SEPTEMBER 17, 2006

This is an abandoned lighthouse at the west end of Mackinaw Straits and the northern end of Lake Michigan; and is where we turned south for Florida. Up to now we have been going north to get to Florida. The lighthouse marks a shoal with about 5 feet of water. Area around it has water 3o to 60 feet. There are a lot of ship wrecks for diving, and in fact saw a couple of dive boats over a number of wrecks. Seems ships hit the shoal and then sunk in the next 6 to 10 miles.
There is a small lightkeeper's house along with the tower. A keeper and sometimes his family would live here until shipping closed in late November and return in early spring with supplies. Living in a lighthouse located on shore would be romantic, but living on a rock in the middle of lake Michigan? Your only assignment is to keep the candle burning 24/7. No communication, no cable TV, no clocks, no electricity, no stair stepper (just real stairs) ...only a passing ship that would signal once in a while. Well maybe it wasn't all bad.
It is shorts weather in Frankfort except for some wind. Talked with the harbor master and he advise to make a run for the west side of Lake Michigan as soon as we can. Seems they get a lot of SW winds this time of year and the east side of the lake is rough. Suggested a run to Port Washington, Wisc. We have not been in the west shore ports so may be a good change. However, the Michigan ports are so much nicer since Wisc. ports are more commerical.
Main assignment today was fixing the anchor hatch. True Value had the parts I needed, so we're ready to go. Mary Lou is feeling better today and we're having dinner this evening with the Abbeys at their beautiful vacation home on Crystal Lake. Expect bad weather to arrive latter this evening and last at least till Wed.