[Rhodes22-list] Trip to a haunted lighthouse

[ROGER PIHLAJA]

Hi All,

Some people complain about their in-laws.  I go on high adventures with mine.  On July 11-13, 2023; my brother-in-law, Ken Mild and I mounted a mini expedition to the Waugoshance Shoal Lighthouse (WSL).  WSL marks the western entrance to the Straits of Mackinac.  The lighthouse was built in 1851 and deactivated in 1912 in favor of an unmanned automated light mounted on a steel tower nearby.  Over the years, there were a number of fatalities both construction workers and light keepers.  The lighthouse is said to be haunted!  During WW-2, both the US Navy and the US Army Air Corps used WSL as a practice bombing target.  The US Navy had a flight school complete with an aircraft carrier in Chicago, IL and the US Army Air Corps had a flight school in Traverse City, MI.  Both military programs sent pilot trainees on bombing missions to WSL and back.  Ken and I camped at Wilderness State Park about 12 miles west of Mackinac City, MI.  We made the trip in my Walker Bay 3.4 meter (11 feet 1.8 inch) Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB) with a Honda 9.9 hp outboard.  The first image is a GPS track log of our voyage.  You can see I-75 crossing over the Straits of Mackinac via the Mackinaw Bridge between Mackinac City in the Lower Peninsula and St. Ignace in the Upper Peninsula.  The over the water distance from Big Stone Bay Launch Ramp to WSL is about 10 miles 1-way.

[cid:image002.png at 01D9C0B5.2B64F330]

You don’t just go into the Straits of Mackinac in an 11’ LOA RIB without checking the weather.  Fortunately, Lake Michigan was kind to us.  On the morning of the July 12th, we had a nice stable weather window for the morning.  We got an early start, visited WSL, and were back at the launch ramp by 12:30 PM.  By then, the lake effect on shore wind was kicking in and we had 2-3 ft waves that were building.  Despite the waves, we were able to get the RIB back onto the trailer without any damage.

The second image is me with WSL in the background:

[cid:image005.jpg at 01D9C0B5.2B64F330]

WSL is home to a large cormorant colony now.  In the picture, you can see them all over the lighthouse.  Downwind of the lighthouse, there was a strong ammonia odor from their guano!  They did not like having us near the lighthouse.

The 3rd picture is Ken leaning on the bas of WSL:

[cid:image009.jpg at 01D9C0B5.2B64F330]

The whole area around WSL is very shallow with boulders above and just below the water.  We had to be careful not to damage the prop.  We had several spare shear pins and even an extra prop just in case; but, we didn’t need to use them.  We decided not to enter the lighthouse because the cormorants were very riled up and the mess they’ve made is simply disgusting!  In any case we would have needed rock climbing gear because there is no stairway or ladder.

The 4th picture is the RIB back on the trailer at Big Stone Bay Launch Ramp:

[cid:image011.jpg at 01D9C0B5.2B64F330]

Roger Pihlaja
S/V Dynamic Equilibrium

Sent from Mail<https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986> for Windows

-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: FA23BFDD0B0B4143B4303A8B1DCA22D7.png
Type: image/png
Size: 219121 bytes
Desc: FA23BFDD0B0B4143B4303A8B1DCA22D7.png
URL: <http://rhodes22.org/pipermail/rhodes22-list/attachments/20230727/3900a38d/attachment.png>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: 477A20DF3CE54BF2A6CFD6524AA18938.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 163255 bytes
Desc: 477A20DF3CE54BF2A6CFD6524AA18938.jpg
URL: <http://rhodes22.org/pipermail/rhodes22-list/attachments/20230727/3900a38d/attachment.jpg>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: 1A7A0D812B2B4102837C4F08AE8C50BD.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 150775 bytes
Desc: 1A7A0D812B2B4102837C4F08AE8C50BD.jpg
URL: <http://rhodes22.org/pipermail/rhodes22-list/attachments/20230727/3900a38d/attachment-0001.jpg>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: 2E6D032F77F14256AF47D9F2F6803A7C.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 298330 bytes
Desc: 2E6D032F77F14256AF47D9F2F6803A7C.jpg
URL: <http://rhodes22.org/pipermail/rhodes22-list/attachments/20230727/3900a38d/attachment-0002.jpg>