cf-banner.jpg
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
WILD to MACK... Road Home Around the Thumb.. Part X #187725 09/04/05 12:21 PM
Joined: Dec 1969
Posts: 8,949
WackoPaul Offline OP
Saint
OP Offline
Saint
Joined: Dec 1969
Posts: 8,949
Continued from.. From WILD to MACK... Reunion.. Part IX


Our search for the Saginaw River Rear Range Light started at a local Marina light, since we spotted the tower from downtown Bay City..


..And ended across the river from the real Saginaw River Rear Range Light, from a marina next to the Coast Guard Station..


Next up was a light that the Bradys missed a few years ago on an earlier trip around the thumb..

Port Austin Reef Light...


Port Austin Reef Light can be seen from shore and photographed with a telephoto lens; this light is one that I want to go out to by boat some day..


Pointe Aux Barques Lightouse was the next light around the thumb and the main reason for this year's trip around the thumb. The last time we visited it was a dreay, overcast day and it started to rain as we arrived.. No such problem today, 72 and sunny with white fluffy clouds...


Onward to The Land of the Midnight Sun!
Re: WILD to MACK... Road Home Around the Thumb.. Part X #187726 09/04/05 12:21 PM
Joined: Dec 1969
Posts: 8,949
WackoPaul Offline OP
Saint
OP Offline
Saint
Joined: Dec 1969
Posts: 8,949

I was able to to see how close the light is to the Lake Huron shoreline..


The beacon light was on and ready to do it's job if needed..


Restoration continues on the lighthousae, in fact, there was a gentleman doing some repairing and painting while we were there..


If you look closely at the rear corner of the lighthouse roof, you can spot an unpainted board the he had just replaced a rotted board...


I found a location, a little ways down the road, where you can see how the light is at the very end of the point..


Onward to The Land of the Midnight Sun!
Re: WILD to MACK... Road Home Around the Thumb.. Part X #187727 09/04/05 12:22 PM
Joined: Dec 1969
Posts: 8,949
WackoPaul Offline OP
Saint
OP Offline
Saint
Joined: Dec 1969
Posts: 8,949

For Digger and Todd, the ships were out in full force on Lake Huron this day..


Sue and I stopped at the back window of a store in Port Hope and had 38th anniversary handpacked ice cream cones...a very unique ice cream parlor!


Next up was Harbor Beach Lighthouse. My 70-300 Nikon (film) lens which becomes about a 105-450mm lens on my D2X, reaches out and brings the light in close.


Here comes another tanker by a lighthouse..


Have I said yet that I love my new Nikon D2X ?


Onward to The Land of the Midnight Sun!
Re: WILD to MACK... Road Home Around the Thumb.. Part X #187728 09/04/05 12:22 PM
Joined: Dec 1969
Posts: 8,949
WackoPaul Offline OP
Saint
OP Offline
Saint
Joined: Dec 1969
Posts: 8,949

After waitingg for about twenty mintes the tanker passes the harbor opening in the breakwater past the lighthouse... The white fluffy clouds created a shadow over the ship just as it passed, otherwise it coudn't have gotten any better than that!


A revisit to Port Sanilac Lighthouse is always required when on the thumb..


I always felt that this is one of the prettiest lighthouses that we have ever visited and we have been back four times now..


The Ivy still covers the bricks on the back part of the house..


From the waterside you have to go way out on the pier to see the lighthouse. It wasn't that way the first time we visited in early April of 1996, you could see the lighthouse from the Eastside the whole way out the pier.


Onward to The Land of the Midnight Sun!
Re: WILD to MACK... Road Home Around the Thumb.. Part X #187729 09/04/05 12:23 PM
Joined: Dec 1969
Posts: 8,949
WackoPaul Offline OP
Saint
OP Offline
Saint
Joined: Dec 1969
Posts: 8,949

The Fresnel looks good in the lanternroom..


Our little friend here welcomed us to the park just North of the Fort Gratiot Lighthouse..


The grounds were closed when we arrived a little after 6pm, so it was shoot over the very tall fence time for this angle..


On the Northside of the Light Station the fence is much shorter, do in part to sand built up next to it.. It affords easier fencless pictures..


A last look back at the tower as we are heading inland and back to Indy in the morning..


Onward to The Land of the Midnight Sun!
Re: WILD to MACK... Road Home Around the Thumb.. Part X #187730 09/04/05 01:34 PM
Joined: Dec 1969
Posts: 8,949
WackoPaul Offline OP
Saint
OP Offline
Saint
Joined: Dec 1969
Posts: 8,949
Day Fourteen The road home but first..



We quite often shun the Interstates when we have time and just drive the local roads.. This morning we stopped at a farm selling raspberries.. I shot flower pictures while Sue bought 4 quarts of raspberries, her favorite food on this earth..


One more flower shot then down more backroads on the way home..


Sue spotted this Heron in a pond so I turned around and shot an image..


As we were in Amish country in Northern Indiana at the time, I got the chance for this photograph and a lot of memories... I used to spend summers on my grandfather's farm just South of Richmond, IN and helped him as best I could with the chores.. This included using a team of horses to farm with as he much preferred them to his tractor, when he had time.. The one on the left here reminded me of my favorite horse, Topsy!

The trip started here... From WILD to MACK... Road to the Island Part I


Onward to The Land of the Midnight Sun!
Re: WILD to MACK... Road Home Around the Thumb.. Part X #187731 09/04/05 05:29 PM
Joined: Dec 1969
Posts: 1,194
Todd Shorkey Offline
Super Wacko
Offline
Super Wacko
Joined: Dec 1969
Posts: 1,194
Paul,

Great photos! There is nothing better than a photo of a lakeboat passing a lighthouse. It really just doesn't get any better than that for me!

The first light is the Wheeler's Landing light. Their private aid to navigation. I wish you would have looked me up when you were in Bay City. I would have been able to get you out to the SRRRL for an up close visit.

Anyway, I have really enjoyed your reports and photos. Thank you for the great reports!

-Todd

Re: WILD to MACK... Road Home Around the Thumb.. Part X #187732 09/04/05 06:32 PM
Joined: Dec 1969
Posts: 8,949
WackoPaul Offline OP
Saint
OP Offline
Saint
Joined: Dec 1969
Posts: 8,949
I will take you up on that offer the next time we are in Bay City.. I didn't want to bother you this time since I figured you would probably be the one meeting the bus load of Wackos later that day as they came through Bay City..


Onward to The Land of the Midnight Sun!
Re: WILD to MACK... Road Home Around the Thumb.. Part X #187733 09/04/05 10:45 PM
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 3,681
MtnHkr Offline
Cruise Director
Offline
Cruise Director
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 3,681
Great pictures Paul. SO glad you and Sue had a great time and were ale to spend some time together before and after the reunion. It is always special time for myself and Sharon when we can get out alone. Just got to love that special time.

Bert smile


Bert

No mountain is too tall if your first step is belief. -Anonymous
Re: WILD to MACK... Road Home Around the Thumb.. Part X #187734 09/04/05 11:55 PM
Joined: Dec 1969
Posts: 13,047
Webmaster Offline
Saint
Offline
Saint
Joined: Dec 1969
Posts: 13,047
We toured up the Lake Huron West Shore before the reunion and also got to view every land and harbor light from Huron Lightship to Old Mackinac Point.

At the Saginaw River Rear Range, we located the USCG station and buzzed the gate asking if we could get a view of the light from inside the base. They were nice enough to agree and give us two escorts to show us the light from across the river. It was a long view, of course, but we 'counted it'.

Then as we were leaving the Coasties asked if we'd like to see the lens. The District Commandant was visiting on Monday and they were polishing the brass and glass.

While the young Coastie said it was a third order, it clearly was a fourth. Nice lens in pretty good condition.


Re: WILD to MACK... Road Home Around the Thumb.. Part X #187735 09/05/05 12:06 AM
Joined: Dec 1969
Posts: 1,194
Todd Shorkey Offline
Super Wacko
Offline
Super Wacko
Joined: Dec 1969
Posts: 1,194
It is a nice lens and it would really look good back in its proper place. The lantern room of the SRRRL. Maybe someday.......

-Todd


Moderated by  JJ 

Forum Statistics
Forums39
Topics16,978
Posts184,640
Members2,579
Most Online10,155
Jan 14th, 2020
Who's Online Now
0 registered members (), 900 guests, and 4 spiders.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Newest Members
SafeHarbor, Toots, Bluffhill, phtate, TexLight2022
2579 Registered Users
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.2