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Changing Seasons Bring Melancholy Feelings |
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Geezers Corner
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Fall is one of my favorite times of the year and in Northern Michigan and it’s one of the most beautiful. The colors are something that people drive hundreds of miles to experience. Years ago, my wife and I were visiting Hawaii and we met a woman who ran an art store on Maui. She had been born on Maui and had never been off the island. I asked her if she were to travel, where in the world she would like to go. She replied that she wanted to visit the Midwest. Her answer almost knocked me over. Who wants to visit the Midwest when you have the whole world to choose from? When I asked her why, she said that she wanted to see the trees change color. Living her whole life in Hawaii, where it is always summertime, she had never seen anything but green!
We feel fortunate to enjoy some beautiful days in October. We have friends who call these “bonus days” because we know that they are a brief extension of summer. It’s wonderful to get outside when the sky is deep blue and the sun is shining through the rich colors of the oak and maple trees. Soon we will rake up mountains of leaves and deposit them in the woods to recycle them back to nature. There will be a few more boat rides and some fall fishing and then the task of pulling the boat and dock out for storage.
Fall can be a melancholy time of the year as it marks the end of one season and the beginning of another. This usually happens in November when we feel the chill of that first windy and rainy gray day. Many of our neighbors have either already left or are planning on leaving for someplace in the sunny south and we feel a bit abandoned. Walking down the empty road, I see dock sections piled up along the shore and pontoon boats cocooned in plastic to protect them from the elements. Some of the shuttered cottages look lonely, their inhabitants gone for another season.
On the bright side, we are about to enter a new season and I look forward to it. There are several books I have wanted to read and now I’ll have the time. There are Friday night fish fries and pizzas at our favorite hangouts. The fireplace will crackle while we enjoy a movie borrowed from the library. We’ll whip up some cocoa or warm our hands and hearts with a mug of hot buttered rum. So bring on the snow, we’re ready!
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Areas
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Before my wife and I settled in Northern Michigan we would haunt the Sleeping Bear Dunes area during our summer vacations. The entire area offers a wealth of things to see and do. We camped in the Platte River Campground and hiked the many trails in and around the dunes area. Whether we were on Pierce Stocking Drive, standing on the overlook or doing the dune climb, our eyes would always gaze out to the Manitou Islands. For some reason, we never felt that we had the time to go out there to see what they were all about. Instead we read about them and took pictures from afar.
These gems of Lake Michigan are a treasure that now are part of the Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore. Today they are a destination for day visitors, campers, boaters, and fisherman but in the 1840’s permanent settlements were established and they became a safe harbor and fueling station for mariners as they plied the waters from Chicago to the Straits of Mackinaw. Back in those days, the steamers burned wood instead of coal and oil and the islands had an abundant supply along with a natural harbor offering protection from the ravages of the gale force winds common to the big waters.
This past fall, we had the opportunity to visit South Manitou while hosting a visit from my sister and brother-in-law who are always eager for a new adventure. The trusty crew of the Mishe-Mokwa, of the Manitou Island Transit Company, safely escorted us on the 17 mile, 1 ˝ hour voyage from Leland’s famous Fishtown to the island. Once there we treated ourselves to a guided tour in an open aired vehicle, which was driven by none other than the captain of our ship. We were able to poke around the 8 square mile island and tried to imagine what life was like for those early European immigrants trying to scratch out a living on their farms and orchards. We visited the old one room schoolhouse and the cemetery where many of the early inhabitants are buried.
From 1871 to 1958 the South Manitou lighthouse was in operation guiding the ships through the passage. Today this restored lighthouse is open to the public and a Ranger will guide ambitious climbers up the 117 steps to enjoy a breathtaking view from the top. In spite of the lighthouse’s beacon, the islands are surrounded by over 50 documented shipwreck sites, which today are popular with diving enthusiasts. The waters of the passage were so treacherous that in 1901 a Lifesaving Service Station was established on the Island to rescue sailors in harms way.
Today, the islands are no longer permanently inhabited. Coal replaced wood as a fuel for the steamers and ships no longer stopped at the islands. What was once a thriving community became a ghost town. The cost of shipping supplies to the islands became too expensive and the families living there eventually abandoned their farms and moved to the mainland.
South Manitou is just one of hundreds of adventure destinations waiting to be explored in Northern Michigan. This next summer, stuff your daypack with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, some hiking boots, your camera and spend a day island hopping right here in Michigan.
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Where Did Summer Go - Welcome Fall |
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General
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Fall Has Arrived in Northern Michigan
The colors are not at their peak yet but they are relly getting rich. If you haven't planned a trip to Northern Michigan you really should. The Maples, Oaks and Birch are getting very colorful. The weather is still warm and swimming is still an option. This is a beautiful and quiet time of the year. Ducks are gathering for their migration South. The hummingbirds have already left and the kids are back in school. It's not crowded in any of the State Parks or Campgrounds. We hope you had a good summer and can squeeze in a weekend or week in October or November.
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