Sailing Lake Michigan From Waukegan Beach

Snow may be gone but mid-April means changing weather - from flurries to sunny and windy midday conditions. On Sunday, April 17th the beach at Waukegan, Illinois was absent Lake Michigan sun worshippers but was not completely empty either.

A large sailboat scooted south near the city's harbor entrance. Many large boats winter in the surrounding dry docks. Recent preparation activities for Spring sailing are evident on a few stored fleet members. This craft hit the water ahead of the masses - perhaps its captain senses warmer weather ahead. Sorry, he apparently did not know its opposite day. Later that evening the region received two inches of snowy slush. Hopefully the sail boat completed its three hour cruise before the weather turned. Otherwise the skipper and his mate may need to host the Howells in Waukegan before their rescue. Know that.

The Haunting of Laurium Manor Inn

Deep in the heart of Upper Michigan's copper country is the Laurium Manor Inn, a beautiful 1908 symbol of elegance and high style. The opulent 45 room mansion is currently a splendid guest hotel providing visitors with a chance to experience how late Victorian-era copper barons once lived. The inn is located in Laurium, Michigan and provides many choices of restored rooms and overnight accommodation packages.

Listen here to the encounter or download the file.
One experience that we encountered last summer is not detailed on the inn's accommodation list. Listen above as one investigator-in-training describes her experience in one particular guest room around 2:22 in the afternoon during late July. Perhaps upon our next return we will spend the night and take more time to investigate the sounds of this 101 year old home before calling Ghost Hunters. Know that.

Shine A Little Light On Me

The former North Manitou Signal Light no longer guides ships around northern Lake Michigan but it still grabs your attention. Find it within the Glen Haven Canning Co. building which was first used as a warehouse and later as a cannery for cherries in the 1920s. The Glen Haven, Michigan building has since been restored as the Cannery Boathouse Museum. Check out the beach behind the building for seasonal swimming without congestion. There you can find the remains of a pier that once serviced 500 foot ships. Maybe your ancestors landed here. Know that.

Farewell S.S. Badger

The S.S. Badger leaves her Ludington, Michigan port for Manitowoc, Wisconsin. As the only coal-fired steamship in operation in North America, the 410 foot S.S. Badger ferries passengers and autos across Lake Michigan daily during the open water season. On this August day in 2007, the S.S. Badger passes the breakwater at Ludington where people gather to fish and gaze at the lighthouse and harbor. During the summer the Badger departs Ludington at 7:55 pm ET.