at Point Betsie October 15th 2002 - very windy - clouds moving fast - the light changed dramatically in just a few moments


you almost never see the north side of Point Betsie - is that a Fog Signal Building or lookout post?


the name comes from the French 'Pointe Aux Bec Scies' (Sawed Beak Point)




ninja windsurfer was out for just 20 minutes


T

Nice pics, Tim! I don't recall anyone posting pics of Point Betsie before.

Now confess, ...Is that you on the wind surfer?

Bob

What? Point Betsie never posted before? Point Betsie is supposed to be the most photographed lighthouse in Michigan!

The windsurfer would never have had a chance on the day Pam and I were at Point Betsie last week on October 8th! We got sand-blasted! Many people pulled up to look at the lighthouse and wouldn't even get out of the car!

The waves were crashing 8-10 feet high over the front break as we tried to walk around Point Betsie. Talk about wind! Even the German Shepherd that was with the caretaker who caught us on the wrong side of the fence didn't like being out in the wind! Boy, did we ever have sand in our hair that day! But, it was worth it!

Suzanne

Suzanne, ...You reminded me of a day Lorna & I and our good friends rented a Jeep CJ with the canvas sides and went out to Great Point, Nantucket Island. By the time we approached the light I think the winds were blowing around 40 knots. Sand blasted? No, we were gravel blasted! The girls were in the back completely wrapped in towels while the boys enjoyed the protection of the windshield with some grit coming through the side curtains. Not what I would call an enjoyable trip, but definitely an adventure.

Bob

We also hiked 1 and 1/2 miles with the wind blowing sand in our faces on the way back from Big Sable Lighthouse that day. Talk about making 1 1/2 miles feel twice as long! We not only had to fight the wind blowing hard against us which made it difficult for me to breathe, but the sand hitting the face and eyes made it difficult to see! Ouch!

Suzanne

That trip is a lot less windy if you walk the lane. It offers a little more shelter than the walk up the beach. If you did walk the lane, then I don't know what to tell you.

We did walk the road, not the beach, to Big Sable. It was a cold day and the park ranger asked us if we were sure we wanted to walk to the Lighthouse. The walk to the light was OK, but the winds picked up before we started our walk back. That sand in the face really hurts. One of the Keepers for the day was shoveling sand off the walkway at the lighthouse. As we drove out of the State Park, the wind had blown sand off the dunes onto the highway. It was like driving in snow.

Suzanne