A Full Day of Fun and Sun

  Northport, Michigan, United States
Monday, October 8, 2007

We got ourselves up a bit late, had some coffee and a few breakfast items, filled the cars with gasoline and picked up a few snacks for today's outing.

Our first stop was back at the lower weir of the Platte River State Salmon Hatchery operation. I just knew Alex and Russ would find it very interesting. Because the weir is in place, folks canoeing and kayaking in the Platte have to portage around it. Some people were paddling around right on top of the hundreds of salmon, and it made wonder if they should be disturbing the fish. My guess is probably not. I would say they probably have a hard time leaving them alone, because it is fascinating to see that many fish in one small area.

Lucas wasn't too interested in salmon - he wanted to see the BEACH! Platte Point Beach is fortunately, it's right down the road. We took our snacks, kicked off our shoes and strolled along the Platte where it empties out into Lake Michigan. It was a beautiful spot. And yes - I SHOULD have brought my camera (and Russ said he should have brought his video camera). But you just can't take a chance on leaving your items lying about on a public beach. Those of you who know me will recall that I had an expensive camera stolen once. And I vow to never let that happen again. Today's morning excursions will live on in memory...

We looked for Petoskey stones (and found none - but did find some other interesting stones). Two little Piping Plovers (very endangered shorebirds who only live in a few select areas) flew up and landed just a few feet away from us, briefly. We climbed the sandbanks, and Alex had fun swimming along the current of the Platte. Who would think anyone could be in the water in October at Lake Michigan! But - being 86 degrees - it was very pleasant and enjoyable.

A funny story:  We've been looking for Petoskey stones without any luck at all throughout the trip. After playing along the beach for some time by himself, my son Alex came back and told us and I he'd already found one. "Well, where is it, then?" I asked. He said, "Oh, I couldn't take it because it's inside of another big rock...". We didn't exactly believe this tale, so we asked him to show us where it was. He really wasn't kidding! There was a huge black slab of a rock on the edge of the beach. And on one corner of it - was a Petoskey stone embedded into the rest of the rock. It had been there for years, it seemed - as the face of it was all polished and shiny like the ones you by at a souvenir store. Wow! And not only did it have that unusual feature, but on several other places on the slab of stone there were fossil imprints of a leaf and a few seashells. An amazing geological find! Remember folks - when you see something like this out in nature - leave it where you found it for other folks to enjoy.

After several hours on a hot beach, there's only one thing to do - head out for ice cream! Since Russ and the boys needed to head home through Traverse City anyway - we headed for that ice cream mecca I already mentioned - Moomers. The place was packed with happy customers all enjoying a frozen treat on such a warm day. The cows that gave the milk for the ice cream were grazing in the field next door.

And boy - it was good. They make the best homemade waffle cones I've ever tasted (oh - and those had been dipped in chocolate, too!). The boys had chocolate peanut butter ice cream, while I had "pumpkin roll" because it's a seasonal flavor. Russ enjoyed an good old-fashioned hot fudge sundae. We all had satisfied smiles surrounded by a ring of chocolate when we were finished. I really should have taken a photo of that...

At this point, we had to part ways for one more week. In honor of their trip, I gave each boy a special book to remember their visit here. Alex received a signed copy of Tears of Mother Bear. The illustrator of the book, Kathleen Chaney Fritz, had her original paintings displayed at the Tiny Treasures toy store where I purchased the book, and I fell in love instantly. Check out her website and you'll see what I mean. Lucas received the new Sleeping Bear which contains beautiful woodcut style illustrations by Sarah Grant. We all kissed and waved goodbye...and I was off towards Grand Traverse Bay.

Gulls

Clinch Marina

Grand Traverse Bay

I spent just a little time along the waterfront in downtown Traverse City . There were so many people out sailing, biking and strolling that it was hard to remember that this was indeed...October. The Duncan L. Clinch Marina area at the main waterfront is a great place for a walk. After a few quick photos, I headed north along the west shores of the Bay, just enjoying the view.

Suttons Bay Marina

Suttons Bay

I also stopped in Suttons Bay briefly and looked at their little local marina. I passed some nice wineries and wanted to stop for a taste, but they were all closed, since it late Sunday afternoon.

A friend of mine told me about Peterson Park near Northport, and so I made my way further north, arriving at the park just before sundown. At first, it looked as if the sun would just disappear into the milky haze of the horizon. But true to most weather conditions in Michigan (as in - wait five minutes and it will change!) the clouds took on a lovely hot pink hue.

Waves

And that pretty much ended the day (except for the somewhat long drive back to Glen Arbor - you really have to watch out for deer this time of year!).
 

Peterson Park Beach

Peterson Park Sunset