When we arrived at Whitefish Point this morning, a raw, northwest wind raised whitecaps on Lake Superior where an ore ship, similar to the Edmund Fitzgerald, was closing in on Whitefish Bay; backed by the rugged cliffs of the Ontario coast, the freighter was headed for the locks at Sault Ste. Marie. Noisy gulls cavorted in the cold, steady breeze, a flock of horned larks scurried across the barren, pebble-strewn beach and, out on the calmer bay, a lone red-throated grebe and a trio of common loons dove for their breakfast.
Once back in our warm car, we headed west, crossing the wooded bogs of Michigan's moose country. Along the way, we took side trips to the Lower and Upper Falls of the beautiful Tahquamenon River, where its pristine waters tumble over shelves of early Paleozoic sandstone and dolomite. Further west, we returned to the southern shore of Lake Superior, entering the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore at Grand Marias; hikes to Sable Falls, the Grand Sable Dunes and the Au Sable Lighthouse rounded out our day. After a night in Munising, we'll return to the Pictured Rocks coast tomorrow morning.
It was fitting to end our day at the Au Sable Lighthouse, which commands a spectacular view of Lake Superior. Built in 1910 and restored during the past decade, the light is both a beacon of hope amidst the harsh conditions of this northern coast and a silent memorial to the many lives lost in the turbulent waters of this magnificent lake.
