Breezy Point, Minnesota.

Over the last few weeks, I’ve shared a couple of Cellpic Sunday images I grabbed during a short stay at Breezy Point Resort in northern Minnesota. As I was there to attend a conference, I didn’t have a lot of time to take photos, but I did head out in the evening for a short walk, and then rose early hoping for a high quality sunrise. Though the high clouds obscured a spectacular sunrise, the golden tones of the golden hour shone through to make the images appear more fall-like than early spring. The photo above is an example. The dock I stood upon was right outside the door to our hotel room. There were no boats around and they really don’t get into full swing until Memorial Day approaches.

The resort has an interesting genesis going back to the 1920’s. A wealthy publisher decided to build a large resort hotel on the west side of Pelican Lake, just outside the town of Pequot Lakes and about 30 minutes north of Brainerd, Minnesota. “Captain Billy” Fawcett also built a large home there. By large, I mean 11 bedrooms and 9 bathrooms. Today, you can rent the house and invite all of your favorite relatives to stay with you.

The lodge, with its imposing two-sided fireplace in the lobby, became an attraction for the rich and famous friends of Wilfred Hamilton Fawcett, publisher of Whiz Bang Magazine. A Captain in the U.S. Army during World War I, Fawcett picked up the nickname “Captain Billy.” Whiz Bang Magazine became a financial success by featuring jokes and funny stories and gave him the financial ability to build the resort. Celebrities from Jack Dempsey to Clark Gable spent some time at the resort in Captain Billy’s day. These days the resort is owned by by an established corporation and many acres were added along with condominium buildings and since 1981, an addition of a timeshare program. When you get tired of the views from the lake, they have three golf courses, four restaurants and several other amenities for guests.

My last morning there, I rose early, even before the coffee house opened. I stopped at the front desk to inquire about getting a cup of that morning elixir, black, no sugar. She pointed me at the breakfast restaurant, not yet open for their Sunday buffet. A request to the hostess on duty brought me a steaming cup of joe. No charge. I savored the smell knowing that it was below 40 degrees F. (4 degrees C) outside. Freshly warmed by the coffee, Nikon D500 in hand, I headed out about 15 minutes before my smartphone told me it would be sunrise. The gallery of images below feature a few of my favorite sunrise shots as well as some shots taken as the sun set the evening before.

Breezy Point, Minnesota.

In late April, we visited Breezy Point Resort for a conference. The resort is a is a popular place all summer, so even in the off-season, the center has customers who don’t mind it might not be “swimming in the lake” warm. However, once the snow is gone, it takes on the summer look, though there might be a chill in the air or maybe it’s hoodie and long pants instead of t-shirt and shorts weather. Coming soon, a complete gallery of images from Breezy Point, but for today, here’s a view of Pelican Lake a bit before sunset. As always, the rule for Cellpic Sunday is simple, the image must be captured via a mobile device.

About the photo: From the second floor balcony above our cabin, a view to the west is the focal point. The photo came from my Samsung S7 cellphone.

John Steiner

Last weekend, my Civil Air Patrol role brought me to a resort in Northern Minnesota. The resort at Breezy Point has a history going back to the 1920’s when wealthy publisher Wilfred Hamilton (“Captain Billy”) Fawcett built a home and a lodge big enough to accommodate around 700 people. You can now rent the home, and bring all your friends. It’s nine bathrooms and 11 bedrooms can support a large family gathering easily. In an upcoming feature, I will share a gallery of high dynamic range (HDR) images captured at the resort.

About the photo: I woke early on our last day there to capture the morning sunrise. This early cellpic from my Samsung S7 seemed to foretell the upcoming colorful sunrise display. As it turned out, this was about as good as it got. The cloud layer thickened as the sun rose and eventually the sunrise was lost in the shade. Captured at f/1.7; 1/60 sec.; ISO-80. The rule for Cellpic Sunday is simple. The image must be captured on a mobile device.

John Steiner