Ferry Boat Makeover

It’s not widely known but rumor has it that many fish in Lake Michigan have fallen dorsal over fin at the new look ferry boats heading out of Ludington, Michigan. Apparently cupid has shot his arrows at the pan fry occupants of the vast lake. As a human goes, how do you find the appearance of these ferry boats?

No, the dippy hippy of Mississippi was not the inspiration for this new form of artwork. In fact, I’m not even sure who the artist or artists are but one thing I do know is that you can now see those ferry boats coming from quite a way out! They don’t have to sound their horns very loud anymore because their horns aren’t all that loud anymore considering all things.

I wonder if this new design is just for the Badger or if the Spartan is decked out this way too? I must say that this new design does make our ferry boats stand out. I just hope that the bigger fish of Lake Michigan don’t take them home to meet their mamma’s before returning to port!?

David and Goliath Pictorial

Ken at Ludington Dunes

No, young Ken is not about to take a skinny dip for if you look closely his swimsuit is tan or light brown. His legs almost obscure it totally. A lot of the boys from the Marion YMCA were leaping off the sand dunes just off of M-116.

This seven mile stretch between Ludington and the Hamlin Dam is chock full of sand dunes on each side of M-116.  On the western side of the road is also Lake Michigan and the distance from road to lake is no more than fifty yards.  Thus the dunes are just a few feet from the lake. 

Ken’s dune, however, was just on the east side of M-116 which contains dunes and scrub forest seemingly for miles on end.  Going barefoot in that area is the norm.  Ken especially liked to find jump-off points and then take a flying leap.  He seemed almost tireless in his efforts to find such dunes and they were found in abundance.

After a fun time on the dunes the boys turned their attention to Lake Michigan for a refreshing swim before heading to a special lunch at the Ludington A & W.  Not a bad day!

Can You Smell Summer In The Air?

My whiffer was a bit off this year as it got the scent of summer in MARCH! And not only the scent but a string of 80 degree days which is almost unheard of in Michigan in March. Yet to any sane Michigander, their nose tells them that even with a warm March, April may well bring a few days below freezing and it did!

There were several hard freeze days in Michigan in April and those could well cost Michigan farmers their cherry crop. In our topsy-turvy winter matched the rest of the country as I heard tell that even Hawaii had a snowfall this year.

Some days this past winter it was warmer in Montana than Florida. Some around my community were getting out their shorts. Not me because I know what Michigan weather can be like. In fact, my summer clothes don’t come out here until mid-May.

To be true to my title, though, summer as whiffed in March of this year and then that same nose felt the chill of April. What will be in store for it come May?

A Night Time Bath

What a mysterious and eerie scene. That bright red sky hovering just above the surface of Lake Michigan and the swirling dark clouds high above make it scene like a storm is on the horizon. Already increasing waves are pounding the Ludington Lighthouse sending water high into the sky. It makes me wonder as to what fierce sized waves will be hitting that same area later in the night?

I must say that must be the cleanest lighthouse in all of Michigan. It is pounded each storm by ever increasing size of waves continually until the storm moves onshore. It never ceases to amaze me as to the number of fantastic photographs one can have of this location.

One thing is certain and that is that I will continually strive to provide you with even more pictures of this great location in Ludington.

Ludington’s House of Flavors Plant

Ludington has a House of Flavors ice cream restaurant but it also has the plant that produces all that great ice cream On hot summer days this would be a great place to work to get out of that hot weather however in the winter, I’m not so sure. One room in that plant is said to freeze the ice cream at great temperatures under zero. Here are some other things about this plant that might interest you.

5 automated production lines
5,000 gallons per hour production capacity
Cherry Burrell Premium freezers
3 completely automated, 100% quick-hardening systems

36,000 gallon milk and cream storage capacity
34,000 gallon pasteurized mix storage capacity
2,000 hp FES ammonia refrigeration plant

I believe that tours are also provided for people wanting to see how this great ice cream is made so if you’re vacationing in the Ludington area check it out. Oh yes, and then visit the restaurant for some great ice cream flavors.

By the way, this is the actual franchise restaurant that is located in Ludington where you can sample the ice cream I’ve just been talking about.

Ludington Pumping Station

Just south of Ludington on US 31 there is a large hill that stretches for seemingly miles and just behind it is the Ludington Pumping Station. You can’t see it from US 31 but I could well imagine if water broke through and over that hill as it would easily wash out US 31 and everything on it. As an avid sledder I would like to tackle that hill if it were allowed.

The water station provides drinking water for the area. It is one impressive area and I am sure they have tours available. My picture from the air shows how impressive the water pumping station is and the hill I am talking about is just over the top edge of the photograph.

Some of the station strongly resembles Ludington Harbor by way of its entrance as the two are quite similar. Yet no ferry boats take this route. If you ever find yourself in Ludington, the water pumping station is a must see.

Flying Under The Radar

Gulls, ducks, and geese, Oh my! How majestic they are flying well under the radar as they almost seem to skim over the waters of Lake Michigan. They are truly a sight to behold and each and every time I witness their glide over the lake it leaves me speechless.

Gulls look for fish while ducks and geese provide their own honking system as they need it. I marvel at gulls feeding on dead fish that are washed ashore at various times of the year. They are almost so thick that if you were to join them they’d overwhelm you. It would be akin to those birds on the phone line in, The Birds.

I so enjoy the flight pattern of all the birds that frequent the lake as each is far different than the others. Even in high waves the birds almost seem immune to gusty winds. But at times they seem to be frozen in time making no headway over the prevailing winds. One might say that it is always “fowl” weather at Lake Michigan!

Where’s the Lighthouse?

The Ludington Lighthouse puts on its own magic show whenever the surf is high due to a storm. The relentless storm pounds into the breakwater with wave action one after the other sending plumes of water high into the air. “Now you see it, now you don’t”!

At various times the amount of water shot up into the air conceals the lighthouse completely from the naked eye such as you see here. It makes it appear as if the Lighthouse is gone. Vanished! Yet mere seconds later and there it is again as a bright beacon of the night. Another few seconds pass and it is gone again as the water spray completely envelops that lighthouse making it vanish from sight.

This sequence goes on and on throughout the course of the entire storm. But once the storm passes that lighthouse reigns supreme upon that breakwater and so it has been throughout its storied lifetime. It stands its lonely vigil bravely until the next storm plays havoc with it. Thus with every storm it provides onlookers with its own unique magic show. Come and see it perform at the next storm!

Downtown Ludington Buildings

I love to shop in downtown Ludington especially for all the interesting shops I can find there. If you look ever so closely you can actually make out Lake Michigan in the far distance as Ludington Avenue ends there. Even more curious to me is on what constitutes the second and third floors of some of those old buildings?

I wonder if the merchants themselves live above their stores?  I have often wanted to just explore those options by making my way up to those second and third stories to see what is actually up there.  Perhaps just storage areas are up there and then are there old elevators that can reach those floors?  Maybe some rental apartments can be found there?  The possibilities are endless!

I once thought other retail venues such as insurance and real estates offices might be found there?  Does anyone have any information on this point?  Ludington does have a rich history and just think about what one might find buried away up there in all those buildings? 

I know that curiosity killed the cat but still I wonder.  Some day I might do something about my curiosity.

The Full Extent of the Ludington Breakwater

It’s quite a walk out onto the Ludington Breakwater and even more so when the waves are high and mighty.  Then its walk at your own risk.  I personally like to jog out to the lighthouse at least once a week in calm seas.  When I do, Darlene prefers to sun herself on the pristine sands of the Ludington beach.

And, how about this aerial photograph?  Have any of you traveled that special quarter of a mile  Let me know how you liked it by way of a comment.

Will the SS Badger Sail Into the 2013 Sunset? Part Two

On August 9 2008, the Badger suffered a stern bearing failure, causing the company to cancel the ferry’s sailings for nearly a week. It was the first time the ship had ever experienced a stern bearing failure. On August 10, she sailed under her own power to the Bay Shipbuilding yard in Sturgeon Bay for repairs. As there was no opening at the time for the work to be done in the dry dock, a team of divers was flown in from California to assist in the repairs. Regular sailings resumed August 15 2008. It was the first time since 1994 (when she struck a rock at Ludington) that the Badger was laid up for unscheduled repairs, and the first time since 2005 that the company canceled a sailing because of mechanical failure..The SS Badger has the tough task of balancing the need to preserve a historic ship with the need to minimize environmental impact.

 The SS Badger came under fire from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and environmental groups in late 2008 because of its daily practice of dumping untreated coal ash from its boilers directly into the waters of Lake Michigan. Coal ash is a byproduct of the Badger’s propulsion system but is also used in farming applications, such as feedlots where livestock are fed. In a North Dakota State University study, coal ash runoff did not present any toxins to humans or animals beyond the acceptable standards (The Badger had earlier been the subject of EPA Clean Air action but was granted an exemption from regulation.) West Michigan Carferry President and CEO Bob Manglitz has rebuffed the EPA demand that Badger find a way to capture and safely offload ash, change the fueling configuration of the ship, or cease operations by 2012. Manglitz has frequently equated coal ash to “harmless sand” and vowed to keep the Badger in its original coal-burning configuration. In an effort to continue to minimize the environmental impact to the lake, the SS Badger has explored a number of alternatives including, storing the ash on board and unloading upon arrival in Ludington. Another option being considered is the use of compressed natural gas, this would allow the historical boiler system to be maintained and making the SS Badger the first “green” ship on the Great Lakes

The Environmental Protection Agency has told the owners of the historic, coal-powered ferry they must stop dumping coal ash into Lake Michigan by 2013. Currently, the ferry dumps about 4 tons of coal ash into the lake each day that it travels between Michigan and Wisconsin. The Badger should be given sufficient time to be retrofitted to run on natural gas fuel which is one of the cleanest fuels available.

In a climate of economic instability, the Badger remains an economic lifeline to many communities in both Wisconsin and Michigan as it provides 200 jobs directly and supports another 500 jobs indirectly. That amounts to an economic impact of 45 million dollars for Manitowoc, Wisconsin, and Ludington, Michigan. Which is something that cannot be ignored in a time of high unemployment. And, as the last coal-powered ship in the United States, her historical impact is just as valuable as her economic importance to both states. Due to her lengthy service the greatest consideration should be afforded her to have the time to convert to a system that is agreeable to all.

Will the SS Badger Sail Into the 2013 Sunset? Part One

The SS Badger is a coal-fired passenger and vehicle ferry in the United States that has been in Lake Michigan service from 1953 until the present. Currently, she shuttles between Ludington, Michigan, and Manitowoc, Wisconsin. She is the last coal-fired passenger vessel operating on the Great Lakes.

The boat is named after the University of Wisconsin’s athletic mascot, “Bucky Badger”. The Badger runs on Michigan time (Eastern Time Zone, whereas Wisconsin is in the Central Time Zone) and riders pay Michigan taxes on their fares.

On 1 July 1983, the Chessie System ended its car ferry service when it sold the steamers Badger, Spartan, and City of Midland 41 to Glen F. Bowden of Ludington. He organized the Michigan-Wisconsin Transportation Company (MWT) to continue the operation.

The railroad car ferry concept on Lake Michigan was facing serious economic troubles during the 1980s and by November 1988, the Badger was the only vessel running. She was the last of the 14 ferries since 1897 based in Ludington remaining in service. On November 16 1990, facing bankruptcy, Bowden laid up the Badger, ending 93 years of railway car ferry service out of Ludington and 98 years on Lake Michigan as a whole.

After sitting idle for a year, the three ferries were purchased by entrepreneur and philanthropist Charles F. Conrad of Holland, Michigan, (and a native of Ludington). He undertook a major overhaul and refit of the Badger exclusively for carrying passengers and automobiles. Returning to service May 16 1992, on the Ludington–Manitowoc route, the vessel has carried hundreds of thousands of passengers and vehicles across the lake. She is the only operating ferry of her kind in the world and is an icon of car ferry heritage on the Great Lakes. Conrad retired as president of Lake Michigan Carferry Service in 1993. He died on February 9 1995. Since 1993 the company has been headed by his son-in-law, Robert Manglitz

.The Badger is the last large coal burning steamship in the United States and is one of the last vessels in service on the Great Lakes to be powered by Skinner Unaflow engines (manufactured by the Skinner Company of Erie, Pennsylvania). The Badger docks 490 times a year on her schedule as of 2009, an exceptionally large number of dockings for a merchant vessel.

On average, the Badger completes a trip across Lake Michigan in about four hours, covering 60 miles. The ferry saves about three and a half hours of travel time (and the frustration of congested highways) compared to the 411-mile drive from Manitowoc to Ludington via Chicago. The ferry offers a number of entertainment options and eating facilities on board, as well as passenger staterooms equipped with sleeping berths. When Darlene and I use this service we always opt for a stateroom for a measure of privacy. Because of her size and strong construction the SS Badger rarely misses a sailing because of weather related delays.

The SS Badger is also unusual in that it is a registered historical site in two states. The Michigan Historical Commission and the Wisconsin Historical commission each named the Badger as a registered historical site in 1997. She was listed as of national significance on the National Register of Historic Places on December 11 2009.  Part Two comes your way tomorrow.

A Strange Sunset Indeed!

Well, what do you think of this sunset in Ludington, Michigan, at the lighthouse? Macabe is what comes first to my mind. It almost looks like something out of a science fiction magazine. This lighthouse is probably the most photographed place in Ludington and this one is a doozy.

Just look at the contrasts of color here. Now, I must put forth the suggestion that this may not be a real sunset but a photo that has been slightly doctored. Of course the sun does play tricks with the eyes at times so maybe with the camera lense as well?

At any rate this is sure some photograph and a keeper to say the least so feast your eyes on this as often as possible.

Somewhere Under The Rainbow

To me, rainbows are happiness. They mark the point after a dark and dangerous storm has passed th rea. They bring with them a feeling of renewal not only for the land but ourselves as well. I love to sketch rainbows upon my canvas.  As I had color to them my imagination runs wild as to how I will display each color.  I stay away from using solid colors as I believe rainbows transcend that sense of ordinary. 

The hues of rainbows are as fascinating to me as the hues of colors upon Lake Michigan as the light captures each wave.  Someday I will contemplate as to what might be “over” the rainbow but today I want to experience the solace under it.  Total inner peace comes to mind.  A feeling of serenity as well. 

What are your thoughts about rainbows?  Will you share them with me by way of a comment?  My favorite rainbow color is blue as I am never blue when I experience a rainbow.  What fantastic marvels they are! 

Ludington Lake Effect Snow

At this time of year Ludington, Michigan, receives large amounts of snow from what is called lake effect weather. Sometimes it nearly paralizes the city when it comes down at the rate of over one inch per hour. Roads become nearly impassible and with the winds blowing all that snow around coming off Lake Michigan it makes travel nearly impossible.

The Michigan Highway Department, in my opinion, is second to none as they do an excellent job in removing the snow but lake effect snow keeps the snow coming and drifting always becomes a problem. This winter wonderland is great to view but with a snowmobile as cars can quickly become stuck in the deep snow.

Soon though winter will be a thing of the past and Ludington will again flourish fully as the great tourist town that it is as the town nearly doubles in size. But until then lake effect snow is what occurs here and nothing can be done about it but to grin and bear it.

How Did The Ludington Fire Department Handle This One?

One has to wonder how the fire department of Ludington effectively handled this fire? It is the lighthouse that is a good quarter of a mile out into Lake Michigan on the breakwater. This time its light was a warning to itself!

I would hazard to say that the fire department pumped water out of Lake Michigan itself to put out that fire. But can you imagine if the lake was ripe with high waves? I don’t think the fire department would have risked it then. Yet maybe that wavy day itself might have put out that fire? Does anyone know how much damage that lighthouse incurred during that blaze?

What is a Towhead by Shawn

The other day my aunt tossled my blond hair and called me a cute towhead.  I didn’t know how to take that so I went onto my computer to check out that term.  My research led me to the word being German in origin.  By the way, my name is Shawn and I live in Ludington.  I know Darlene Reynolds and asked her if I could write about this since there are a lot of pictures of blond boys on this website. 

To me, being called a towhead sounds offensive.  I have heard some red heads being referred to as carrot tops but I don’t think I’d like being called that either.  My research was helpful as I found out that towheads  were actually some sort of weaving process using flax.  Certain fibrous plants such as flax or hemp can be woven into cloth, but only after the fibers have been painstakingly combed out and twisted into a usable thread. Part of the combing process yields a tousled mass of light yellow fiber known as tow.  However my hair is not a tousled mass as I keep it well-combed out.

I’d just rather be called what I am and that is a blond boy.  Towhead sounds like something that needs to be towed away.  Boy, am I glad I hae a computer to help me out.  As for my aunt, well, the old gray lady ain’t what she used to be.  But I wouldn’t call my aunt old to her face so why does she have to refer to me as a towhead?  I’m blond nd proud of it!

 

The Calm After the Storm

What a difference a few hours makes at the Ludington breakwater! One hour the lake is churning like crazy and then a few hours later it looks ever so heavenly. My second photograph displays how serene the Ludington Lighthouse can get.  Maybe this is how the phrase “The Calm After the Storm” came to be?

The quiet picture almost looks as if God were giving His lighthouse a display of a heavenly light show.  Those rays of light add much to that picture.  I ever so much enjoy this locale.  My favorite time here is when the fog is lifting over the lake and then out of a fog bank appears the S Badger almost like a eyrie monster out of nowhere. 

The fog gets as thick as pea soup by the Lighthouse so that you can not even make out the Ludington shore.  It’s Mystery Theatre at its best at those times.  So which picture is your favorite of the two?

Not A Good Hair Day In Ludington

This was definately not a good hair day if you were on the shores of Lake Michigan in Ludington. Just look at those waves. Our lighthouse here is being scrapped and repainted white but here it looks as if it is already painted white. Look at those waves just off the lighthouse. Yesterday was also the last day the Ferry Boat Badger was crossing the lake and what a day to pick.

I personally like these days as the lake is just crazy with waves of all sizes. I had heard in Chicago they had gale warnings up and no doubt Ludington did too. Can you imagine any boater going out into the lake with those kinds of waves to deal with? If the weather had been warmer that would have been some surf to swim in don’t you think?

I was jogging yesterday just off M-116 between Ludington and Hamlin Dam and was the only one out there. The sand was flying around and stung so I wasn’t out there too long. But the waves were just fantastic.

Now if you’ve ever wondered how they keep lighthouses clean, wonder no more!

Where Do Big Bass Lake Folks Shop For Groceries?

When my parents visited my Grandmother Noreika in the 1960′s, she did the majority of her grocery shopping in Scottville at a grocery on US 31. Now, for emergency items she went to The Big Bass Lake Store but their prices were rather high for a full grocery shop.

Today, perhaps the Wal-Mart in Ludington is an option? When I was taking Boys Clubs of America trips to our property we always shopped at a supermarket in Baldwin, Michigan. Or for snacks at the Dublin General Store which we did when visiting the Pine River. Again, today, there would always be Larry Bender’s Corner Store between Big Bass Lake and Loon Lake. But that kind of store is more like the 7/11 stores you find in cities.

If you’re a resident of the greater Big Bass Lake area, please let us know where you go for your full grocery shopping each week.  Where do you get the best bang for your buck?  Leave us a comment with your choice and why you go there.

The Desolate Lighthouse

The Ludington Lighthouse stands its lonely vigil with no visitors today.  Its treacherous breakwater, coated in thick ice would make any travel to that point highly dangerous.  Open holes in the ice of Lake Michigan would also spray this area with even more ice making walking near impossible.  Yet despite that,  this local tourist attraction still retains its charm from shore coated in ice and snow and almost represents an ornament dangling from a tree at Christmas time.

I never cease to be amazed at this precious site.  In every season it holds us mystified at its charm and grace as the final glance at Ludington from ferry boats heading toward Wisconsin or our shining lady to those coming from that state to our Ludington port. 

Soon this locality in Ludington will again appear this way for the majority of the winter solace.  My photography will be on the safety of the Ludington shore as I also do during times of high waves.  The fog hanging over the area almost seems like a garment of warmth for the lighthouse in this season of cold.  And soon this desolate location will turn its head toward the renewal of spring.  I can’t wait!

Breakwater Fireworks

If you ever want to see the equivalant of fourth of July fireworks nearly every day, trot out to the Ludington Breakwater at the very end just past the lighthouse. You might want to remember bringing a raincoat because most days you WILL need one. At this point you are just over a quarter of a mile out into Lake Michigan and when the surf hits that breakwater flumes of water cascade into the air just about as high as the lighthouse itself.

Even on fairly quiet days on the lake there are pretty good displays of aquatic power to be seen but on stormy days, only the brave, and somewhat stupid, venture out to experience those waves. I would not recommend going on the breakwater more than about a hundred feet on stormy days as that will get you wet enough. Elsewhere on BBL and Beyond I have a photograph of some nut fishing in very high surf in which he could very easily be swept over the side and into the stormy seas.

A rule to follow to be safe is that in stormy seas it is wiser and dryer to observe the fury of Lake Michigan from the shoreline.

Snow Fences

I think its a tad early to be thinking about snow fences.  I mean, I’m not completely done with swimming in Lake Michigan this year.  Yes, I still find locations on M-116 to swim and these fences get in the way and make me think about the approaching winter.  Yet in Michigan, there are still some great weather days in September so why be so quick to jump the gun?

Well, perhaps its better to be safe than sorry but for the life of me, I can’t think when snow last fell in September?  Still, one has to be prepared and the task of putting up these snow fences is not easy as there is much beachfront to cover.  Then again, it makes me think about winter before I want to as it technically isn’t even autumn yet!

In about a week I’ll be hanging up my swimming trunks until next summer but that’s in about a week!  Those snow fences seem to be rushing me and intend to fence me in from my past time.  What they don’t know is that I’ll be visiting the lake again in January 2012 for the Polar Bear Plunge!  Fences or no fences!

Downtown Ludington at Christmas

Well, the weather outside is frightful but downtown Ludington is ever so delightful. It was a few nights before Christmas and all through downtown Ludington, not a creature was stirring as will be closing up early. Sometimes downtown Ludington seems like a ghost town at night but maybe that’s the way it ought to be. I did my Christmas shopping already in Ludington as Scottville just doesn’t seem to have everything I need to get.

In a few days, my wife and I will enjoy Christmas together and tell each other stories tonight around our fireplace. It is a Reynolds family tradition to do so. I’ll build a nice toasty fire and then we’ll sip hot cocoa and munch on some graham crackers as we share our holiday stories to one another. Merry Christmas from the Reynolds family.