I have no idea why I love lighthouses so much. Is it the protection and security they provide? Or maybe its the simple fact that they represent a big body of WATER! Whatever it is, I have had a long standing and undeniable love of lighthouses.I have almost circumnavigated Lake Michigan, but was missing one short and prime segment along the Wisconsin side. When I moved to Texas in 2005 I wondered if I would ever have the opportunity to explore the Door Peninsula...a beautiful baby finger of land stretching out in Lake Michigan from Green Bay.
There are ten lighthouses on this tiny peninsula, a few accessible to the public for an inside peek and maybe an adventuresome climb up and down the tower. This trip had already proven to be a most awesome trip, so why was I not surprised when I reached the Cana Island Lighthouse on May 2, 2009-the first day of its open season!
I arrived at the lighthouse toward the end of their day. I had just enough time to scamper up and down the tower to see its original Fresnel lens, an unusual occurrence for a lighthouse especially one dating to 1869. The staff welcomed me to stay and enjoy the grounds as long as I wished and when one of them noticed I was alone, he followed me outside and insisted on taking the picture above.
My time was running short and I kicked myself for not planning to spend at least a couple days here exploring the other nine lighthouses I would not get to visit. I do hope there will be another opportunity to visit longer in the future.
It was time to find some dinner and work my way toward Escanaba, Michigan. I stopped at the 45th Parallel wayside to retrieve a letterbox. The park was closed so I parked outside the gate and ventured in to capture my prize and leave a hitchhiker for the next adventuresome soul.
My last stop was dinner at Shipwrecked Brew Pub in the beautiful little daffodilled village of Egg Harbor. I sat at my usual location when I visit a microbrewery...center bar...so I can engage in a conversation with someone knowledgeable about their particular business. I started with the sampler of all six beers and ordered the local catch. A delicious perch dinner seemed a fitting end to the day complete with their signature tropical cole slaw; pineapple added to the cole slaw just like my mom-in-law made...YUM! The Peninsula Porter was my favorite of the brews and I was pleasantly surprised to find they bottled, so I ordered a six-pack to take back to Texas. Shortly into dinner a young lady sat next to me and struck up a conversation about Michigan. As it turned out we were both Wolverines. Time was fleeting and it was time to go, so I bid them all a warm adieu and GO BLUE!
My time was running short and I kicked myself for not planning to spend at least a couple days here exploring the other nine lighthouses I would not get to visit. I do hope there will be another opportunity to visit longer in the future.
It was time to find some dinner and work my way toward Escanaba, Michigan. I stopped at the 45th Parallel wayside to retrieve a letterbox. The park was closed so I parked outside the gate and ventured in to capture my prize and leave a hitchhiker for the next adventuresome soul.
My last stop was dinner at Shipwrecked Brew Pub in the beautiful little daffodilled village of Egg Harbor. I sat at my usual location when I visit a microbrewery...center bar...so I can engage in a conversation with someone knowledgeable about their particular business. I started with the sampler of all six beers and ordered the local catch. A delicious perch dinner seemed a fitting end to the day complete with their signature tropical cole slaw; pineapple added to the cole slaw just like my mom-in-law made...YUM! The Peninsula Porter was my favorite of the brews and I was pleasantly surprised to find they bottled, so I ordered a six-pack to take back to Texas. Shortly into dinner a young lady sat next to me and struck up a conversation about Michigan. As it turned out we were both Wolverines. Time was fleeting and it was time to go, so I bid them all a warm adieu and GO BLUE!
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