Great Lakes

Just outside Munising there's a park overlooking Munising Bay. We're looking in the general direction of Pictured Rocks. 1998 photograph taken with my Nikon N90s. Some day I'll find the original and post a better scan....

St Ignace, Michigan. That structure in the background is what remains of the old Ferry Slip .

Joan took this photo of me at McLain State Park in Michigan's Copper Country; July of 1998. That's Lake Superior....

At Lifesaving Station Sleeping Bear Point, Glen Haven, Michigan. Now part of the National Lakeshore.

"Monday July 13 1964 SS Thunderbay stern view being raised to Lake Erie level Lock #7 Welland Canal Thorold Ontario Canada" Second of two photos of this ship. There's a bit of information about her with last week's photo . I like the "Port Arthur" home port designation here. This pic's really quite nice, albeit faded and dirty.... Borucki's Lakers

The Keweenaw Peninsula--Michigan's Copper Country--is split by Portage Lake. One of the engineering accomplishments of Lake Superior's mining companies was opening the western entrance to the passage and making it possible for ships to cross the peninsula, rather than go around; this was a considerable saving in time and an increase in safety for the shippers. Three decades or so ago the ships outgrew this channel, and modern navigational practices improved the safety of the route around the peninsula. You occasionally see a pleasure boat at this entrance, and the Parks Service ship Ranger III, but it's no longer a shipping route. This light, which marks the boundary of McLain State Park, also marks the entrance to the Portage passage.

Fifteen years ago this week. I think this is Christmas Cove, which is north and west of Northport. Fundamentally, though, the precise location doesn't really matter; it's a beach, and that's Lake Michigan. My father passed away in November of 1990. A few months later I got a call from Mom, who'd decided to escape to Traverse City for a few days and invited me to come along. Of course I accepted. So in March of 1991 we spent a long weekend visiting places she and Dad had been frequenting for decades--Leland, Northport, Suttons Bay; the beaches at Glen Haven, at Peterson Park, at both Traverse Bay lighthouses, at Christmas Cove. We had meals at Fischers, at Dills, at the Bluebird. We stopped at Jolli-Lodge; since I'd not been there before, she gave me a little walking tour. Then she arranged with the Jolliffes for her summer vacation. But mostly we walked the beaches, Mom lost in her thoughts, me lost in mine. Dad was a beach-walker, and a collector of Petoskey Stones. He was on our minds, and in our hearts.

Thousand-foot lakes boat St. Clair downbound in the Poe Lock at Sault Ste. Marie; Engineers Day, 2005.

Schooner Roseway , @ St. Ignace, Michigan.

"Tuesday July 14 1964 STR McLagan being lowered in lock # 4 Welland Canal Torold Ontario Canada" This one's really quite remarkable.... T.R. McLagan, launched late in 1953, was the last boat built at CSL's Midland (Ontario) shipyard. She was acquired by P&H Shipping in 1989, at which time she was renamed Oakglen. She returned to CSL, keeping the Oakglen name, in 2001. Scrapped in early 2003. Wonder if that's Rick in the foreground.... Borucki's Lakers

Marquette, Michigan; from Presque Isle Park.

The other day Larry asked "Where's the casino?" Of course, in May of 1991 Sarnia's Casino was still a warehouse. (I'm quite certain Larry actually knows that.) Far more interesting to look at, too, if you ask me. Taken from Port Huron with my Chinon Genesis III and a too-grainy roll of film. That's the (still singular) Blue Water Bridge in the background.

Detroit's waterfront, May 28, 1990. The more I look at this photo, the better I like it. Every Memorial Day weekend, the Marine Historical Society of Detroit sponsors a tour from Detroit to Port Huron and back. The 1990 tour used both Bob Lo boats, and both were fully loaded. This photo was taken from the bow of St. Clair just as the tour began. Or mebbe from Columbia's bow. It's been a long time.... ================== Now, with both big boats inactive (I did not say retired), MHSD's tour necessarily uses smaller boats....

Corps of Engineers barge Paul Bunyan in Davis Lock at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. The name reflects function: This baby can lift 250 tons. Big. Another Engineers Day photo from last June.

Marquette, Michigan; late 1980s. That's Presque Isle Park in the background, and Lake Superior in the foreground. Taken from the foot of the LS&I dock. Camera: Minolta Freedom 100

"Sunday August 2 1964 S.S. James Davidson passing Bob Lo Steamer Columbia in Detroit River" So Rick's dad also took photo excursions on the Bob Lo boats .... James Davidson was a Lakes captain, the founder of Bay City's largest shipyard , and financier for son-in-law G.A. Tomlinson, who founded the Tomlinson Fleet. This ship belonged to the Tomlinson Fleet in 1964 but seems to have been wearing Buckeye colors, one of the companies which operated her in later life. She was apparently retired when the remnant of the fleet was sold off in 1971. Borucki's Lakers

Better LARGE! That ship's Herbert C. Jackson, approaching the Soo Locks under International Bridge. Photo taken Engineer's Day, 2005. I'll be showing more....

Mom would have been 80 today. Dad took this photo on an unspecified Lake Michigan beach in 1976. Actually, he took this picture three times, which was definitely out of character; but it's a nice picture. Looks comfy, doesn't she?