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Eastern Michigan Group Photo at Tawas Point Lighthouse
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Karl and Janet get settled in on Captain Paul II as the cruise begins in Clinton River and Lake St. Clair
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Lake St. Clair Lighthouse
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We were able to disembark and climb the light at St. Clair South Channel Rear Range. SOS (Save our South Channel Lights) preservation society provided this rare opportunity.
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St. Clair Channel Rear Range is on a very small island which has been restored by the SOS Society.
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St. Clair South Channel Front Range is in need of major foundation work and is being renovated as funds are available.
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Captain Mike discusses the history of Lightship Huron 103. We were able to tour the ship in small groups.
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Lighthship Huron 103 is part of Port Huron Museum along with Fort Gratiot Lighthouse.
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Our Chesapeake Chapter (Lauren, Paul, Alma & Tony) in front of Peche Island on a beautiful summer morning.
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Kathleen, Holly and Tony listen intently as Captain Mike describes the different types of minerals that are found in Lake Huron.
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Fort Gratiot is now open to visitors after extensive renovations. Climbing the tower, the museum, and keeper’s dwelling werea highlights of this day.
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Port Sanilac is a private residence, but we were able to take wonderful photos of the tower and keeper’s residence from the pier extending into the lake
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A wonderful BBQ lunch was provided for our tour by Point Aux Barques Lighthouse Society. Barb sampled each of the entrees and everyone sampled the desserts.
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Diane and Ned enjoy lunch under the shelter as a light rain fell. No one seemed to mind, since the food was plentiful and delicious.
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Dorothy and Jewell Ann take a bench breather after visiting the museum and gift shop at Point Aux Barques.
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Beth wanted everyone to know she almost had made it the top. Keep going Beth, just 20 more steps.
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Port Austin is located a mile out and is currently being rennovated. We had a great spot to get a photo, although a “long” lens was needed.
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Virgina wades in COLD Lake Huron as Jeanine photographs her attempt. Virgina declared, “WOW…SOOOOOO COLD”. It was less than a two months ago that the spot where she was standing was two feet of ice.
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Zehnder’s Restaurant is famous for their family style chicken dinners. Patti, Steve, Ken, Sharon, Sanndy, Lin, Sandy & Bob have enjoyed dinner socialize before dessert.
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Dinner is done! Paula, Lauren, Al and Vern sit back and let the delicious meal digest!
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Bronner’s Christmas Store is the largest Christmas store in the U.S. After dinner many of us went to the store and looked for Christmas treasures. Carole found her perfect gift.
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Dorothy & Jewell Ann spent time looking for their Christmas gifts among the several thousand possibilities
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Upon our arrival at Frankenmuth, MI, our hotel gave us a surprise greeting.
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Unfortunately our tour out to Charity Island was cancelled due to bad weather, but Mike Wiltse, who lives in the lighthouse, gave us a wonderful presentation about the light. Mike and his wife, Karen, have renovated the lighthouse over the past 10 years and offer tours as well as lunch and dinner.
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One of the many rest stops along our route provided a perfect place for lunch. Sandy, Bob, Carole & Dave found a picnic bench and enjoyed one of our box lunches.
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Norma and Ruth found a spot to sit and spread out lunch.
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Lo and behold, Sherri found an antique phone at our lunch rest stop.
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McGulpin Point was in operation for only 36 years. It was discontinued in 1906 when Old Mackinac Point was established. McGulpin Point has been completely renovated.
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Virginia provided music on the old pump organ. Although she proclaimed, “I’m not good”, she demonstrated considerable prowress at the organ and entertained us with several songs
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Mary takes a picture as Rich looks on after climbing to the replica lantern
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A path down to the water’s edge provided this view of the McGulpin Point Lighthouse.
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Paula and Lauren listen as the docent at Old Mackinac Point provided an interesting history about the Ojibwa Indians and how they lit the shore with fires.
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Mackinac Bridge provides a wonderful background for the light.
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We were fortunate to visit Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse on shore as well as to view it from the water side on our Shepler’ cruise into the Mackinac Straits.
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Holly, Megan & Rich tour Fort Mackinac, which is next to the Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse that is behind them in the photo.
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Mackinac Bridge is the 5th largest suspension bridge in the U.S. We passed under the bridge traveling west to view Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse.
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The Fourteen Foot Shoal crib foundation was built on land and towed into place. The station was designed to be radio controlled from Poe Reef Lighthouse. Until the system could be proven, a keeper was stationed at the light, but could have nothing to do with the function or operation.
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A lightship originally marked the spot of the Poe Reef Lighthouse. Built in just 12 feet of water it marks the eastern entrance into the South Channel. As an active aid to navigation, the light and fog horn are still in operation.
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Port of Hope is one of the ferries operated by Shepler Ferry Line. Several decks allowed everyone to choose their comfort level…until a lighthouse came into view and then everyone went to the top deck.
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Our ferry was greeted by the sounds of the fog horn on DeTour Lighthouse. The DeTour Preservation Society had several members on the light to way and to wave a greeting to us. Everyone was thrilled with the reception and are thankful to the DeTour Preservation Society for their continued renovation and preservation of DeTour Lighthouse.
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Martin Reef began its service in 1923. Heavy steel plating surrounds the foundation to protect the structure from the winter ice.
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Bois Blanc was seen along the eastern shore. The focal plane of 112 feet is one of the highest the Straits of Mackinac.
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Round Island Passage had a unique feature in that instead of resident keepers, Coast Guard personnel controled the lighthouse remotely via a submarine channel.
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Round Island guides ships thru the north channel. The red-brick lighthouse is beautifully maintained and acts as a private navigational aide.
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We had the opportunity to spend an afternoon on Mackinac Island. Bicycles and horse-drawn carts are the only means of transporation on the island.
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The Great Arch was seen on the northern side of the island.
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Historic Fort Mackinac was another site many visited on the island.
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Streets of Mackinac island
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An early morning trip across the Mackinac Bridge took us into the upper peninsula of Michigan.
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The Wawatam Lighthouse, located in St. Ignace, was originally at the Welcome Michigan Center in Monoe. The city of St. Ignace was the lucky recipient, trucked back to St. Ignace and renamed for the ferry Chief Wawatam. The light stays lit even in winter to guide snomobiles across the ice
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Unlike many Michigan lighthouses, 40 Mile Point is not located near a significant harbor or river mouth. It was built to insure that a light could be seen from any point when ships traveled the route from Detroit to Lake Superior. The light was named on the basis that it is 40 miles sailing distance from Mackinaw Point.
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The windmill at 40 Mile Point was active and as it turned, the lighthouse on the tail was revealed.
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40 Mile Point Lighthouse has been totally renovated with period furnishings. The grounds, tower and, of course, the gift shop were open and visited by all.
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An interesting site on the grounds of the 40 Mile Point Lighthouse was the two-seat outhouse which at the time was occupied! Fortunately not by anyone on the tour!
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Presque Isle Front Range has been relocated to the Range Light Park near its original location. Standing near the light is a monument to Anne Garraty who manned the range lights for 23 years.
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The Old Presque Isle Lighthouse is said to be haunted, although we did not encounter any spirits as we viewed the museum, tower and gift shop.
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Laurel and Marge ring the bell at Old Presque Isle to let everyone know it was time to board the bus.
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New Presque Isle replaced the old light to provide a light more than 20 miles into Lake Huron.
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130 steps lead s the way to the top of New Presque Isle and into the lantern room
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The keeper at New Presque Isle sat as his desk and waited for our arrival. Unfortunately, since he was a wax figure, he couldn’t provide much information about his duties and responsibilities at the light.
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Megan and Rich enjoying the cruise to the Thunder Bay Lighthouse
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Aboard our cruise on a glass-bottom boat to Thunder Bay we listened a history of shipwrecks in the bay as well as the lighthouse
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Ruth and Ned listen intently to our narrators
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Carole, Dave, Patti & Steve waited for the boat to enter the bay before sailing over the shipwrecks.
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Alpena Harbor light is far different from many taller, more attractive lighthouses. It has been said that the Alpena Light is “long on duty, short on beauty”.
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As our boat gained speed leaving the harbor, A.J. felt the wind in her sails
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Our glass-bottom bottom boat went over several shipwrecks on our way to Thunder Bay Lighthouse.
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Tony located a shipwreck and tried to impress the ladies with his find!
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Thunder Bay Lighthouse is one of the oldest lights on Lake Huron. Built in 1832 it warns mariners of dangerous reefs on the north point of Thunder Bay.
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Laughter brings Lin to her knees as we sailed to Thunder Bay.
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On another beautiful day, we arrived at Sturgeon Point Lighthouse. Many climbed the 97 steps up the ladder to view Lake Huron.
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The original stove looked like it was ready to be fired!
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Bob rang the bell to call everyone to the bus, because Marge and Laurel were too short to reach the rope!
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Lee & Sylvia enjoy the bench at Sturgeon Point
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Al and Alma hold a brick donated by Jerry Waters and Marie Vincent. The brick will be placed in a walkway at Tawas Point
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The bedroom at Tawas Point appears to be ready for a visitor or perhaps one of keeper’s children.
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Sherry, Lin and Tony wait their turn to climb at Tawas Point.
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Lawrence waved from the deck at Saginaw Range River Lighthouse
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Patrick provided interesting and informative talk about how the lighthouse is being restored. The lighthouse is located on Dow Chemical property. The Saginaw Marine Historical Society is in the process of completely renovating the lighthouse.
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The walls have been taken down to the studs. Windows and roof have already been replaced. Volunteers will continue with the restoration and hope to have it finished in late 2015.
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Patrick and Don, members of the Saginaw Marine History Society, met us the main street in Saginaw. They were standing on a street corner holding the sign. We picked them up and they accompanied us to the lighthouse.
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Sharon and Ken posed in front of Saginaw River Rear Range light on another beautiful sunny day
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The Historical society set up a gift shop for us and also had the stamp for Passport Books
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A morning at the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village was enjoyed. Riding the carriage around the village was a great treat.
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Greenfield Village is set in te 1880’s. The stores are replicas of those found in any small town during that time period.
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The tinsmith demonstrated how several items were made during the 1880’s.
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We visited the grain mill and watched the water wheel as it ground the grain into usable products.
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We visited the grain mill and watched the water wheel as it ground the grain into usable products.
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William Livingstone Memorial was built in tribute to William Livingstone. He is best remembered for his contributions in building a waterway so ships could navigate the lower Detroit River. A bronze door and bronze lantern have been added to commemorate Mr. Livingstone
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Larry and Jan finish dinner and anxiously await the auction!
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Bill and Kathleen enjoyed the calm waters of the Detroit River as we approached the Detroit Lighthouse
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Mary Lou relaxes as the auction table is set up
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The chef baked a special cake for our dessert. As we left the boat, not a piece was left
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Grosse Isle Light is the only light left from a series of lights established along the Detroit River. The keeper’s house still exists, is privately owned and it is NOT the house in the background.
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Norma and company pass through the buffet line.
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The Detroit River Lighthouse replaced a lightship in 1885. The light station has the appearance of a vessel, with the pointed end directed toward the mouth of the river to break ice flows coming down river.
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The auction of 30 items was successful as a variety of items from the tour were available for bidding!
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Dinner aboard the Diamond Belle
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We got a very brief look at Boblo Island Light which is located on the Canadian side of the Detroit River. The lantern has been removed and the light is barely visible in the thicket of trees.
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Our bus driver, Vern, is certainly a man of many talents as he pilots the Diamond Belle into the Detroit River.
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Laurel sports her new hat
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The “BIGGEST” hot dog on the trip?
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