Finally able to post up pics from our U.P. vacation back on Labor Day. Spent the week before the holiday up at the Soo locks, and then came down to Mackinaw City for the holiday weekend and walked the bridge. The Soo locks were pretty awesome! I've been here a few times before and always love it. Love watching the big boats glide in and out of the locks and this time got to watch them travel up and down the river right in front of the camper! Amazing how small an area can be and still drive one of these monsters through it! Had an excellent time.
Can't get to Da' UP unless you cross the bridge.
View outside my window.
At this point in front of the campground the boats have to make a 45 degree turn for the channel around sugar island. Although done with ease, as soon as they pass the rock pile the channel narrows, and there is a 7 mph down bound current. Plus on both sides of the campground is boat launches so they have to watch out for the guys in the small fishing boats buzzing all over.
Cool shot as the boat enters the channel past the island.
Passed this guy while on the Soo Locks boat tour ferry. Highly recommend this tour if your up here. Cruises up the river, through the american locks (sometimes you get to lock thru with a freighter. Awesome and nerve racking at the same time), out into Whitefish bay, back thru the Canadian locks and down river. About 2-21/2 hours worth.
Lake Superior is 25 feet higher than the St. Mary's river/Lake Huron. The locks were built at the St. Mary's rapids so shipping could travel from the lower lakes to Lake Superior. Takes roughly 10 million gallons of water to raise or lower a ship in the locks. It only takes about 20 minutes and uses no pumps. All done by mother nature. The Poe lock is the largest of the 4, and the only one the 1000 footers can fit into. The 2 outer locks are not be used at this time due to being to small. Plans are to tear them out and replace with one large lock like the Poe. There is a very nice visitor center/observation deck to view the locks. It isn't hard to figure out why they say this is the busiest lock system in the world.
Sometimes ships heading up bound will drop off mail, laundry, etc and will pick up new mail, etc on the way downbound. These seabags are waiting for the Buffalo, which was just approaching the mouth of the river.
SS Valley Camp. Museum ship. The holds are set up with all sorts of displays, and even a section dedicated to the Edmond Fitzgerald including the life rafts. You can tour the whole ship from stem to stern, bottom to top. Pretty cool.
View from the top of the Tower of History downtown. Pretty cool views up here.
Ever vigilant guard cat always on duty protecting the camp.
Went to Brimley State Park and had to take a pic of this awesome White Pine. Crazy cool tree the way it grew.
Also toured Oswalds Bear Ranch. A sanctuary for black bears. All the bears here are either orphans, trouble bears, or for one reason or another can't be reintroduced to the wild. They say they don't have problems with bears getting out, it's the wild bears trying to get in. Yep, as a bear's life goes they got it made.
Had to stop at the Antlers Bar before heading out. Just a local bar but as you can see in the pics the whole place is covered in antler mounts, stuffed animals, fish, etc. Yes even a Alaskan fur bearing trout. And if someone is having a birthday or just on a whim, the wait staff will start pulling on what must be a dozen ropes, setting off sirens, bells, whistles, etc. Fun times.
And finally back into Mackinaw for the 4 holiday. Didn't take many pics here as I've taken many and posted them already over the last few trips. I would have to say we do like the Mackinaw area. I could see me living here (during the summer anyway. To much snow in the winter).