Lighthouse Tour of Southern Lake Michigan 2010
Group photo in front of the beautiful Wind Point Lighthouse near Racine, Wisconsin
The Society tour makes the local paper, "The Jounal Times". In the photo is Tony at the top of Wind Point lighthuose.
Photo by Linda Elliot
Close up of group at Wind Point
Getting to know each other at the welcome dinner - Joyce, Patricia, Tony, Alma and Skip
Beginning the tour in Milwaukee are Shirley, Clarice, Ben, Betty, Cathleen & Charlie
Welcome dinners are a great time to renew old friendships and make new ones. Here Jim, Patsy, Mary, Roger, Tina and Mary Ann look forward to the upcoming tour
North Point Lighthouse, Milwaukee. Note how the old tower was "stacked" on top the new section when the trees obscured the view from the lake
North Point was the first of several lighthouses we climbed. Cathleen appears to be happy she is on her way DOWN!
Getting our Passports stamped is a critical part of the visit to each lighthouse. Here, Jim and Mary stamp their own books at North Point
Milwaukee Breakwater Lighthouse - One of the few breakwater lights where the keepers stayed in the lighthouse, rather than servicing it from shore
Milwaukee Pier light (with the breakwater light in the background
Patricia, Steve, Linda & Brian enjoying the great weather and lunch at Wind Point Lighthouse
Many climbed the 144 steps to the top of Wind Point for a magnificent view of Lake Michigan
Mary, Shirley & Susanne take a break from touring Wind Point for lunch
Some folks including Joyce, Mary Ann, Tony & Alma found shade to enjoy their lunch
Vern, our excellent driver, Skip, Lee & Sylvia
Racine Harbor - The original lighthouse is one the right, while the old life saving station is on the left. Both part of a former Coast Guard station - now they are part of Pugh Marina
The observation deck at Racine Harbor was a great place to view the Racine Breakwater light and get a long shot view of what remains of the Racine Reef lighthouse
The group got some exercise walking out to get a close up view of the Kenosha Pier Lighthouse and the "firecracker lights" marking the entrance to the harbor and Pike Creek
The wonderfully restored keepers house and tower of the Kenosha (Southport) Lighthouse
The lens from the Southport tower
Mary Lee and Patricia pose in the doorway of the Southport tower, one of the many on Southern Lake Michigan built of Cream City brick
Al King joined some of the group (Patricia, Mary Lee & Steve) the night before the Chicago Harbor cruise for dinner at the famous Gino's East
Many on the tour chose to dine on the deep dish pizza at Gino's East. It was marvelous!!
Our favorite "hat" lady, Patricia, shows off a new hat with Steve
Grosse Point Lighthouse near Evanston, Illinois
We were treated to a great visit at Grosse Point with a tour of the keeper's house and the tower
Those who climbed the tower at Grosse Point were treated to a great view down the lake toward Chicago
Mary works her way up the 141 steps to the top of the Grosse Point tower
Looking into the second order Fresnel lens at Grosse Point - the largest lens size ever used on the Great Lakes. This is one of only five second order lens that lit Great Lakes towers
Sylvia, Shirley and Joyce waiting for Vern to return with the bus to pick us up at Grosse Point
The group prepares to enjoy lunch at Bubba Gump's on Chicago's Navy Pier
Skip poses with one of our mascots, Quackers, at Bubba Gump's
After lunch at Bubba Gump's, everyone got a chance to wander around the shops and sights of Navy Pier
Mary Lee welcoming everyone to the day's cruise on the Anita Dee
Photo by Linda Elliot
The Anita Dee was our ride for the tour of the harbors of Southern Lake Michigan
Photo by Charlie Feld
The dock where Society members boarded the Anita Dee, what a beautiful day!
Photo by Linda Elliot
Society members enjoying the cruise
Photo by Linda Elliot
The Southeast Guide Wall light marks the entrance to the Chicago River and an inland waterway leading to the Mississippi River
The WINDY, a 148 foot four masted schooner, sails past the Chicago Harbor Lighthouse
Cruising out of Chicago Harbor provided a great view of the lighthouse and the Chicago skyline
One of the highlights of the harbor cruise was the up close views of the water intake cribs and their light towers. Here we are passing the first crib, the Four Mile Crib
There was plenty of sunshine on the top deck of the Anita Dee as we headed down the coast toward Indiana. Things were pretty calm in this picture, but things started rocking and rolling later!
Betty & Ben relaxing on the Antia Dee between lighthouses and water cribs
The colorful Harrison-Dever Crib - Many thought the one on the right looked like a giant birthday cake. Others said the whole thing looked like something from the circus!
Don and Dot, two members who joined the tour for the Anita Dee cruise enjoying the fresh air
Shirley, Susanne, Dorothy, Clarice, Retta and Skip relax between lighthouses on the cruise
Wilson Avenue water intake crib
Gary Breakwater lighthouse - one of the difficult to reach lights on southern Lake Michigan
Buffington Harbor lighthouse, the site of the Buffington Harbor mill of the Universal Portland Cement Company, which in the early 1900's was the world's largest cement plant
Indiana Harbor East Breakwater erected in 1935 to guide freighters into Indiana Harbor. This modern structure is a twin to the tower placed at Port Washington, Wisconsin
Calumet Harbor lighthouse where the Anita Dee found a safe, calm harbor so that those on board could eat dinner without falling down!
Mary enjoying the calm waters, in line for dinner
The sun begins to set as we go by our last crib light - the 68th Street Crib
The light tower on the 68th Street water intake crib
The Chicago skyline on our return trip
Photo by Charlie Feld
The Michigan City Pier lighthouse with its well preserved catwalk
Old Michigan City Lighthouse which contained a very interesting museum and newly constructed stairs leading to the lantern room
The group learns about the history of the Old Michigan City Lighthouse
Mary Lee and Alma pose on the porch of the Old Michigan City Lighthouse
Lee and Sylvia enjoying some beautiful weather in Michigan City
The St Joseph Pier lights (Inner and Outer)
We found our way down to the South Haven lighthouse with the help of Rachael, a friendly employee of the Grand Haven Chamber of Commerce
The South Haven Keeper's House now houses the Michigan Maritime Museum Great Lakes Research Library
Tony enjoying a waffle at the Haworth Conference Center hotel in Holland
Clarice catches a ride out to the Holland Harbor Lighthouse
The Holland Harbor Lighthouse with a darkening sky that foretold the weather that prevented us from taking the fast ferry back across the lake to Milwaukee
Mary Lee and mascot "Quackers" peek out from the tower at the Holland Harbor Lighthouse
Our visit to the Muskegon Pier light was cut a little short by our need to drive the bus back through Chicago
Muskegon Breakwater light
The group enjoying lunch at the "funky" Toast & Jams in Muskegon before heading back to Milwaukee
Our tour's complete mascot group - Quackers and Augie (short for Augustin-Jean Fresnel) with Patricia's three little ducks!
Betty shows off her farewell dinner raffle prize
Mary Ann shows how both she and Skip could fit inside here tour t-shirt prize!
Our tour leaders Skip & Mary Lee - aka Team Sherwood
