2016 Vacation Pt. 5

The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down

‘Bout the big lake they call Gitche-Gumee

 

By the shore of Gitche Gumee,

By the shining Big-Sea-Water,

 

As the words of Lightfoot and Longfellow suggest, it was Lake Superior today. It was also my birthday; so something fun to do. The hotel offered an actual breakfast bar. Not the usual Continental breakfast; the food offered would power you through the day. The first order of business was to find I-75N. There’s a bridge here:

I’ve wanted to see the Mackinaw Bridge since I was a child. I was born after it was built but I had this fascination with a massive structure in the North Woods. Not disappointed. The toll is $4, and much griping from residents. If you look at the numbers, the increase looks a little suspect. The Bridge has some driving quirks. Speed is 40, which seems a little slow, and loaded trucks are limited to 20 while  maintaining a 500′ distance. I wondered about the structural soundness of the bridge. There’s at least one tow truck with a crane in a pocket.  There are no shoulders, so clearing traffic would be Priority 1.

I had a ticket for the 1200 sailing of the tour boat to the Pictured Rocks National Seashore out of Munising on the Superior coast and wanted to meet it. After shooting the bridge, I headed west on US 2 skirting Lake Michigan. Then north on MI 77 to catch MI 28 west to Munising. Until just outside Munising the terrain ranges from pretty flat to low hills. Lots of trees. As a child I’d read stories about the North Woods and noticed that I’d been living with forests in the Northwest where trees often top 120′. While heavily wooded, UP forests are populated with Eastern trees. 80′ trees look a little small.

Arrived in Munising and realized I’d left the ticket printout at the hotel. I had a sheet with the information, so wasn’t too worried. I apologized to the ticket agent by noting she probably saw this problem four times daily. She didn’t argue.

Munising harbor:

Nice weather after the front moved through. A bit of a breeze, and I didn’t need the sweater I’d brought.

Although a National Lakeshore, the tours are run by a private company. While in line to board three announcements were made regarding the sea conditions: 3 – 4 foot waves and choppy. The company offered a full refund to anyone opting out. No one did. Some people later would probably wish they had. I’ve never had motion sickness, so wasn’t concerned.

Our boat had a capacity of 345 and an announced attendance of 199. I took a seat on the lower deck. Munising harbor is well-protected by Grand Island sitting to the north. There were hundreds of seagulls sitting on the water and three bald eagles circling overhead. The transition from harbor to lake was as advertised. A 4′ chop with wind quartering over the bow in a 70′ boat with a relatively high center of gravity made for a lively ride. It was the type of  corkscrewing up-and-down motion that messes with your inner ear. A few folks were lining the stern rail but I don’t think anyone actually got sick. I was feeling a little queasy.

There is some scenery.

Castle Rock on the way out of the harbor:

 

Bridal Veil Falls. The fourth such-named falls I’ve seen. The story is that the falls were more robust until some beavers dammed the stream.

The rocks are colored by mineral leaching. The cliffs themselves are 500 million year-old sandstone capped with a younger layer of harder sandstone. More scenery:

Battleship Rock:

 

 

There are several places where recent erosion is evident. The cliffs don’t appear to slowly wear away, but to come down in big chunks. I’d venture the cliffs are significantly different now compared to the first sighting.

On the way back to port we stopped at a former lighthouse on Grand Isle. The building is in private hands who have preserved it:

The town of Munising:

I’d seen these signs, and figured all of the Lakes had their own ‘Circle Tour’. To circumnavigate Lake Superior would take at least a week with its 2900 miles of shoreline.

While researching the trip I’d come across Tahquamenon State Park (or as I call it: The park no one can pronounce). It was east of Munising and in the direction of Mackinaw City. It was now mid-afternoon and I wasn’t sure about time, but several people had recommended the park, so I set course.