Sunrise Side of Michigan

Sturgeon Point Lighthouse

Monday morning I found myself being wrapped up in my Thunder Shirt and my leash being snapped on.  We were going on another adventure!  It’s Thursday evening now.  We haven’t had the best WiFi (or cell phone service) so, I’m just now getting this online.  Monday we drove North and stopped at Tawas Point State Park in East Tawas Michigan.  There is a nice swimming beach and Tawas Lighthouse, a Victorian Style lighthouse.  It was really hot, so they left the air-conditioning on for me while they explored, so I didn't get the check out the birds like I usually do. We had a nice shady site right beside the walkway, so I got to people watch instead.  We spent one day there and we were off to Alpena and Campers Cove RV Park.  On the way we stopped at Sturgeon Point Lighthouse.  It was built in 1869, became operational in 1870 and is still in use today. The keepers’ house is a museum, but it wasn't open when we were there.  One of the few remaining log one room school houses has also been moved to the site, so we got to look into the windows of it too.

Tawas Point Lighthouse

Tawas Point State Park--Lake Huron in Background

This is only one family--22 babies, I think.  At Fletchers Pond

Our campsite was long a little canal that led to Lake Wynah and there were lots of noisy sea gulls right outside the window.   As soon as we were set up (and I got my treats), the humans were off to explore.  First they went to the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center at the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary.  It was a museum all about the shipwrecks in Thunder Bay.  After that the humans drove out to Fletcher’s Pond.  Ron had gone fishing there over 40 years ago and wanted to check it out again.

Wood Chip Plant on right and Cement Plant on left on Thunder Bay.  Both are coal fired (but no smoke!)

Little Red in Thunder Bay

The next day they got up early and went back to the Marine Sanctuary to take a glass bottom boat ride out into the bay to look at ship wrecks.  Now I ask you: Why would anyone take a perfectly good boat and cut not one, but two holes in the bottom and install windows?  The why would someone pay to ride on this boat into a bay that is known for its sudden storms to look at other ships that sunk.   Sometimes I think I will never figure out humans.  That being said, they had a great time, saw some pretty amazing things, learned a lot from the knowledgeable tour guide, and had a nice ride on a sunny day.  Next they were off to Presque Isle to see two more lighthouses.  The smaller one was built in 1840 is one of the oldest surviving great lakes lighthouses and the other , taller one (113 ft.), was built in 1870 and is still in use today.  The keepers’ house is beautifully restored and was interesting to tour.  After a drive to Rogers city to check it out they came back to the trailer to cook us all steak for supper.

Today we were on the road again.  We drove through heavy rain part of the time and finally got to Lake of Dreams Campground in Merrill.  There is a nice swimming pond, which the humans didn't get to use because it started to rain just as soon as we got unhooked and set up.  Tomorrow we head home.

Artists rendering of Meteor and Pewabic just before the hit each other and sunk

Old lighthouse at Presque Isle

New lighthouse at Presque Isle

view of the side of a ship wreck through the glass in the bottom of the boat.  This is the top of the side of the hull looking down  from the deck.  Top of picture would be the inside of the ship

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