life. After getting multiple DUIs and losing his driver’s license, Dalbec had hit absolute rock bottom.
Facing the reality of what his life had become, in 2011 Dalbec realized that he needed to make major changes if he was to survive. After much soul searching, he bravely committed to quit drinking.
Looking for something new to occupy his time, Dalbec picked up a camera he had purchased several years earlier. Not able to drive, he turned to the remarkable scenery he had known, but had taken for granted his whole life – Two Harbors Lighthouse on Lake Superior, which was practically in his own back yard.
First lit on April 15, 1892, the Two Harbors Light Station is the oldest continuously operating lighthouse on Minnesota’s rocky North Shore. The lantern gallery is 43.5 feet high which places it 78 feet above the water, thanks to its position on the shoreline. Today, the Lake County Historical Society operates the quaint property as the Lighthouse Bed and Breakfast Inn.
Lighthouses were designed to protect water traffic from the rocky shores on which aimless vessels wreck, so perhaps it’s fitting that they played such a crucial role in rescuing Dalbec. “Photography saved my life,” he said. “The interest to pursue the next picture grows stronger than any addiction I’ve ever seen.”
Dalbec’s current favorite location to photograph is Minnesota’s Split Rock State Park, also in Two Harbors. After a single storm damaged 29 ships in November of 1905, American novelist James Oliver Curwood proclaimed the North Shore of Lake Superior “the most dangerous piece of water in the world.” Tired of damaging and losing uninsured freighters hauling freshly mined iron ore, the U.S. Steel Corporation lobbied Congress for an additional light station to protect its fleet, and in 1910 the construction of Split Rock Lighthouse was completed thanks to a $75,000 appropriation.
Split Rock took advantage of new technology including oil vapor lamps which were some of the most powerful on the Great Lakes and could be seen for a reported 22 miles. Another new device, known as a diaphone, utilized a vibrating air stream to create a powerful, low-frequency tone that could be heard for many miles.
Originally only accessible by water, the lighthouse became one of Minnesota’s most visited landmarks after completion of the Lake Superior International Highway in 1924. By 1939, when the Coast Guard took over operation, Split Rock was high on the list of the most visited lighthouse in the United States. With the development of more sophisticated navigational tools, the lighthouse was closed in 1969 and taken over by the state of Minnesota in 1971, then transferred to the Minnesota Historical Society in 1976. Designated a National Historic Landmark in 2011, Split Rock is arguably the most iconic symbol of Northern Minnesota.
Lay your eyes on a few of his images and it’s easy to see why Dalbec loves capturing the drama of the 54-foot high Split Rock Lighthouse with its position on a 130-foot rugged cliff. The big lake they call Gichi-Gami truly has Dalbec’s heart. “I couldn’t be happier than when I’m in Lake Superior,” he admitted. “Anytime is a good time to be in the water. I feel free from normality. I feel like I’m on my own ground, even though I’m floating.”
Having successfully charted a new course, Dalbec, now 49, lives a purposeful life and is gratefully reflective of how much his life has changed. “Photography taught me to appreciate life and opened me up to the beauty of the earth,” he said. “No matter where I’m standing, I can find beauty. Before photography, I was looking at only the insides of buildings and not noticing the beauty around me,” he continued. “The fresh water of the lake is so important to keep fresh and clean. I think about that a lot. Our water is an important and vital resource that we need to care for and maintain.”
With his sobriety, Dalbec has much to appreciate, including his recent wedding. His commitment to photography has paid off as a full-time career and has won him several accolades. Just this year (2018), he was nominated in the “Best Photographer” category in the “Best of the Best” competition by the Duluth News Tribune.
Dalbec enjoys sharing his images with others which is a benefit for tourists who can see them displayed and sold at several local cafes. He also shares his talents by leading workshops for amateur photographers who want to experience and capture the lake and the lighthouses he loves so much (tour participants stay on dry land).
Dalbec’s images can be found and purchased online at christiandalbecphotography.com. He can also be followed at www.facebook.com/ChristianDalbecPhotography and www.instagram.com/christiandalbecphotography.
Kari Kozak Dahlstrom is a traveler, writer and photographer who grew up in Minnesota and is now based in Tacoma, Washington.
This story appeared in the
Jan/Feb 2019 edition of Lighthouse Digest Magazine. The print edition contains more stories than our internet edition, and each story generally contains more photographs - often many more - in the print edition. For subscription information about the print edition, click here.
All contents copyright © 1995-2024 by Lighthouse Digest®, Inc. No story, photograph, or any other item on this website may be reprinted or reproduced without the express permission of Lighthouse Digest. For contact information, click here.
| 