Great Lakes Warriors follows tug boat captains in winter

Tug John Selvick in Bay Ship Canal, photo by boatnerd06

The Great Lakes Echo tipped me off to the new History Channel series Great Lakes Warriors. The show follows five captains battling winter storms on the Great Lakes as they break up ice, tow barges into port and try to stay alive. The second episode airs at 10:00 PM on Thursday, and the History Channel will rebroadcast the first episode, “The Lethal Season,” at 11:00 PM tonight. You can also watch it online at the History Channel.

That episode features the tug above – The John M. Selvick captained by John Selvick. Check it out background big and in Nathan’s massive Family Collections slideshow.

More boats on Michigan in Pictures.

Peaches in Michigan

Peaches, photo by Alissa Holland

Peaches (like everything else) are ripening earlier this year and South Haven peaches are starting to show up at farm markets across the state. This nice Michigan Peach Industry History article from the Michigan Peach Sponsors begins:

The first peach tree in western Michigan was probably planted by William Burnett, who established a trading post on the west bank of the St. Joseph River a mile upstream from Lake Michigan in the 1780s. Burnett planted an orchard near his post and was credited with having taken great pains in caring for it. When the first permanent settlers reached the area in the late 1820s they found Burnett’s orchard healthy and still bearing fruit. Besides a few peach trees, the settlers also found a few seedling peach trees growing along the east bank of Hickory Creek and at the future site of the community of St. Joseph.

The next peach trees planted in Berrien County were at the Carey Mission in present-day Niles Township. In 1826 the Reverend Isaac McCoy, founder of the mission, had a peach orchard of “two or three hundred” trees.

Berrien’s earliest permanent settlers brought seedling fruit trees with them and planted enough trees to provide for their personal needs. Because trees took a long time to mature, some of the more resourceful pioneers budded their fruits on the roots of wild plum trees to acquire crops more quickly. Most early settlers planted apple and pear trees that were hardy and relatively disease resistant. They also planted a considerable number of the more delicate peach trees. Nearly every pioneer family had at least one. The growing of peaches was slow to catch on, but when settlers realized the region was suited for successful cultivation of the climate-sensitive fruit, peaches quickly gained popularity.

Read on for more and also see Ready to Pick: Peaches on Absolute Michigan.

Check Alissa’s photo out bigger and see more in her slideshow.

More great Michigan foods on Michigan in Pictures!

The Descent

The Descent, photo by J.M.Barclay

Here’s hoping that the equivalent of the Fun Slide passes through your weekend!

View it on black and in J.M.’s slideshow.

More great black & white photos on Michigan in Pictures.

On the lookout for rain

Big Red, photo by [DennisT]

Bloomberg is reporting that the Midwest drought is now affecting nearly 80% of the corn crop, over half of the US and is a factor in heat waves that have set or tied a whopping 6,639 daily high temperature records since June 1. The drought is already affecting southern and west Michigan and parts of the UP and appears likely to expand into northern Michigan as well.

This Detroit News article reports that the percentage of the state affected by severe drought has jumped to 21% from just 2% a week ago. The State Drought Monitor shows the level of drought severity in Michigan, and you can see more with the Midwest region map and the Michigan Interactive Drought Conditions map. This report on Yahoo lists some of the highlights (lowlights?) of Michigan’s 2012 drought:

• Rainfall shortages since May 1 are up to six inches in some areas. The average rainfall at this time of year is eight to nine inches.
• Last week, the Michigan State University Extension (of the Department of Geology) reported that across Michigan, particularly in the southwestern part of the state, there was evidence of plant water stress.
• MSU Extension says that the extreme heat from the first week of July exacerbated crop concerns. Temperatures rose to high 90s and topped 100 degrees in some areas.
• The Michigan DEQ has issued several ozone alerts already this year. Michigan cities of Ann Arbor, Detroit, Ludington and Benton Harbor have been under air quality alert for 14-15 days since late May. Grand Rapids, Mich., has been under ozone alert for 17 days.
• MSU Extension says the intense drought across Michigan’s southern, central and eastern Corn Belt region has similar conditions to the great drought of 1988.
• …and the bad news: Continued dryness in Michigan is predicted for the rest of July, says the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center.

Check out this great capture from the other day on black and in Dennis’s thunderstorm slideshow.

More about Holland’s Big Red Lighthouse on Michigan in Pictures.

Seven Mile Point on the Keweenaw Peninsula

Untitled, photo by North Woods Conservancy

When someone with the commitment to jump into the icy waters of Lake Superior in February asks you to take a look at something she thinks is important, my feeling is that you darn well do it.

Kate shared news that the Keweenaw-based North Woods Conservancy owns a piece of property called Seven Mile Point. It’s 32 acres with 1,854’ of sand, basaltic bedrock and volcanic cobble beach located on Lake Superior about 5 miles from Eagle River. The Michigan Natural Features Inventory listed it for high-priority protection due to the unique plant and animal communities associated with the 1.1 billion-year-old basaltic lava flow lakeshore.

While they were able to get going with the purchase, they haven’t been able to raise enough funds to make the payments. They’re seeking folks to help with one-time or monthly donations. Click for more information and photos of this gorgeous spot and also follow them on Facebook!

 

You can get this photo background big and in their Seven Mile Point slideshow.

More of Lake Superior on Michigan in Pictures.

Real-time Great Lakes Surface Currents

Get Up – Stand Up, photo by Rudy Malmquist

The Great Lakes Echo highlighted a really cool realtime map of Great Lakes surface currents that can really help keep you safe whether you’re swimming, boating, surfing or stand-up paddleboarding. It might even help you find a fish or two!

Check this out background bigtacular and in Rudy’s water slideshow.

Dragonfly in the Northern Sky

Dragonfly, photo by Xavist on the colorful way

Sorry failing to post the last two days – I hope these stunning northern lights shots make up for it a little. Xavist took them last night on the Keweenaw, but I saw them all the way down in Frankfort!

Check this out bigger and see many more in his slideshow.

Many (many) more Michigan northern lights shots on Michigan in Pictures!

Chapel Beach – Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

Chapel Beach – Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, photo by Michigan Nut

Chapel Rock deservedly gets a lot of attention, but the beach that it’s on is one of Michigan’s coolest, with the rushing chapel river, a lot of great rock formations along a secluded, sandy beach and even a great backcountry camping area. As a bonus, the trail in passes Chapel Falls.

Check it out bigger and see more in John’s stunning Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore slideshow!

July 10, 1887 was a Grand day

Grand Hotel Pano (3 photo pano), photo by raddad!

Today is the 125th birthday of the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island which opened on July 10, 1887. Wikipedia’s Grand Hotel (Mackinac Island) entry explains:

In 1886, the Michigan Central Railroad, Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad, and Detroit and Cleveland Steamship Navigation Company formed the Mackinac Island Hotel Company. The group purchased the land on which the hotel was built and construction began, based upon the design by Detroit architects Mason and Rice. When it opened the following year, the hotel was advertised to Chicago, Erie, Montreal and Detroit residents as a summer retreat for vacationers who arrived by lake steamer and by rail from across the continent. At its opening, nightly rates at the hotel ranged from US$3 to US$5 a night.

Grand Hotel’s front porch is purportedly the longest in the world at some 660 feet (200 m) in length, overlooking a vast Tea Garden and the resort-scale Esther Williams swimming pool.

Also see the History photo gallery from The Grand Hotel and a cool old travelogue on Mackinac Island.

Be sure to check Randy’s great panorama out bigger and in his Mackinac Island slideshow.

Take a friend to the National Cherry Festival

Untitled, photo by *Alysa*

The National Cherry Festival (July 7-14) kicks off today in Traverse City. From Black Diamond jets screaming across the skies to Cherry Queen candidates parading across the stage to all manner of parades, tasting events, concerts and games for all ages, this is the biggest party anywhere in celebration of Michigan’s mighty cherry!

One downside is that Michigan’s cherry crop was devastated by our wacky spring, but hopefully we’ll be back at the top of cherry production in 2013. Also see more about the Cherry Festival from Michigan in Pictures.

Check it out bigger and in Anna Lysa’s CWD slideshow.