Site of a future adventure?

Southampton's lighthouse

The lake was incredibly still this afternoon.

Another perfect evening!

"Opened on July 10, 1887, the Grand Hotel was built by the Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad and Michigan Central Railroad, and the Detroit & Cleveland Navigation Company through the efforts of Sen. Francis B. Stockbridge. It is built of Michigan white pine. With its magnificent colonial porch, longest in the world, it is a classic example of gracious living seldom seen today. One of the outstanding landmarks on the Great Lakes, it is the world's largest summer hotel." (Text is from the historic markers outside the hotel.)

The Grand Hotel, with the 660-foot long porch and corner turrets, has been identified as being built in the Colonial Revival style. However, the building incorporates various elements of the Victorian style (period). Some architectural historians class the Colonial Revival style as within the boundaries of the Victorian style. The Grand Hotel is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a National Historic Landmark.

"Constructed for Charles O'Malley about 1852, this building was one of the first summer hotels on Mackinac Island. Captain Henry Van Allen, a Great Lakes skipper, purchased the hotel in 1865. He later moved it from the beach to its present location. By the 1880s the Island House was known as "The best family hotel on the island." Following the death of her parents, Mrs. Rose Van Allen Webster became proprietor about 1892. She was the wife of Colonel John Webster, whom she had met during the 1870s when he was stationed at Fort Mackinac. Mrs. Webster added the large wings in 1895 and 1912, retaining ownership until her death in 1938. The Island House still serves as a resort hotel." The text is from the Michigan Historic Landmark marker near the hotel. The marker was posted in 1973.

Since 1973, the hotel has undergone extensive renovation and modernization.

Everyone leaves after the sun sets, but wait a few minutes and the sky looks like this.

We live on the "Sunrise Side" coast of Michigan. Everytime my granddaughter, Jacalyn, comes up to stay something beautiful always happens. When Jacalyn arrived to the lake house yesterday, this spectacular sky was painted by the hand of God. Scenes like this on the lake are usually only seen in the morning as the sun is rising, not at dusk.

The entrance to the Point Clark Lighthouse.

The Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) is a medium-sized gull.

Adults are 49 cm (19 in) length and with a 124 cm (49 in) wingspan. The head, neck and underparts are white; the relatively short bill is yellow with a dark ring; the back and wings are silver gray; and the legs are yellow. The eyes are yellow with red rims. This gull takes three years to reach its breeding plumage; its appearance changes with each fall moult.

Their breeding habitat is near lakes, rivers or the coast in Canada and the northern United States. They nest colonially on the ground, often on islands. This bird tends to be faithful to its nesting site, if not its mate, from year to year.

They are migratory and most move south to the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of North America, also the Great Lakes.

This gull is a regular wanderer to western Europe. In Ireland and Great Britain it is no longer classed as a rarity, with several birds regularly wintering in these countries.

These birds forage in flight or pick up objects while swimming, walking or wading. They also steal food from other birds and frequently scavenge. They are omnivorous; their diet may include insects, fish, grain, eggs, earthworms and rodents. These birds are opportunistic and have adapted well to taking food discarded or even left unattended by people. It is regarded as a pest by many beach-goers because of its willingness to steal unguarded food on highly crowded beaches. The gull's natural enemies are rats, foxes, dogs, cats, raccoons, coyotes, eagles, hawks, and owls .

In the late 19th century, this bird was hunted for its plumage. Its population has since rebounded and it is probably the most common gull in North America. In some areas, it is displacing less aggressive birds such as the Common Tern.

Goderich ON

a.k.a. The Butt-Crack of Dawn

One of many I was blessed with over our stay.

Two gulls resting at dusk on Lake Huron in northern Michigan.

No longer in service, this is under a repair effort

Still, solid ice on the lake's 'North Channel'. Worth to mention, lakes are covered with a lot of ice this winter.

This boat has now been decommissioned and is being converted into a museum. The new boat was run into the ground (the captain is once again on the shore) and is under repair

Once literally mounted on a crib out in the water, this light is now owned by the Great Lakes Lighthouse Keepers Association and is under repair.

A view of the Lake Huron shoreline, seen from Kettle Point, Ontario

Beautiful Ontario, Canada! This lighthouse is located in Kincardine, Ontario, Canada on the shore of Lake Huron.

Black's Point Beach, just outside Goderich. July 1, 2006.

Sailing in to the sunrise

The view from the back of the ferry, April 30th

Can anyone identify the kind of sandpipers these are? Can't find the one with the brown patch behind its eye in any of my resources.

Wild Fowl Bay, Bay Port, MI, Saginaw Bay / Lake Huron

You may use this photograph for educational, non-commercial purposes. Credit "Todd Marsee, Michigan Sea Grant"

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