SHEBOYGAN — David and Janine Young, natives of Sheboygan, live a double life as teachers by day and passionate rock collectors by night, known publicly as the Great Lakes Rock Hounds.
“Over here is where we keep all the Yooperlites that we found,” David explains, showcasing their collection of rocks.
At first glance, these special rocks may appear unassuming. “You know, a lot of them look like granite,” David pointed out. However, when the lights go out, an incredible transformation occurs.
Suddenly, the stones come to life. “It just looks like a normal rock, but it has sodalite in it,” he continued.
The glow emanating from these rocks is due to a fluorescent mineral that can only be observed under special UV light.
Watch: How Sheboygan couple found magic in Yooperlites, native glowing rocks
“It excites the electrons in the rock, and they start bouncing around, and then you see the glow,” Janine adds, highlighting the fascinating science behind their collection.
Yooperlites, first discovered less than a decade ago, can be found almost exclusively along the shores of the Great Lakes. “Firefly on the beach, people say,” Janine remarked, adding that the experience is like treasure hunting.
The Youngs began sharing their rock hunting adventures on Instagram just under two years ago, and it quickly gained traction. “It just got big,” Janine shrugged, noting their impressive following of 165 thousand admirers.
“Sometimes we do this for hours and hours and hours,” they shared.
“Sheboygan is beautiful, and we’re close to the Great Lakes…” David said.
For the couple, it's all about being immersed in nature, even after the sun goes down.
Through their online presence, the Youngs hope to inspire others to join them in this unique pastime.
“God gave us such beautiful nature,” Janine reflected. “Go outside, go explore—just go look.”
