The Harbour Lights Collectors Club-Great Lakes District will have their quarterly meeting at Wind Point Lighthouse in Racine WI. The tower will be open for the club to climb. A viedo of Wind Point will be shown and a member of The Friends Of Wind Point Lighthouse will be the speaker. All are welcome, if your not a member yet, come and join us anyway just to climb the tower. Bring your camera, the towers normally not open to the public. Built in 1880 at 108 feet you'll get a beautiful view of Lake Michigan. Hope to see you on the 29th at 1pm.

I am interested in visiting your group at Wind Point Lighthouse. I know you said "just show up" but would you prefer that I let you know that I may come? Can you let me know what I need to do to join your group?

Right now it is about 80% sure that the Charter member Bradys are going to make the Northward trek from Indy to Wind Point lighthouse and join their fellow Great Lakes Club members for the meeting. The 259 miles and the 4 1/2 hour drive isn't that bad if you don't think about the 259 mile and 4 1/2 hour return trip. Hmm... I wonder if there are any Harbour Lights stores in between here and Wind Point that we haven't stopped at. Well maybe a brand new store that just opened this Spring.

SaintWackoPaul '
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I am planning on attending. I am looking forward to meeting the group and the Bradys.I hope the weather is as good as this Saturday was.

I really wish that I could be there to meet some of my fellow on-line collectors, but once again, scheduling is a problem. I will be in Las Vegas the 27th thru the 1st.

After Marla or I win the big jackpot, we can both quit our jobs and then travel. I like the sounds of that..... (Dream mode off, back to reality....)

Here is to a good meeting! I hope to meet up with many of you at the regional later this year.

-Todd

Hi Jim,
I am planning on the Wind Point meeting.....
as many times as I've been there, I finally get to climb it!!
I hope many showup......

As far as I know, it looks like it'll be a nice day for the meeting. It could be a bit chilly with the wind off the lake, but I guess thats why they call it Wind Point. We'll have John Schmidt give his presentation on the lighthouse along with a short video. Come and enjoy the company of other Harbour Lights Collectors and Climb the tower. Hope you can make it.
Jim Johnston

Jim hit the weather report right on the nose. It was windy, a little chilly but a great day at Wind Point!!

More images to follow of the Harbour Lights Collectors Club-Great Lakes District quarterly meeting at Wind Point Lighthouse in Racine WI, including the tour to the top of the tower.

JJ and Paul... looks like you had a great setting for your meeting. I trust it went very well for you. I'm glad to hear the weather cooperated, especially for this time of year. Paul... thanks for the beautiful photo. I look forward to seeing more!

Tim - Keeping the flame lit...

I really enjoyed the meeting at Wind Point! John Schmidt gave an interesting presentation and the climb to the top was wonderful! And I must add that the Harbour Lights Collectors Club-Great Lakes District has a great group of people! Thanks so much for the thoroughly enjoyable day. Jim you did a great job! See you all again in Door County.

Top row in the following image from left to right… Club founder and President Jim Johnston (left image) started things off by informing the club members (center image), about the results of the club’s efforts a the Great Lakes Lighthouse Festival, last Fall, in Alpena, MI. Monies were raised for the start of Phase II the interior restoration work in the Pottawatomie Lighthouse (right image.. Club display). Jim also went over the plans for the future projects the club will be involved in, including the upcoming Harbour Lights Regional Event and the fact that club members will be assisting Harbour Lights at the event.

Bottom row from left to right shows… John Schmidt, Wind Point Village resident, and member of the Friends of Wind Point Lighthouse, giving his presentation to club members (center) which included a short video about Wind Point. John also explained the history, plans and concerns of Friends of Wind Point Lighthouse, which is the group operating and restoring the lighthouse for the Village of Wind Point. John opened it up for questions before he then became our tour guide and split the club into two groups of about 12 each and took each group to make the climb to the top of the tower.
Club Meeting Images

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After 25 steps up the metal circular stairway, we come to the first landing and this is the view that is seen through the circular window of the Wind Point Fog Building and Lake Michigan


Circular Window Image



SaintWackoPaul '
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Super shot Paul! Waiting on more! Terry

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Looking up through the metal circular stairway from the third landing of that very same metal circular stairway.

Circular Stairs Image

Exterior shot of the group a little over half way up that metal circular stairway.

Tower Image

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Paul... thanks so much for the photos. I really enjoyed those of Wind Point, but also of the club. It's always great to see some of the folks (like JJ) who post on these Forums. Are you in any of those photos?

Tim - Keeping the flame lit...

John Schmidt, Wind Point Village resident, and member of the Friends of Wind Point Lighthouse and now Wind Point Tower tour guide extraordinary, shows the club members one of the many restoration touches that are still in progress at this time.

Restoration Touches

Stay tuned Tim, there will be a group shot added to this thread. I need to get the tour to the top done and then a couple of interesting moment shots. The group shot will be the last in the series, I might be in it.

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Hey Paul....were you standing on the tee or green of the golf course to get the full shot of Wind Point???? LOL. This is my favorite lighthouse, I never get tired of seeing it. Can't wait to see more pictures. Love the shot up through the stairway. I bet that tree in the picture was the model for the "Commemorative "Bob" Tree"..LOL. Thanks for all the pictures and commentary.

KYKEEPER - Pat

Top left image is JJ shooting through the window at the top, even though we are going out outside and me shooting through the same window at the top of what JJ was shooting, even though I am about to go outside and don’t have to shoot through the window. The city of Racine is what you see sticking out into the water in the distance, I was facing South while shooting the picture.

Bottom left image is looking up the ladder that Tour Guide John Schmidt has explained we can climb up to look at the operational light that is now in place in the Wind Point lantern room. The image on the right is the current light. John let us take a peek in the lantern room as long as we stayed on the ladder.

At the Top Images

The next images I add…. will be from the outside walkway, at the top of Wind Point, including a special one for Pat.


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I CAN'T WAIT.. ...HURRY......

KYKEEPER - Pat

Thanks to everyone who attended our meeting at Wind Point. Our club members would like to thank Paul & Sue for driving all the way from Indiana (in style, I might add) and presenting the club members who attended with a photo autographed by Bill Younger at Wind Point, while holding the replica of Wind Point.The photo was taken by Paul at the September 27, 1997 meeting. There were plenty of treats to eat, alot of lighthouse talk, and best of all a GREAT group of people to be with. I hope everyone enjoyed themselves and I look forward to seeing you May 20 & 21 at the Door County Lighthouse Walk.
KEEPERJJ

sOUNDS LIKE A GREAT GROUP AND A LOT OF FUN! hOPE TO BE ABLE(opps - I'm not yelling) to join a meeting in the near future.
Bob

Thanks for sharing the meeting with us....excellent meeting/excellent coverage!!

Great photo coverage Paul!

Top left image.. is looking North towards Milwaukee…
Top right image.. is looking Northeast from the eastside of the tower with the fog building in the foreground.
Bottom left image.. is looking South towards Racine and the golf course that Pat referred to in her post. I took the "full shot" of Wind Point lighthouse from right about where the X is on the tee area, Pat.
Bottom right image.. image of the roof of Wind Point for Ron Foster to look over.

From the Walkway Images


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Thanks Paul, what GREAT pictures. Looking at these reminds me why I love this light.
Oh to be there right now.

KYKEEPER - Pat

Why isn't there a picture of Paul? That's an easy answer, because he's taking most of the photos. Paul is a expert photographer and I want to thank him and Sue for attending the Great Lakes District meeting. Paul brings great images to all of us on the forum and the website. Paul,thanks for your hard work and expertise. Good Luck to the Indiana Pacers on Thursday. Paul is on the left, John Schmitt on the right. There are five landings where we stopped to take a breather,and I snapped this picture of Paul.

Photographer and Guide

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No, John Schmidt and I hadn't had anything stronger to drink than coffee, before anyone asks.

While at the top of Wind Point lighthouse, either the two stretch limousine's arrived for the Johnston's and the Bradys or a wedding party arrived for pictures… more on that to follow.

Arriving in Style

BTW at the top of the image you might be able to make out a dark green Lincoln Town Car, that's the "arrived in style" that JJ referred to in an earlier post…. thanks go to William Shatner!

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SaintWackoPaul '
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Back down on the ground and as you can see Wind Point is a popular place for wedding pictures..

Wedding Party Images

Two more images to go first the special one for Pat… everybody else gets to look too! I bet you thought the yellow X was the special one for you, didn’t you Pat?

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It appears like I am out about 15 feet from the shore and out in the water in this picture… well when I actually shot the picture that was the case. I was very careful going from stone to stone that stuck out of the water until I found a rock that was still dry and I could stand on while taking the picture. Well it was dry until just as I was getting ready to shoot … then I heard what at first sounding like a much louder wave coming towards me.
It was Paul’s law (if it can happen it will happen).. since I could feel my shoes getting colder and not my ankles, I went ahead and shot the picture then looked down to see the water just about a 1/4 inch from the top of the edge of the leather and so very close to flowing inside my shoes. When one is faced with water all around them… patience is sometimes the best ally and after what seemed like forever the water started receding and I carefully made my way back to shore.



So why does this have to do with making this an special image for you Pat, I figure I must have gone this extra effort for a reason and after reading your post about how special the Wind Point lighthouse is to you… I had my reason for having done it!

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Paul...you are the BEST!!!! I can't believe you took that risk I think I just might cry Thank you so much. I would love a copy of the negative so I can get an 8x10 made. You have made a Southern Gal Happy...

Pat - KYKEEPER



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Taaa Daaa.....

As I have said before... it just doesn't get any better than this!
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Great job Paul! Thanks so much for posting some wonderful pics. I really enjoyed them. BTW, I never thought for a moment that you and John were inebriated... honest!

Tim - Keeping the flame lit...

Say is that St. Brady on the left of the group shot? Who's the photo guy then?

St. Brady appears to be floating, but where are his wings? Good job Paul!

You might want to check out what Sue is holding in the group shot.

BTW I am going to go back through the thread and change the images to links to the images so that the page will load up faster for everyone. All of these images were shot with my digital camera, I also shot with my Nikon and I am dropping off the film today for processing. If there are any significantly different images I will add a couple to the thread when I get them back from the lab.

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Thanks again Paul for all the pics. They really add to this thread, and it's always great to put faces with the posts we see. BTW... what kind of digital camera do you have? I am interested in purchasing one at the moment.

Tim - Keeping the flame lit...

Hey Paul,

In your 5/1/00, 11:20AM posting, in the photo on the lower left, there's a little yellow "X" on the ground. Is that for the tabacky spittin contest?

------------------
-Art

Quite an event!
Thanks for that LH Photography 101 tip Paul.
I like( make that love) those behind the scene stories of unanticipated waves.
What model# Olympus digital are you using? Best yet that I've seen for quality of pics!
Ya doesn't have to call me Johnston!
Wind point HL and tripod?
Bob

[This message has been edited by rscroope (edited 05-04-2000).]

As promised one of the pictures shot with my Nikon..


SaintWackoPaul '
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