Summer 2018 Part 3: Lighting the Way

Our scenic route along Lake Huron took us to the Presque Isle Lighthouse.  How beautiful!  The fog had yielded to clear blue skies.

Presque Isle Lighthouse

 We climbed the 138 circular stairs of the lighthouse for a birds-eye view.  With my equilibrium slightly affected by the round and round climb, and a light breeze blowing, walking out on the balcony was scary - at least to me!  I hung close to the door, though the others braved the entire circumference.

The circular staircase inside the Presque Isle Lighthouse.  

This place is not only functional, but it is also pretty.  Down at the water's edge, we found flowers blooming and a sailboat passing.

Waters edge view of Lake Huron at the Presque Isle Lighthouse site

John & Becky on Lake Huron at Presque Isle Lighthouse

Jamie & Mary on Lake Huron at Presque Isle Lighthouse

A tip from the staff led us to our next stop: Ocqueoc Falls.  This little gem became the subject of some of my favorite photographs of the trip.

Love the swirl of this water

Silky smooth water captured with slow exposure & 6 stop ND filter.

We picnicked in the shade of the camper before heading north again.

Our route took us through the tourist-y section of Mackinaw City.  Since we don't have much appreciation for jam-packed tourist attractions, this was a disappointment.  We kept on going, right onto the Mackinaw Bridge, the longest suspension bridge in the Western Hemisphere.

We crossed into the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and found our campsite situated near the northeastern foot of the bridge in Straits State Park in St. Ignace, Michigan.  Here we parked our campers for three nights to allow us plenty of time to explore the area.

As afternoon turned into evening, we found a picturesque spot along the lakeshore to photograph the Mackinac Bridge.  It is an amazing structure!

Jamie and I ventured alone into St. Ignace on a photo safari.  The yield was worth the effort.  We found the marina and the Bridge View Park on the western side of the bridge.

Lighthouse  in St. Ignace, MI

Marina in St. Ignace, MI

Marina & Lighthouse in St. Ignace, MI

 Choosing just one bridge photo to share was impossible . . . so here are a few of my favorites:

Mackinac Bridge at night

This was truly a picturesque day: from the blue dawn in Tawas City through the midday lighthouse view to the sunset on Lake Huron to the blue light of evening at the marina to the reflection of the bridge lights on the water.