Mackinaw Island & Whitefish Point

Carolyn & I began the day by taking a 7:30 am ferry ride to Mackinac Island. It was probably the roughest ferry ride that I have experienced due to high winds and large waves. We were both glad that the ride to the island only took 16 minutes and that the cabin was enclosed. Tourist season on the island runs for 4 months per year. Of course, we're at the end of this year's season. Everyone was cold today (we were glad that we weren't the only ones). The locals reported that temperatures have dropped significantly over the past few days. Of course, the high winds didn't help the situation.

We learned that it is warm enough to swim in Lake Michigan during August and September. I'm guessing that it's still cold by east coast standards.


We spent the morning exploring Mackinac Island via foot and carriage. Automobiles were prohibited from the island beginning in the early 1900s.

Of course, I had to take the usual flower related photo of rose hips.

Here is an arch that is located in the state park that's located on the island.

Pretty fall colors everywhere.

A view from Fort Mackinaw:

Next, we headed back to the mainland and north to Whitefish Point to the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum.

Here's a photo of Mackinac Bridge, the longest suspension bridge in the world (between anchorages). Shore to shore is approx 5 miles.

Northern Michigan is very remote and beautiful. It looks like a paradise for people that love the great outdoors and hunting.

Here's an interesting set of directions regarding diving that was part of one of the museum's displays. Would you meet the criteria?

The museum had the bell of the Edmond Fitzgerald on display. Sad story but only one of hundreds of shipwrecks that have occurred in the area.

Here's a quilt made using the Lone Star Quilt pattern that Mom used on her quilt (yes, it was part of an exhibit at the museum). I found the impact that using like colors had on the overall quilt to be interesting.

We visited the shore of Lake Superior. It was windy and cold

with big angry waves (mid 40's). The Edmond Fitzgerald was lost about 17 miles from this point.

An employee at the museum reported that the average temperature of Lake Superior is 38 degrees. Sailing anyone?

Here are a couple of shots:

The stones looked like what I would call river rocks, smooth and round. I didn't have any luck finding any "sea" glass but I'm not sure that it could survive the lake very well. Notice the dark pieces of wood that have washed up on the shore.

Please note that not all of my pictures contain flowers.

After a long day, it's back to Mackinaw City for dinner. Here's the beautiful bridge at night. I was pleased that my camera almost did it justice.

Tomorrow, we're heading south back to northern Indiana and milder weather.