Charlevoix, MI

Charlevoix is an impressive tourist town on Lake Michigan.

City Fathers did a good job of designing the harbor area on Round Lake.

Mural on Rexall Store Wall highlights points of interest.

Amphitheater with large grass lawn, fountains, park benches 

with a view of the marina. 

Stately homes on the harbor bluffs.

Draw bridge over canal to lake is the main street to town. 

Bridge raises every half hour for boat traffic.

South Pier Light Tower

Tour Boats

Beautiful day, good deli sandwich, ice cream dessert with a 

million dollar view made for a nice day.

Petoskey, Michigan

Petoskey sits of the shores of Little Traverse Bay. 

 City Park is the jewel of old downtown.

Many boutique shops, restaurants and art galleries line the streets.

Pie stores are very popular with locals and tourists.

The city RV park is on the shore of Lake Michigan is very popular all summer.

One of the good view sites of Lake Michigan.

Mackinac Bridge Michigan

The Mackinac Bridge links the Upper Peninsula to lower Michigan.

We crossed over the bridge on a quiet but rainy day.

The waters of Lake Michigan on the west meet Lake Huron on the east.

The 59th Annual Labor Day bridge walk will bring 80,000 to 100,000 people.

The Governor of Michigan leads the walk.

All the hotels and campgrounds are booked a year in advance for 
this 5 mile event. 

Tahquamenon Falls, Upper Michigan

Newberry, Michigan is located on the eastern side of the

 Upper Peninsula, between Lake Superior, Lake Michigan and Lake Huron.

 Tahquamenon Falls State Park is a popular tourist attraction 

to view the Upper Falls and Lower Falls.

The Upper Falls drops 50 feet to the river and are known for their brown color 

caused by tannic acid from decomposing hemlock tree bark.

The heavy foam is caused by soft water, organic material and turbulence.

A great spot next to the falls for fly fishermen.

Boardwalks allowed visitors great views.

Four miles down the stream are the Lower Falls.  Visitors

are able to rent boats to paddle to the base of the falls.

Lower Falls are a series of five smaller falls.

 A young couple in wedding attire traveled by boat to this area of 

Lower Falls for a photo shoot. 

Off came their shoes.......

Her wedding gown and his trousers were getting wet........

Sault Ste Marie, Michigan

Sault Ste Marie is home to the Soo Locks which aids
freighters and boats move between Lake Surperior
and the lower great lakes.

The locks were built in 1855 to go around the 
rapids of the St. Mary's River.

Free of cost to all ships of the world.

There are two canals one going north and other south.

Ships are 1,000 feet long and pass between Lake Huron and Lake Superior.

The International Bridge above connects Michigan to Ontario Canada.

There is a 21 foot difference between the levels of both lakes.

Metal doors open, close and gravity lowers and raises 

millions of gallons of water.

Control tower monitors and controls the ship activity.

Ships guided through the locks.

This iron ore ship has a tight squeeze.

Note iron ore is loaded by conveyor belt.

Metal hatch plates are lifted off by crane.