Michigan City, Indiana

Thursday September 27th we left St. Joseph/Benton Harbor headed to New Buffalo, MI.  We called the municipal docks there and they had no space large enough to fit us.  The other marina in New Buffalo also did not have a space large enough.  So plan B went into effect.  Although one more day in Michigan was planned, instead we continued south along the western edge of the Lake Michigan shore to Michigan City, Indiana.  Yes Michigan City is in the state of Indiana (back in 1832 mayor Isaac Elston laid out the city as the terminus of Michigan Road, hence the name).  Michigan City is approximately 40 west of South Bend, IN.

Keith and I got tied up by around 2 PM and took our bikes out to ride around town.  There is a nice downtown with some stores.  Like many towns that were industrial in the mid 1800s to mid 1900s there has been some hard times.  About a third of the store fronts are empty, but it looks like there is a push in the area to revitalize.  There was an outlet mall which we explored.  Neither of us really needed anything, but it certainly was handy for boaters as it was an easy walk or bike ride to get there.  Michigan City also has a large public beach and park (Washington Park) along the Lake Michigan shoreline that likely gets a lot of use particularly during the summer.  One thing we did not expect to find was the Washington Park Zoo.

Spread across about 15 acres, this zoo has quite a story.  Back in 1925 a retired animal trainer moved his brown bear "Jake" to the Washington Park lakefront in hopes the bear would get more visitors.  Additional animals and birds were soon brought to the park by the local fire department which at the time sheltered abandoned exotic animals.  Thus the zoo began.  Within three years a zoo board was started, and with the help of several Depression Era agencies the zoo was moved to its current location within the park and redesigned.  Eleven of its buildings are on the National Registry of Historic Places.  Although the zoo now has between 220-250 animals of 80-100 species at any given time, they continue to be a sanctuary for misplaced or illegally obtained wild pets from the region.  They also provide a home for some wild animals that have injuries making life in the wild impossible for them.  Here are some of the animals we saw during our visit.

Grizzly Bear (I dare you to come take my bone)

Gray Wolf Playing Coy

Cougar napping with his Paw in his Mouth (Very cute!)

Let sleeping Tigers lie

Baby Zebu just 5 days old (More cuteness!)

Peacock

River Otter

Loins and tigers and bears, and Captain Keith. Oh my!

Some construction on The Castle Building; one of the older buildings

We also hiked to the top of the Viewing Tower another Depression Era building on the property

View from the top of The Tower with Chicago Skyline off in the distance

After spending the morning at the zoo, we had lunch on the boat and then walked over to the Michigan City Old Lighthouse.  This was the first and only lighthouse in Indiana and was built in 1837.   The first keeper Edmond B. Harrison earned $350 a year.  The light was a 5th order Fresnel lens lighted first with whale oil, then some years later lard, and finally kerosene, which was cheaper than lard oil.  In March of 1861 Miss Harriet E. Colfax became the lighthouse keeper.  She served as the Michigan City Lighthouse keeper for 43 years, retiring in 1904 at the age of 80.  This was the same year that the Pierhead Light was built at the entrance to the breakwater.   The Old Michigan City Lighthouse is now a museum and open for visitors.

Front of the Old Michigan City Lighthouse

The chain in the foreground is a memorial to the SS Eastland tragedy

On July 24, 1915 the SS Eastland and 4 other Great Lakes passenger steamers were chartered to take employees of Western Electric Company's Hawthorne Works in Cicero, Illinois to a day long picnic in Michigan City, Indiana.  By 7:10 AM the Eastland, docked at the Chicago River in downtown, had reached her capacity of 2,572 passengers.  The ship started to list and despite immediate efforts by the crew to right her using her ballast tanks, at 7:28 AM she rolled completely onto her port side in 20 feet of water at the docks.  Hundreds of people, many of them children, were trapped below decks by in rushing water and heavy furniture that shifted during the roll.  In all, 844 passengers and 4 crew perished.  This disaster was the largest loss of life from a single shipwreck on the Great Lakes.  The chain across the front of the Old Michigan City Lighthouse has 844 links in memorial to the passengers who lost their lives that day before reaching Michigan City.

Back of Lighthouse

Upstairs room in the lighthouse

Michigan Pierhead Light with rain clouds in the background

As the rain clouds moved in, Keith and I headed back to the boat.  We hope to get to Bartlett's Fish Camp tonight for dinner and weather permitting be on our way to Hammond, IN tomorrow.  Hammond will be our last stop and conclude our trip on Lake Michigan.

Saugatuck, South Haven, and St. Joseph/Benton Harbor

The wind laid down on Friday night September 21st and by Saturday morning September 22nd we were able to head out to Saugatuck.  The weekend weather was just beautiful with blue skies and mild temperatures.  Saugatuck is a cute tourist town with many shops and restaurants.  We were docked just down from the Coral Gables and they had live entertainment both Saturday and Sunday afternoon.  We could sit on the back of the boat and listen to the music.

View out over the docks and Coral Gables deck with live music

Our weekend in Saugatuck was very relaxing.  Monday morning we headed to South Haven.  We had a spot at the Municipal Marina and we were the only boat there.  It felt so sad.  The end of their season is coming and being a weekday there just was nothing going on in the marina.

View back out onto Lake Michigan from the municipal marina

The downtown of South Haven had several restaurants and shops.  Although we had dinner out, we did not have much time for exploring downtown.  It was time for Southern Style to have her engine oil changed.  We were able to Uber to the Super Walmart where we purchased all the oil and buckets needed as well as groceries.  With the oil change completed and a weather system predicted to be moving in over the next two days, we decided to move on to Benton Harbor/St. Joseph on Tuesday morning.

Moon across from the marina in South Haven Monday night

Double rainbow over Lake Michigan on our trip to Benton Harbor Tuesday morning

One rainbow made a half circle

Harbor entrance at St. Joseph/Benton Harbor

Waiting for the railroad bridge to open before getting to the marina

After arriving into the dock at St Joseph/Benton Harbor we rode our bikes to Wolf's Marine.  This is a marine supply place with all kinds of stuff.  We poked around there for about an hour.  If you are really in need of certain parts, it is a good spot to try.  We did not think the prices were remarkably discounted, but still a fun place.  

We had a real treat Tuesday afternoon.  Daryl and Tina came to visit and have dinner with us.  Keith helped Daryl move their boat from Staten Island, NY to Benton Harbor, MI in 2014.  They still have their boat here and use it a lot.  We had a great evening with them.  It is special for us to be able to reconnect with friends Keith has made over the years doing deliveries.

Wednesday we knew was going to be windy and a no-go for cruising the lake.  We had a relaxing morning then headed into downtown St. Joseph to explore.  Lunch was at the Silver Harbor Brewing Company.  Michigan has many wineries and breweries.

Silver Harbor had many selections of micro brews

Captain Keith's drink

My drink was a Smoked Old Fashion

Their food was good also.  After lunch we went down to the beach.  The wind had the waves pretty kicked up.

Nobody was in the Compass Splash Pad today

St. Joseph's main beach is Silver Beach and there is a large park just back from the beach.  They also have a very well known replica carousel in the park.  The history of the carousel is quite interesting (I love this stuff).  The original carousel was built in New Bergen, NJ and moved to St. Joseph, MI in 1910.  There were 44 horses in the carousel carved by master carver Charles Carmel, praised to be the creator of the most perfect carousel horse.  At the time the Silver Beach Carousel was state of the art with its horses and brass ring machine.  It was a popular tourist attraction in Michigan.  The purchasers of the carousel wanted to keep her cutting edge, so in the 1920s they converted it to a "jumping machine".  Eight pairs of jumping horses replaced the 16 inner row standers.  Then during a planned repainting in the 1940s, the painter passed away after priming the horses and they were left with their signature white with trappings and bejeweled accents the only colors on the horses.  Legend has it that Walt Disney adopted the Silver Beach Carousel's all white horses look for his carousels feeling it gave a magical feeling to the ride.  The Silver Beach Carousel operated continuously until 1971 when it was closed and sold to a founder of the National Carousel Association in New Mexico.  Over the years many in the area wanted to bring the carousel back to Silver Beach.  In 1997 the Silver Beach Carousel Society was formed and they worked tirelessly on the project to have a carousel back in Silver Beach.  They could not obtain the original however, they were able to build an exquisite replica.  They had 20 unique horses designed and 22 new menagerie figures, plus a rocking peacock and wheelchair-accessible serpent chariots produced.  They also created 18 rounding boards that appear at the top of the carousel.  Each rounding board depicts a different historical theme, place, or event in Southwestern Michigan.  It is believed to be the first carousel to use a montage of  colorized historical themes.  The new carousel opened in 2010.  Unfortunately after Labor Day the carousel has reduced hours and was not open on Wednesday when we were there.  Looking through the windows was all we could do.  They had things decorated for Halloween inside.

Picture through the window of the carousel

The wind is supposed to lay down this evening and Thursday we expect to be under-way making-way to New Buffalo.  This is likely our last stop in Michigan and then we will be heading to Hammond, Indiana and into the river system.  Things may be a bit more remote and Internet coming down the rivers is reported to be pretty spotty.  Hopefully I can still get out a post during our trip down the rivers in October about weekly, so don't give up on the blog if it is a bit more quiet than normal.  Start thinking muddy waters, catfish, and banjos.

Muskegon, Michigan

Southern Style left Ludington for Muskegon, Michigan on Wednesday morning September 19th.  Our trip started with a coastguard announcement that they were looking for a sailboat in trouble somewhere near the Ludington harbor entrance.  We saw one sailboat in the area as we pulled out and were just about to call the coastguard to tell them when we heard another boat describe the sailboat we were seeing.  It was pulling a dinghy behind and the person looking for assistance said he was not pulling a dinghy, so we continued on our way.  We never saw any other sailboat, but did hear within the hour that the coastguard had reached the stricken sailboat and all was well.

Entrance to Muskegon

We pulled into Muskegon around 2:00 PM and got tied up.  For dinner we walked across the street to a little dive bar, type place and I had my reservations about what our meal would be like.  To our surprise, we had a great meal.  It was very simple, but sure was good.  My French dip was awesome and Keith said his ham and cheese melt was excellent.

Thursday was our first full day in Muskegon and we had a relaxing morning then grabbed a quick lunch and headed to the waterfront to see the USS Silversides.  The Silversides is the most famous surviving WW II submarine.  She was launched August 26, 1941.  At 312 feet long and 27 feet wide her standard complement was 6 officers and 54 enlisted men.  She sank more ships (30 Japanese vessels and damaged 14) and took down more tonnage than any other surviving WW II submarine.  She also rescued 2 American pilots and laid 16 mines on separate patrols.  The first appendectomy ever performed on a submarine was performed in the ward room of the Silversides by the Pharmacist Mate (there was no surgeon on board).  This surgery was depicted in the movie, Destination Tokyo, starring Cary Grant.  Through her service both during WW II and after, she lost only one sailor who was fatally shot in a machine gun exchange with the Japanese.  She is quite an impressive vessel and our tour was very interesting.  An extra treat for our tour was a WW II submarine veteran that took the tour with us.  He is an American treasure.

USS Silversides SS-236

Forward torpedo room

The torpedo goes in here

Bunks with torpedo right next to where the sailor would sleep

Top Deck

We had about 12-16 people on our tour and it felt plenty cramped.  I can not imagine what it would be like with 60 men on board and no fresh air for an extended period.

Just behind our marina was the SS Milwaukee Clipper.  This vessel was built in 1905 and substantially rebuilt in 1940.  She is the oldest passenger steamship on the Great Lakes.  She is a National Historic Landmark and can be toured weekends Memorial Day to Labor Day.

SS Milwaukee Clipper

Friday was our first day on our loop when we really could not move the boat do to weather.  There were gales of 35 knots and 6-9 foot waves on the lake.  We knew this was coming and figured we would be in Muskegon at least until Saturday.

Ludington, Michigan

We arrived in Ludington, Michigan Monday September 17th after an uneventful trip down the shoreline from Frankfort.

Big Sable Point Lighthouse at Ludington State Park

This state park is just a few miles north along the Michigan shoreline from Ludington.  There are multiple hiking trails in the park as well as beach area.  It was a little too far to ride the bikes to get to it and since we were only going to be in Ludington one day, we did not visit this park.

Coming into the harbor area of Ludington there is a breakwater on both the north and south sides.  The North Breakwater Light is a popular attraction.  It sits out into Lake Michigan and the breakwater walk to get to the light is a half mile long.  It is actually the #1 Lighthouse to visit in Michigan and was voted one of the top 10 lighthouses by the Weather Channel.  It was first lit in 1871 and stood 25 feet tall at the south breakwater.  In 1924 the light was moved to the north breakwater and placed in the four sided shaped house as seen today.  The light was automated in 1972.  It is open for people to climb to the top during the summer season.  I walked out to the light Monday afternoon while Keith played golf at  Hemlock Golf Club.                   .

                                                    

                                                   Ludington North Breakwater Light

North Breakwater Light at the end of the half mile breakwater

The town of Ludington is also well known for its car ferries.  Back in the late 1800s and first half of the 1900s, large ships were built to carry entire train cars back and forth across Lake Michigan between Wisconsin and Michigan.  Transporting the entire train car was more profitable than having to unload the cargo from the train's cars, onto boats and across the lake to be loaded back into trains on the opposite shore.  In its hay-day, Ludington had multiple car ferries as they were called; coming in and out of its harbor.  Over time however, the car ferries were no longer needed and most sold for scrap.  One in particular has survived and is based in Ludington.  The SS Badger is the last coal-fired steam powered car ferry still sailing Lake Michigan.  She was built in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin in 1951 and named in honor of the University of Wisconsin mascot.  She and her sister ship the SS Spartan were the largest car ferries built at 410 feet in length with a maximum speed of 24 mph.  She served her owners well, however, as the ferry business declined she was in danger of the scrap heap like so many others.  Luckily private interests purchased her and today she has been restored and refitted for passenger cruise service.  She can carry 620 passengers and 180 automobiles.  She crosses Lake Michigan from Ludington, Michigan to Manitowoc, Wisconsin and back every day from mid-May to mid-October.  Inside there are lounges and staterooms as well as several options for cocktails and food.  The SS Badger is a registered historic site for both Michigan and Wisconsin and she is also on the National Register of Historic Places.

SS Badger coming into Ludington past the marina Monday evening

 SS Badger docked in Ludington

Tuesday I walked to the harbor park for a different angle on the Badger's approach.

Here she is passing the North Breakwater Light coming into Ludington.

SS Badger docked in Ludington

Our next stop will be Muskegon, Michgan.  Weather permitting we hope to pull in there on Wednesday.

Frankfort, Michgan

Friday September 14th we left Leland for Frankfort, Michigan.  We untied at 7:30 AM and headed out onto Lake Michigan.  It was sunny with barley any wind and just as we pulled out of the marina the fog started rolling off the land and onto the lake.  We were able to stay ahead of the worst of it and had a nice trip of about 35 miles to Frankfort.

Fog behind Southern Style as we pulled out Friday morning

Along the way we passed the Point Betsie Lighthouse

The Point Betsie Lighthouse was built in 1858 and manned until an automated light was installed in 1983.  This light is just north of Frankfort, Michigan and south of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park.  It is one of 4 lighthouses in this part of Michigan known as the Manitou Passage.  This passage separates North and South Manitou Islands from mainland Michigan and is used by deep draft freighters as a short cut along the lake saving ships valuable  time not having to go out around the islands.

Close up of Point Betsie Lighthouse

Once arriving in Frankfort, we met up with harbor host Craig Jackson.  Craig was so kind to give us a ride into Traverse City so we could pick up a rental car for the weekend.  Our plans in Frankfort really required auto transportation.

Saturday Keith played golf at Arcadian Bluffs Golf Club.  This is a beautiful course designed by Warren Henderson and Rick Smith.  Its length is 7,300 yards and is a par 72 on approximately 245 acres.  It sits on the bluffs above the eastern shore of Lake Michigan and was designed to resemble a seaside Irish links course.  It was ranked #68 of Golf Digest's America's 100 Greatest Courses 2017-18.  Keith very much enjoyed his round.

While Keith was playing golf, I took the opportunity to take a kayak ride around the harbor.  Then I walked around the farmer's market and downtown a bit.  When Captain Keith returned from golf we relaxed on the back of the boat and in the evening we tried the sushi place in downtown.  It was a hit.

My sushi plate (Capt. Keith had the same)

We then walked out to the beach to watch the sunset.

Our seat

Sunset in Frankfort Saturday the 15th

Sunday was our big trip to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park.  The park got its name from the Native American story (that varies somewhat).  In one common version a mother bear and her two cubs were forced to swim across Lake Michigan to escape wildfires in Wisconsin.  The two cubs did not survive the swim.  Finally the exhausted and grieving mother bear reached the Michigan shoreline.  To relieve her distress the Great Spirit had her fall into a deep sleep.  Thus was formed the "Sleeping Bear Dune".  In remembrance of her two cubs, the Great Spirit created the North and South Manitou Islands just off shore from Sleeping Bear Dune.

In more modern times, much of Sleeping Bear Dunes was owned by a local Michigan lumberman, builder and land speculator named Pierce Stocking.  Stocking had started buying land in the region in the 1940s and 1950s accumulating over 10,000 acres.  He felt it would some day make a wonderful park and had even speculated that the US government might purchase some of the land.  It was not until 1962 however that a bill was introduced into Congress to purchase the land in the Sleeping Bear Dunes region and form a National Park.  As is common, the government moved at a tediously slow pace, and so Stocking used the land to build his own park.  He created roads through the scenic region, build overlooks and even a covered bridge.  He also conducted some guided hunting and fishing expeditions over the years.  He charged admission to his park lands, but it was a struggle financially as well as a time consuming job.  It took over 20 years and much legal wrangling with the federal government, but eventually the land was sold to the National Parks Service to create Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park.  Pierce Stocking died Sept. 3,1976 the day after he received his check from the federal government.  He was 68 years old.  Today the park is a Michigan gem.  In 2011 the area won the title of  "The Most Beautiful Place in America" from Good Morning America.
We took the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive through the park.  The Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive is just over 7 miles of road built by the original owner with stops along the way of breathtaking views in the park.

Some of the park is forested

Some are sand dunes.  The Sleeping Bear is the Farthest Dune.  South Manitou Island is in the distance.

It may not look like it, but that is 450 feet down to the water

We also hiked to the top of Pyramid Point for more spectacular views

The trail on the way down from Pyramid Point

After all this exploring, we continued on through Glen Arbor and found this cool little lunch spot.  "Market 22" was the name of the place, and they had an awesome make your own Bloody Mary Bar. 

Bloody Mary Bar at Market 22

Our creations (Captain Keith's Bloody Mary overfloweth)

What a fun day we had with chamber of commerce weather.  We got back to Southern Style in time to get cleaned up and drive the rental car back to Traverse City.  Harbor hosts John and Sandra O'Neal picked us up and drove us back to Frankfort.  We all had fantastic dinner at Birch and Maple.  We can not say enough about the harbor hosts here in Frankfort as they have all been so helpful to us and allowed us to really make the most of our stay in Frankfort.