Light Houses along Lake Huron

In search of Lighthouses!! We began our search in Mackinaw City. We found the Old Mackinac
Point Light. It is located at the northern tip of Mackinaw City. The light was built in 1892 and served primarily as a navigational aid for the ferries operating between Mackinaw City and St. Ignace, (the city on the north side of the Straits of Mackinaw). When the Mackinac Bridge was opened in 1957, there was no longer a need for a lighthouse in the vicinity because navigators began using the bridge as a reference point. It was originally built as a fog signal station in 1890, the light was added two years later.



We drove down to Presque Isle, which is French for "almost an island", along the shore of Lake Huron. The lighthouse here was built to replace the "Old" light in 1870. It stands 109 feet tall and its Third Order Fresnel Lens is visible 21 statute miles out into Lake Huron. We climbed to the top of the lighthouse, 130 stairs. The view from the top was fantastic!












Just a short distance from the "New" Presque Isle Lighthouse is the "Old" Lighthouse. Construction of this light took an interesting direction. The bottom part is made of stone and conical in shape, while the top is of brick and round in shape, The lantern room is not the original but is the lantern room from South Fox Island Lighthouse (Lake Michigan) brought to this site as part of a preservation project in the late 1950's. This lighthouse was in operation from 1840 to 1870 when the newer, taller light was built a mile away. Although privately owned, this site is open to the public.






Traveling north back toward Mackinaw City we stopped at
Forty Mile Point. This lighthouse stands 53 feet tall, the structure is constructed of brick and has the keeper's quarters built into it. Half the duplex is being restored as a museum: the other half is the residence for the park manager.Construction was completed on this lighthouse on November 12, 1896 however winter was at hand and it was too late in the year to activate the light. A light keeper came to the house around January 4, 1897.


Also at this lighthouse down along the beach is the remnants of a ship wreck. These are the remnants of the wooden steamer Joseph S. Fay. It was among the first steam ships built of the Great Lakes Freighters, built for the iron ore trade. On October 19, 1905 violent winds and savage waves sunk the ship, it was swept up on the shore near the Forty Mile Lighthouse. The Captain and 10 of the crew survived, the first mate did not survive. The only thing left is the bottom of the ship and metal rods and spikes holding her steady resting in the sand.

As you can see it was a beautiful afternoon.

That is all for today, check in for more later,

Candy and Johnny

Mackinw City, Michigan Sept. 2, 2008

Once again we were on the road early in the morning... we left as the sun was rising over the lake near Marquette. It was a nice drive as drove along Lake Superior, then after we turned south we were along the north shore of Lake Michigan. As we approached I-75 to cross the Mackinaw Bridge we had a view of Lake Huron.
As we crossed over the Mackinaw Bridge we were crossing the Straits of Mackinac the join Lake Michigan to the west and Lake Huron to the east. We later more facts about the bridge:

Total Length of Bridge: 5 miles
Length of Suspension bridge: 7,400 feet
Length of Span between towers: 3,800 feet
Height of main towers above water: 552 feet
Maximum depth of water, mid span: 295 feet
Height of roadway above water: 199 feet
Underclearance for ships: (mid span) 155 feet

The cost for crossing the bridge is $1.50 per axle
Motor Home $3.50 per axle

Pedestrian: $2.00
Bicyclist: $2.00
Snowmobile and driver $10.00 extra pax $2.00

We are staying at the Mackinaw Mill Creek Campground right along Lake Huron, the photo at the left is a view from our campsite. All along the shore is a park that we can walk down to and there are benches to sit and watch the ships that pass or the seagulls that fly along the shore.










It also offers a great view of the bridge and across the water we can see Mackinac Island.

Some of the trees are beginning to turn and in the next few weeks it will a fire of mother nature's brilliant colors! Most things around here seem to close on Labor Day and the stores offer sales on leftover summer stock. The fudge shops here are famous....we plan to visit them tomorrow...

Until later..... Love Candy and Johnny

Ishpeming/Marquette, MI Sept. 1, 2008

On Monday, Labor Day, September 1, 2008 we left Duluth and headed east. Our destination is Ishpeming/Marquette, Michigan. We traveled through Wisconsin and then into Michigan and the Eastern Time Zone.

Along the way we stopped at a way side rest and walked along the path to Agate Falls. It was a beautiful State Park along the highway.

We finally arrived at Ishpeming/Marquette and our campground for the nigh, Country Village. The gentleman that checked us is was straight from the upper peninsula of Michigan, And John thought that Minnesotans had an accent. This gentleman ended each sentence with .... eh? How funny!

As we had arrived early in the day and it was a beautiful sunny day we drove over to Marquette and along the Lake Superior Coastline. It was beautiful! Naturally we found another light station along the way.
We only spent the one night here and on Tuesday we were off, our destination is Mackinaw City, Michigan.

Hope all is well with everyone.... will add more later, until then.....

Take care,
Candy and Johnny

Skyline Parkway, Duluth, Minneosta

Saturday, August 30 and we are off again! This time along the Skyline Parkway of Duluth.


The Skyline Parkway was built between 1889 and 1940. The parkway follows a natural gravel terrace that once was a beach on the shore of Glacial Lake Duluth. The beach terrace formed thousands of years ago when the water level was 500 feet above the present-day surface of Lake Superior.

As we drove along the parkway we entered Enger Park, where we found the Enger Tower. The top of the tower is 650 feet above Lake Superior. We climbed to the top of the tower and were treated to a spectacular view of Duluth Harbor and Lake Superior. We were even treated to a view of the Aerial Bridge going up so the boats out on this wonderful day could pass into and out of the harbor.
We plan on leaving Duluth early on Monday and head over to the upper peninsula of Michigan.


Candy and Johnny

South Shore of Lake Superior, Wisconsin

On Friday, August 29, John and I drove along the South shore of Lake Superior, Wisconsin. There was not as much to see as we found along the North Shore in Minnesota, but it was a lovely day for a drive so off we went! Once again we had beautiful sunny blue skies.

We decided to drive straight across the state and then take the road up and around the South Shore. We stopped at the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center for information on the area and plan our trip.

Our first stop was Bayfield, WI. The Bayfield area is home to many commercial flower farms, berry farms, and orchards where visitors are encouraged to walk between the rows, savor the beauty, and pick pails of berries, apples and squash. We stopped at several farms and bought some fresh picked blueberries, blackberries and some dried flowers.

Spanning the horizon from Bayfield is the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, and archipelago of 21 islands with miles of pristine shoreline and more historic lighthouses than any other park in the National Park System.

Madeline Island is the largest of the Apostle Islands. The Island is 14 miles long and three miles wide with a year 'round population of 200. Regular ferry service across the 2.5 miles of lake begins in early April with ice break-up and usually continues through the first week of January. During the winter, after "freeze-up", cars travel back and forth between the Island on the "ice-road". The ferry runs about every half hour out to Madeline Island ,with visitors and locals alike.

Autumn brings glorious fall colors, and although only Mother Nature knows when the leaves of fire will peak, we did find several trees with their leaves in Autumn splendor.

On our way north from Bayfield on Highway 13, we came upon three quaint villages, Cornucopia, Herbster and Port Wing. These small friendly villages offer picturesque harbors and clean sandy beaches. Some of the old fishing sheds on the waterfronts have been converted to wonderful gift shops and galleries.

Another beautiful day here in the north!

Hope all is well with everyone, more later. Until then,

Candy and Johnny

John and Friend, Duluth, MN

Along the Canal Park John found a new friend!!!!

More below........ Candy

Duluth,MN/Superior, WI, August 27, 2008

You're in northern Minnesota-yet, not 100 feet from you, a freighter from Africa is making its way under the gleaming Aerial Lift Bridge. (photo left). The Aerial Bridge was originally built in 1905, and upgraded in 1929 to the design you see today. It takes about two minutes to rise, and goes up 25 to 30 times daily during the height of the shipping season.

The Duluth-Superior harbor is the world's largest, farthest-inland seaport, and over 1,100 vessels drop anchor here each year during the April-December shipping season. Each carries iron ore, coal, grain and other cargo some 2,432 miles across the Great Lakes-and from there, to ports worldwide. The ship at left is loading iron ore.





The Superior Entry Lighthouse (photo) had stood sentinel over the Superior harbor entrance on the Wisconsin Point since 1913. Lakers, ocean-going vessels and water craft of all sizes, slip past so close you can almost touch them as they are safely guided into the world's largest inland port - 2,432 miles from the Atlantic Ocean.
The Entry, as first charted in 1861, was 1500 feet wide and 4 - 16 feet deep. The channel is now 500 feet wide and 32 feet deep. Currents in the channel sometimes reach speeds of more than 3 mph.













We also went to the Richard I. Bong WWII Heritage Center in Superior, WI. The Heritage Center takes you back to a time when ordinary people became heroes. The Center honors the lives of Medal of Honor recipient, Major Richard I. Bong, America's "Ace of Aces", and all the men and women of World War II who contributed to winning peace. There is also a fully restored P-38 Lightning aircraft, one of only 25 remaining in the world. This plane bears the markings of Richard Bong. Major Bong is credited with shooting down 40 Japanese planes. His Medal of Honor also is in the center.
The Center also talks about the women's roles during the war and their great effort. All in all a very interesting place.

Another interesting day, Friday another adventure.

Until later, Candy and Johnny