The Ever Changing Shores and Hues of Lake Michigan

The area you’re looking at is just off M-116 between Ludington and the Hamlin Dam and this seven mile stretch of highway affords anyone their own private beach for the day. A few years ago Lake Michigan was somewhat down by way of its water level. Now either the shoreline has been depleted by sand erosion or Lake Michigan is again up as to its water levels.

Examine the hues of Lake Michigan or its color changes by depth. Close to shore are the grays or browns as the bottom is churned up producing those colors. Farther out are the greens and then blues of the lake.

On this particular day there wasn’t much beachfront to run on without getting somewhat wet. In this area beach erosion may well be a problem and maybe more sand needs to be added to expand the beach. However this area is very close to M-116 so there isn’t much beach to expand upon.

Yet what a day to do a run along the shores of Lake Michigan with a good breeze and small waves crashing upon the shore making all this a runners delight.

Breakwater Explosion

I usually get this type of photograph  in Ludington  however  today we are in Manistee . The waves are just as ferocious here . And the Manistee Breakwater is shorter in width than the one in Ludington .  Just imagine if someone were on that break water today . I believe they’d be swept out into Lake Michigan . I dearly love these types of days .

The ULBC Dining Hall

The Union League Boys Club Camp had a wonderful dining hall with all the atmosphere of a great camp. It was the finest of any I’ve seen. This camp had memories for me not only as a counselor but also many years later as an Executive Director of a club in Illinois. By the way, their breakfasts were fantastic and their apple raisin pie superb.

I had went to a boys club regional meeting and happened across JA Markle, then the Executive Director of the Union Leauge Boys Club. I sought him out and inquired as to the possiblity of using that camp for our local club and he not only remembered me from years before as a counselor at that camp but agreed to let us use the camp.

I contacted Al Mackin the year round camp director and immediately our local club was allowed to use the camp on a monthly basis in the off season and also to send our kids to that summer camp. Our monthly off season trips were great and the kids really enjoyed the woods, lake, and other acitivities afforded them during their stay there. One time in particular some of our kids opted to sleep out in the snow by a warm campfire.

We played hound and the hare many times where the kids would chase both Al and me after a headstart of about five minutes. Thus, this camp was utilized by me both as a counselor and many years later as an asset to my local club.

Former Noreika Land December White Sale

This house on Noreika Road has been on the market for some time now and besides a regular listing you can now even view a video of this home on You Tube which we have elsewhere on this website under the category Videos.

This home has a beautiful balcony and even a conversation pit by Big Bass Lake. But that’s just the beginning of what this house has to offer. Check out the backside of this home facing Noreika Road!

Thia house has a den, large living room, dining room, family room, laundry room, spacious deck, two-car garage, and a large waterfront with multiple piers.

It is located just across from The Haunted Island and offers a great view of that location. But, this is but the tip of the iceberg of this December White Sale on our former land. There are also properties for sale at 6066 North Island View Lane (a fancy name for our former driveway, which is now paved), 6210 Noreika Road, 6328 Noreika Road, 6329 Noreika Road, and 6300 Noreika Road.

Here is a view of the lot found at 6066 North Island View Drive which also faces Haunted Island.

I estimate this to be very close to where our dock was once located and close to our former cottage (then white) now yellow. One has to wonder why so many properties are being sold? Could it be high taxes on the lake or maybe the damage winter storms put on those homes? Whatever the reasons, many properties are being sold on our former property. Maybe some good possibilities for you?

Nuclear Sub Spotted at Big Bass Lake

nuclear sub at Big Bass Lake Irons Michigan? Someone sent me this picture but I have grave concerns about it. For one thing look at the size of the Wake behind the submarine? Not much of a wake is it? The submarine looks more like a child’s toy. Maybe the submarine is there to enforce speed regulation of speed boats? I wonder if it would fire Torpedoes at offenders? Battle Stations Battle Stations!

Night Time Arrives at Big Bass Lake

As dusk turns to darkness on any first night at our property, the boys always gather closer around the campfire. It is that sense of the unknown that grips them.  And, on this night with the Marion Boys Club, it was no different.  Our land takes on a whole new atmosphere at night.  Since it was their first day on this particular trip, the boys were used to our campsite but had seen precious little else.

They had been so busy putting up the campsite they had little time to really take in the full extent of their surroundings.  Big Bass Lake appeared to them far differently than it had done in the daytime.  Now it was shrouded in thick darkness and only the shadows of the night surrounded Haunted Island in the distance. 

As many preferred to just stare at the campfire as they munched on some marshmallows, I told them to look behind them and all related that they could not even make out the lake which was only about ten yards away.  You see the light of the fire that they had been staring at had robbed them of their night vision.  I told them then that flashlights would have the same effect on hikes and that is why they would only be used in emergencies. 

As we walked to the Pointe of our beach area the boys could fully observe a night sky filled with stars that many of them had never before seen since city lights rob them of that observance.  Kevin Hansel’s face brightened as he took it all in while Calvin Little drew closer to me as he had never experienced such darkness before.

That first night each boy grows up a little more than they had before and that growth would carry them well for the rest of their time at our property.  It is a growth that I label as “Awe” and nothing further needs to be said.