Wednesday, June 17, 2009

We have a Czar!

I just read that President Obama has appointed Cameron Davis from Chicago to be the Great Lakes czar. The South Bend Tribune has a good article, "Czar a gain for the Great Lakes".

I returned to our cabin last night after being downstate to take care of some family business. Ship traffic has been slow according to the neighbors but I saw three ships last night.
CSL Niagara and Vaasarborg were headed down around 9:30 PM and the Paul R. Tregurtha was up just after dark. I heard them call in on the scanner and then enjoyed seeing the lights from the 1,000 footer passing out front in the dark.

The only traffic this morning has been the Niagara Spirit upbound around 6:30 AM. A small U.S. Coast Guard vessel was out front for a bit this morning but other than those two, it has been very quiet.

The river is calm this morning but the level is quite a bit higher than last year.

My friend, Bonnie, from Caledonia is coming up next week. She is in college textbook sales and is making a trip across the Upper Peninsula to call on clients. We have decided to make an adventure out of it. I'm going to accompany her all week. She will work in the mornings and we will explore in the afternoon and evenings.

Do you have any suggestions for sights or activities we should see? We know the big ones but we're looking for unusual or beautiful or out of they way things. Thanks for you input.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Along US2 between St. Ignace and Manistique, there is the Cut River Bridge. You need to stop there and take the stairs down to the creek and walk it out to Lake Michigan. That is always fun. Even more fun to make a picnic out of it.

Also, near Manistique, there are some beautiful springs, called Kitchitikipee, or something like that. You take a raft out and you can see all the way to the bottom, beautiful colors, fish, etc.

I am not surprised the lake levels are higher this summer. Grand Rapids had 110 inches of snow last year and 103 inches of show this year. That will raise the lake levels.

Have fun. Karen

Anonymous said...

Brenda,
do you knowwhat time the Soo Locks vistor center closes at night. I'm thinking 9pm. We will be up there on the 25th- 27th visiting friendsand visiting the Lock's. We will arrive approx. 8:30pm and I want to see the locks that night. Thanksforthe great blog!!! Tom

Soo Boat Watcher said...

Thanks Karen. We will probably try all of those spots. I'll keep you informed.

Soo Boat Watcher said...

Tom, The Visitor's Center closes at 9 PM. Maybe you can get a quick look. http://www.soolocksvisitorscenter.com/SLVCA/center.html

Have fun!

Bill K. said...

Saw the Paul McCartney up bound today about 3 PM. Another boat came in around 4 PM but didn't get the name. White fish point is always ad good thing to see and so are the falls. I like the upper falls myself. The Glass bottom boats at picture rocks are good also. Have fun...will miss your blog until you get back.

Anonymous said...

I have to check out THAT story! A Czar!! WOW!! Aren't WE important!

About things to do in the area; a lot of wonderful things were mentioned, but I didn't see a visit to Oswald's Bear Ranch which is about 5 minutes from us. NOT LIKE GOING TO THE ZOO AT ALL.

You can find links to the area attractions on our website at www.northcountrycampground.com. NEXT weekend is the lumberjack breakfast at the logging museum about 2 miles south of us.

Anonymous said...

Tom, even though the visitors' center closes at 9pm the main gates stay open until midnight!

Bob Jewell said...

The Cut River Bridge is getting a new deck and paint job. Traffic is being detoured around it. I don't know if you can get to into the park or down to the creek.
There is an Indian Cemetery in Bay Mills that is interesting and a little west of the cemetery is a turn off to Mission Hill/Spectacle Lake Overlook for a great view. The cemetery across from the overlook contains the graves of several sailors who died in a Lake Superior sinking.
Just a little further west is the point Iroquois Lighthouse (my favorite lighthouse) which is open to tour and a fine beach for rock hunting.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the input on what time the visitor center closes. I know we will make at least a trip to the locks just to see them again that night beforewe check into our room.