This morning we drove east and south from the campground to Peninsula Point Light Station. Most of the road was a two lane blacktop but the last mile was a one lane gravel path with potholes that could swallow a Mini Cooper!
Needless to say, it was a bit of a tight squeeze when we met another vehicle on the path! But they have many small pull-off's carved into the woods and we made the trip.
We arrived to find a busy place! There were several vehicles already there parked in the circular driveway. 
Peninsula Point Lighthouse (light station) is located at the end of Stonington Peninsula in Delta County on the east side of Little Bay de Noc, MI. Construction started for the lighthouse and attached 1-1/2 story brick keeper's quarters in 1865. Only the lighthouse remains today. The lighthouse oil lamp burned until 1922, when an automated acetylene light replaced it. If you recall from our Escanaba lighthouse information from yesterday, we mentioned the acetylene light and how the boathouse had been moved to Escanaba. In 1936, when the Minneapolis shoal lighthouse was put into operation, Peninsula Point light was taken out of service.
The parking area at Peninsula Point.
The Civilian Conservation Corps repaired the buildings and constructed picnic grounds, but the light station became a target for vandals and in 1948, when the Forest Service could no longer finance repairs, demolition of the lighthouse was considered. The lighthouse keeper’s quarters burned in 1959, but the brick tower survived. The foundation of the keeper's quarters is visible today.
Peninsula Point is also a popular spot to enjoy the Monarch Butterfly and bird migration. Today we did not see any birds to speak of, but there were many butterfly watchers with awesome looking camera equipment capturing images and video of the hundreds of Monarch butterflies!
“Just as the Peninsula Point lighthouse guided ships on Lake Michigan, the Stonington Peninsula guides monarch butterflies as they begin their 1,900-mile migration south to their wintering grounds in the Sierra Madre Mountains of Mexico,” reads a sign that greets visitors. In the fall, thousands of monarchs can be seen here, waiting for favorable conditions before they cross Lake Michigan.” It appears we caught a couple Monarchs copulating on the pines before their long journey! We were within a few feet of them here. Such beautiful insects!
Heading back to the campground, out in the wilds of rural Michigan, we passed this old Standard Oil gas station with iconic sign out front. So awesome! We can only imaging the motor vehicles that stopped by here back in the day!
We stopped for fuel before heading back to the campground. since we are traveling to our next stop tomorrow, I always try to start with a full tank of fuel. Back at the campground we did our regular "day before leaving": tasks such as flushing and dumping talks, uploading some fresh water for the trip, stowing hoses, etc. I also gave the big ol' brown truck a badly needed batch and washed the bugs off the front cap of the Alliance!
Cubs-Giants on the tube this afternoon - Cubs got swept. Homemade pizza for supper. Liberty got her final walk in here and on the way back to the coach, Doreen found a lucky 4-leaf clover! Hopefully this is an indicator of our luck finishing up this trip!
Doreen and Peninsula Point Lighthouse
Today we were pleased to find the 40 ft tall lighthouse open for climbing! The view from the top is amazing. To the south you can actually see Washington Island where we took a ferry ride from Door County peninsula a few years ago. On the lighthouse grounds we found rest rooms, picnic tables and barbecue grills for picnics.
Doreen at the entrance to the lighthouse
Ascending the spiral staircase of the lighthouse. 42 steps total!
Inside the top of the lighthouse. The light and lens have been removed.
Walking the outside of the top of the lighthouse
Looking down onto the lighthouse grounds.
Butterfly watchers below
The Minnesota Shoals Lighthouse in the distance.
A walk along the shoreline reveals limestone layers and crystal clear water of Lake Michigan.
Looking up from the shore south of the lighthouse.
The limestone layers visible from the shore.
Peninsula Point is also a popular spot to enjoy the Monarch Butterfly and bird migration. Today we did not see any birds to speak of, but there were many butterfly watchers with awesome looking camera equipment capturing images and video of the hundreds of Monarch butterflies!
She looks pretty sharp for a 2013! That's how we roll!
Tomorrow we pull chocks and head south and east to Antigo WI where we will camp at the City Campground and visit our great Air Force friends Greg and Diane Noskowiak. Every year we look forward to seeing Greg and Diane, fishing with Greg and regurgitating "war" stories from our time at Loring Air Force Base way up in the northern tip of Maine! We laugh from the time we arrive until the time we leave. Folks, it does not get any better than that.
Next report from Antigo WI.
No comments:
Post a Comment