Taking a break…

Sunrise Greilickville Harbor Park by Jeff Hudson

Good morning everyone. Regrettably, I need to take a break which (fingers crossed) won’t be too terribly long to deal with some health issues. In the meantime, I hope all of you are able to enjoy the bounteous offerings of Michigan summertime!

Jeff took this photo two years ago at sunrise on June 29th (my birthday) in Traverse City (where I currently live), so I thought it would be a perfect placeholder while I’m gone. See more from Jeff in his Most Faved (Best of) gallery on Flickr.

Badger car ferry looking to leave coal behind

Steaming into Sunset by Diann

mLive shares that the last coal fired passenger ferry on the Great Lakes, the SS Badger car ferry, is exploring plans to transition from burning coal:

Lake Michigan Carferry, Inc. is in the early phases of looking for ways to ditch the coal that currently propels the 410-foot historic ship across Lake Michigan.

“We are just in the early phases at looking at what other options could be viable for the Badger,” said Sara Spore, general manager of Lake Michigan Carferry. “There are not any definite plans, but we know that coal isn’t the long-term solution. We really are starting from scratch and looking at all of our options.”

More at mLive & check out the SS Badger website.

Diann took this shot of the Badger leaving port in Ludington way back in 2008. See more in her Third Coast gallery on Flickr.

More about the SS Badger on Michigan in Pictures.

The Mighty Mac

Mighty Mackinac by Greg Jarman

UP TV-6 shares that the Mackinac Bridge Authority is expecting about 20,000 crossings of the bridge this weekend, about the same as 2021. Whether you’re traveling or staying put this weekend, I hope you have a good one & remember those who have put their lives on the line for this country.

Greg took this photo back in 2016. See more in his Print gallery on Flickr.

Lots more about the Mighty Mackinac Bridge on Michigan in Pictures.

Round Island Ripples

Round Island Light 2022 by S.Hughes Photos

“We are here but for a second, but our impact ripples through time.”
― Neetal Parekh

The Wilderness Connect entry for Round Island says in part:

The United States Congress designated the Round Island Wilderness in 1987 and it now has a total of 375 acres.

All of Round Island has been designated wilderness except one acre on the northern tip, a sand and cobblestone spit where the lighthouse stands. There has been no logging on the island since the turn-of-the-century. There are no docks, roads, or developed hiking trails on the island. Access is by boat in the summer and over ice in the winter. Several historic and prehistoric sites exist on the island.

…The “Michigan rattler”, massausauga has been rumored to reside on the island. You may see whitetail deer, raccoon, red squirrel, fox, rabbit, and an occasional black bear on the island; as well as a variety of songbirds and waterfowl. Trout, pike, salmon, and other freshwater fish are found in the lake waters around the island. While the island is removed from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it is close enough that you can see busy Mackinac Island and the mainland lights.

More information about the Round Island Wilderness Area from the US Forest Service.

While I’ve shared a number of photos of the Round Island Lighthouse taken from the Mackinac Island Ferry over the years, I’ve never seen a shot from taken from on Round Island! Follow S. Hughes Photos on Facebook for lots more.

Embrace Michigan’s Dark Skies!

Dark Skies at Rockport Recreation Area by SG Captures

Michigan State Parks, Trails and Waterways shared this photo from the Rockport State Recreation Area, asking: What are you doing to do to celebrate #InternationalDarkSkyWeek?

Michigan is lucky to have designated areas that host spectacular nighttime viewing. Dark sky parks and preserves have a limited amount of artificial light, making it easier to stargaze in those locations. Dark sky preserves are designated by Michigan legislature and dark sky parks are designated by the International Dark Sky Association. The six state parks that have dark sky preserves are:

• ️Lake Hudson Recreation Area (Lenawee County)
• ️Negwegon State Park (Alcona County)
• ️Port Crescent State Park (Huron County)
• ️Rockport Recreation Area (Presque Isle County)
• ️Thompson’s Harbor State Park (Presque Isle County)
• ️Wilderness State Park (Emmet County)

In addition to these dark sky preserves, there are two dark sky parks in Michigan:

• ️Headlands Dark Sky Park (Emmet County park)
• ️Dr. T.K. Lawless Park (Cass County park)

And if that’s not enough, there is also plenty of excellent night-sky viewing opportunities across more than 15,000 square miles in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. For more details, visit Michigan.gov/DarkSky.

Sarah is a Michigan State Parks Photo Ambassador, and you should definitely check out her website where you can view & purchase her work as well as her Facebook & sg.captures on Instagram!

#TBT Looking Down from Fort Mackinac

Looking down from old fort, Mackinac Island, Mich by Detroit Publishing Co

This cool old photo from the Library of Congress shows ships at dock on Mackinac Island, including the black hulled steamer Juniata. Head over to the LOC for a lot more from Mackinac. 

The Manitou Isle

Better Stay of the Lake by Andrew McFarlane

Via Leelanau.com, here’s a photo of the Manitou Isle ferry that I took 20 years ago for . The boat was sold a year or so ago. According to the caption on the photo below that Manitou Island Transit recently shared, the beloved vessel is still sailing on the Great Lakes – off Michigan’s Thumb on Lake Huron! If anyone catches sight of it, be sure to let me know!

Manitou Transit service to North & South Manitou will begin on or before Memorial Day. More on their website.

Manitou Isle Unloading by Manitou Island Transit

Michigan Beach Gem Season

Miners Beach Gems by Steven M Last

The warming temps are definitely bringing out the rockhounds on Michigan’s Great Lakes beaches! Stephen got this beauty shot featuring a rose quartz in the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore near Munising. See more on his Flickr & happy hunting!

More Michigan rocks & stones on Michigan in Pictures.

The day I understood everything

The day I understood everything by Fire Fighter’s Wife

“The day I understood everything was the day I stopped trying to figure everything out. The day I knew peace was the day I let everything go.”
— C. JoyBell C.

Beth took this cool shot of the remains of an old Lake Superior dock a few years ago. See more in her Waterscapes/Nautical gallery on Flickr.

Keweenaw topped 25 feet of snow this winter!

McLain State Park Snowshoeing by Nathan Miller

The Keweenaw Road Commission shared last week that they’ve recorded over 300 inches of snow this winter. The 25 feet of snow is about 6 feet more than normal. While that’s definitely a whole lot, it’s 356 inches of snow recorded in the winter of 1978–79.

Nathan took this photo at the beginning of February at McLain State Park near Hancock on the Keweenaw Peninsula. See more in his McLain State Park Snowshoeing – February 2022 gallery on Flickr.