Dancing Water at the Grand Haven Lighthouse

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

Dancing water

Dancing water, photo by curlyson.

The Grand Haven Lighthouse is one of a shrinking number of still active Michigan lights. I think I read somewhere that due to its easy accessibility and the beauty of the area, it is the most photographed lighthouse in the world.

Dave Wobser wrote a nice little article at Boatnerd (with more pics) and Terry Pepper has detailed information on the light’s construction and history. The lighthouse is located in the Grand Haven State Park and there’s also a webcam to view the beach, pier & lighthouse. If you want to visit, try the Grand Haven Chamber of Commerce.

The Southdown Challenger

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

Quiet Night on the Detroit River

Quiet Night on the Detroit River, photo by theempirebuilder.

The latest entry into the Small World Files is today’s photo of the 100 year old Southdown Challenger upbound on the Detroit River just above the Ambassador Bridge. Mac of Detroit Bike Blog wondered if I’d seen these photos. I hadn’t and spent a good long while poring through this amazing set of Southdown/St. Mary’s Challenger photos that takes you all across the Great Lakes, under the Mackinac Bridge and even belowdecks.

A few recent ones were taken on Leelanau County’s Suttons Bay. I mentioned that the hill in one of them looked like the hill on a site we had designed for a housing development. Wade, the photographer, said “I’m sure you are right. In fact, in the link you sent, the Challenger is in the 5th row from the top on the far left side.”

Anyway, check out this amazing gallery of photos and also head over to Boatnerd.com to read the equally amazing history of the St. Mary’s Challenger, which was built in 1906 in Detroit and has gone through a dizzying array of names and circumstances in the century that followed. Seriously, there should be a movie or something about this ship.


Quiet Motion

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

Quiet Motion by oldbrushes

Quiet Motion by oldbrushes

This photo from Kirk Park, Grand Haven, is part of a set of photos of Michigan beaches & shoreline dunes. In addition to the fact that it’s a great photo, we’re featuring it because we have an in-depth article on Absolute Michigan today titled Protecting Lake Michigan’s Sand Dunes that explores the threats facing Lake Michigan’s geologically unique sand dunes.

Superior Weather

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

Superior Weather

Superior Weather, photo by corydalus.

Cory Dalus writes “Lake Superior in a storm is awesome in the true sense of that abused word. Quite a spectacular first snow of the season.”

This photo of Lake Superior at Whitefish Point (home of the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum) is part of a great set of photos titled Around Lake Michigan (with a side trip north).

Stones on Beach, 2002

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

Stones on Beach, 2002

Stones on Beach photo by Greg Seman

Greg Seman is a photographer from Traverse City. Visit his web site for more photos of the Sleeping Bear, northern Michigan and other locations.

Mackinaw Bridge … Mackinac or Mackinaw?

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Mackinaw Bridge

Mackinaw Bridge, photo by wyoming_1.

David Vernon writes:

An interesting picture. Taken from the somewhat world famous Cupola Bar at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, looking west towards the wonderful Mackinaw Bridge. The sun was behind the clouds and setting fast but not entirely influencing life at the bridge colorwise.This shot was taken through a window but you have to look hard to see any reflection.

He can probably be excused for getting the last letter of the bridge wrong (though he is out of the spelling bee!) as he lives near the Mackinaw River in Illinois. Besides, it’s  confusing to know whether it’s Mackinac or Mackinaw. Regarding “Mackinac or Mackinaw?”, the St. Ignace Chamber says:

The native people called the area Michinni-makinong. The name was shortened over the years by French and British settlers. In the 1600s, the French pronounced the ending as “aw”, which translated to their spelling as “ac”. Michilimackinac, Fort Mackinac, Mackinac Island the Straits of Mackinac and the Mackinac Bridge are spelled with an “ac”, but pronounced “aw”. Upon the arrival of the British, a village established as Mackinaw was pronounced as “aw” and also spelled that way.

Basically, the bridge and the island are “ac” and the city is “aw”.

Fall & Fishtown from the Leland Report

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Herman Road Ranch by Keith Burnham

Herman Road Ranch by Keith Burnham

Janice Sue Fish tug in FishtownIn June of 2001, photographer Keith Burnham started a web site called The Leland Report. Over the years it has provided a look and the Leland and Leelanau County area through photos and the comments of a community of over 5000 members.

Keith also uses the site to call attention to community causes. The latest is an effort to purchase Leland’s Fishtown for historic preservation (Fishtown Preservation Society). They are currently holding an online auction of Fishtown related artwork on Absolute Michigan – check it out!

Color and Light along Little Traverse Bay

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

Color & Light

 Color and Light by nikkiraye

Nikki says An old wooden fence always looks it’s best in autumn.  This photo is also in the Little Traverse Bay Coop, a small group showing off the beauty of the Little Traverse Bay region.

On the group’s home page there are a few facts about the Bay:

  • At approximately 45 square miles, Little Traverse Bay is Lake Michigan’s fourth largest bay.
  • The Bay is about 3.5 miles wide between Petoskey and Harbor Springs
  • The Bay is 8 miles wide at its outer end (between Nine Mile Point on the south and Seven Mile Point on the north)
  • Between Petoskey and Harbor Springs it reaches a depth of about 170 feet.
  • The outer bay drops to depths of more than 200 feet.
  • Home of the “Million Dollar Sunset”.

Early Morning in Ludington

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Early Morning in Ludington

Early Morning in Ludington, photo by mandj98.

The car ferry Badger (left) gets ready to make a trip across Lake Michigan to Wisconsin. The other ship is the Spartan. The 420′ Badger is the largest car ferry ever to sail Lake Michigan. When I was young, there were people who’d just ride back and forth and play cribbage. At today’s rates, I’m guessing the recreational rider may be a thing of the past.

Visit the website to learn more about the S.S. Badger car ferry from Ludington to Manitowoc. (including a cool tour of the ship)

Mission Point Lighthouse, Lake Michigan

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Mission Point Lighthouse, Lake Michigan

Mission Point Lighthouse, Lake Michigan, photo by JSE_Imaging.

Speaking from experience, I have to say that the Old Mission light is one of the hardest to take a picture of. Probably all that fencing.

The lighthouse was established on March 3, 1859 and sits at the tip of Old Mission peninsula (the eastern peninsula that forms Grand Traverse Bay). Lighthouse guru Terry Pepper has a page on the Mission Point Lighthouse that includes an account of the taking of lands around the light from the Ottawa.

Wikipedia’s Mission Point Lighthouse entry is pretty limited, but it does have a link to an article that says the Old Mission light was a twin to the now destroyedMama Juda Lighthouse in the Detroit River (a/k/a Mamajuda).