October 3, 2010

The temperature was 37 degrees in Ludington, MI this morning and it felt good as we started out on a two mile walk to the Big Sable Point Lighthouse. The walk follows a packed sand and gravel road that winds through the sand dunes. In order to preserve the dunes, no one except keepers of the lighthouse are allowed to drive to the lighthouse. Along the way you pass through several different “parts of the dunes.” The foredune is the first dune (next to the water) and is created by pioneer grasses and slows the sand movement. Next is the trough or interdunal area. The water in this area is the result of fluctuating lake levels and can sometimes disappear for years. Grass and small trees can grow in this area. Next is the backdune, a forested area of slopes and valleys. This area provides relief from the hot summer sun and shelter from the winter storms.

As we approached the lighthouse, it appeared to stick out of the sand like a giant pencil. You do not get a complete view of the lighthouse until you round the last dune.

The structure was built in 1867 and is 112 feet tall, tallest on the Great Lakes. In 1900, due to the deterioration of the outside of the tower, a metal casing was added to the tower. Between the walls and casing there is layer of concrete. This resulted in the walls being six feet thick at the base.

The sand dunes stretch for miles, and from the top of the tower look like a golfer’s nightmare!

We left Big Sable thinking about all the great points the lighthouse has (Cheryl even made it to the top and we both got stars for making it to the top!!), and that it was worth walking the four mile round trip.

Little did we know, however, that we were on our way to see a little jewel, the lighthouse at White River. It is very small, just 38 feet tall; but, it has a multitude of exhibits that would be hard to match.

This is the only lighthouse that we have ever visited that had the basement finished and open to the public.

It also has a very unique Fresnel lens that is copper on two sides. This allowed the light to show two different colors of light, and be dark twice during one revolution.

All of this was put together by the present curator who started working at the lighthouse 27 years ago for $100 month.

One last thing we might mention is our “sign of the day”. We have become so famous in Michigan during the last three weeks that today we were selected “The Guest of the Day” by the motel. It included a two room suite with two bathrooms, breakfast in our room, and bonus points!

We are in Grand Rapids tonight and tomorrow will be going to the Fredrick Meijer Gardens. The brochure has information on a “carnivorous” section…no body snatching allowed, we trust!