Upper Midwest Tour, Day 17 - July 26

We started from our camp site and drove south the rest of the way to Lake Michigan and the town of Manistique.  We were in search of the Big Spring or Kitch-iti-kip, as suggested by a couple we met on Isle Royale.  We found it but it was a tourist attraction/trap.  It is a large spring that flows up out of the ground (full grown) and then into Indian Lake.  Indian Lake is about 5 miles from Lake Michigan.  The spring is part of the Michigan State Park system and operates a cable-pulled glass bottom boat that travels over the spring.  There was a long line of families waiting to board the boat, so we looked over the railing and departed.

The queue for the glass bottom barge.

The barge.

The spring.

Picture Rocks HQ.

A small diversion entitled Art in the Alley.

This is painting, not a photograph - very realistic.

I liked Harvey, the dog.

Back Range Lighthouse (no longer in use)

Front Range Light (provides directional guidance entering the bay).

We drove back roads through Hiawatha National Forest north to Munising.  We had a 3:00 pm cruise departure for a boat tour along Picture Rocks National Lakeshore.  We arrived in town early, giving us time to wander around the town a bit.  A rain squall blew through, raising white caps on the lake, but letting up as we finished our walk at a bookstore/café across from the Picture Rock Interpretive Center.

 

At 2:30 we queued up for the cruise.  Because of the unstable weather, two boats were taken out so that everyone could sit inside if needed.  But the weather improved, and we spent the 2 ½ hour trip on the top deck.  The captain/narrator provided good explanations, naming the many formations and telling a couple of corny jokes.  It was colorful and the photos follow.  Seeing Painted Rocks from the water was the right strategy.

The big vertical rock broke off from the cliff side a long time ago (since there is not rubble around it).

A more recent rock fall, like a year ago.

Indian Chief Rock

Note the lone tree whose root runs back to the 'mainland' and is still alive.

A look back along the shore line.

An original lighthouse on Grand Island.

The vertical lines on the rock faces are caused by water leaking out from the layers of rock.  The different colors are an indication that the certain minerals (sulfur, iron, manganese, etc.) are present in water.

After the cruise we had nice fresh fish tacos at Hippotacos . . .so we would not have to cook and clean up back at the camp site.