The water in Lake Superior is crystal clear and loaded with interesting rocks.  One which we've not been able to identify appears to be glass on the inside with the rock formed around the outside.  It is most interesting, looks as if once there had been a glass factory that dumped the molten slag into the water and stones formed.

Superior is the largest freshwater lake in the world.  It holds enough water to flood both North and South America to a level of one foot deep.  That makes it all the more amazing that Superior freezes over in the winter!!!

Pictured Rocks National Seashore is located at Munising, Michigan in the Upper Peninsula.  The sandstone cliffs soar over 200 feet above the lake for almost 15 miles.  The winds and water have formed shallow caves, arches, castle turrets and human profiles from the sandstone cliffs.  

Minerals which seep from the land through the rock create the multicolored displays on the rock face.

The area boast of multiple waterfalls which are reached with easy hikes through the woods.

The group at Munising...Diane, Deb, Luanne, Bobbi, Janis, Jeanne, Cindy, Barb, Me, Perin

When I left Munising I headed for Trout Lake, a beautiful spot in the north woods located near Boulder Junction, Wisconsin.  Found beautiful fall scenery and weather along with friends to play Pickleball with!

From there the trip took us to Door County, Wisconsin.  Door County is the peninsula that sticks out like a thumb on the state of Wisconsin.  The western side is Green Bay and the eastern side is Lake Michigan.  The side on the Bay is dotted with cute little towns ( Egg Harbor, Fish Creek, Sister Bay, Ephraim, Sturgeon Bay, Ellison Bay), shops, restaurants, bays filled with sail boats, kayaks, big motor boats, golf courses and great people watching.

All of the pictures below were taken while exploring Door County.

These were from Egg Harbor

The soda shop in Ephraim which has been there one hundred years.

The wild coast of Lake Michigan.

The pictures below were taken at Cave Point County Park.  It was a most unusual find, the first views were of Lake Michigan crashing wildly into the rock about 40 feet below.  The water has carved out lots of shallow caves in the area.  While I was there a crazy Frenchman scaled the wall and went swimming, noone could believe he was actually doing that!  There was also a group of kayakers in double kayaks on a tour who came just below me.  They were trying to maneuver from a fairly small opening into a cave.  Several did it with no problem, but then came those who I'd bet my last dollar had never ever been in a kayak.  One had to have both the guides go after it to rescue them.

Then I headed down a narrow, rocky, rutted trail.  The tangy scent of pine permeated the air.  I rounded a bend in the trail and had a view of the lakeshore which was dotted with these impressive cairns of stone!

I especially liked the image of the Indian Family creating a cairn to mark their presence in Door County.

Munising, Michigan...Pictured Rocks National Seashore

HUNTING ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA 2015....1 of 4

After a very difficult winter I was especially thankful to be back on the road again with Teddy and Saffire.  We headed to the beach for some vitamin D and ocean PT!  This trip found the Baby Car and the ocean kayak tagging along behind us.  We had an easy trip down and two and a half wonderful weeks at the beach.  

The weather was awesome, both in the good and the bad sense of the word.  So many beautiful days of sunshine and ocean breezes with long walks and a diverse and changing variety of sea life along the shore to entertain us.  

But the power of Mother Nature also asserted itself when a torrential storm unleashed a large branch into the top of poor Saffire's roof.  Luckily it didn't pierce all the way to the interior ceiling and thanks to my amazing good friend Luanne it was quickly given a patch which will hold until we get back to St. Louis to get her properly repaired.  

Highlights of the trip were of course visiting with old friends and making new ones; golf twice at Lady's Island CC where I have to brag I beat Luanne twice because it may never happen again!; a day out with Teresa and our cameras exploring Beaufort and the National Cemetery and last but oh so far from least kayaking the Atlantic Ocean with the dolphins!!  

That was such an amazing experience, to be so close to them and see the size and sleek power of their bodies and to hear them breathing.  Truly one of the cool experiences of my life!

Standing alone on the beach with the tide rolling in, thinking that you could actually get in the water there and end up on the coast of Ireland, how amazing is that!  I truly love the mountains but there is something about the ever changing sands, the water, the clouds and the life that teems there that inspires deep awe.  

I am posting from home.  We arrived about noon with dark skies and rain but it was nice to pull into the driveway after a wonderful trip.  We stopped in Asheville for a quick shopping and one night brewery tour excursion, then went on to Levi Jackson State Park in Kentucky.  

I'm afraid I should have waited to post until I was fresh as the pictures are a bit out of order, but heck, variety is the spice of life, so enjoy the next four posts of a wonderful trip to Hunting Island, 2015!!

Teddy and I both love the long beach walks.  It's never boring like walking the neighborhoods at home, the ocean is always leaving interesting things behind.  This is an old crab trap that washed up on the beach by all the downed trees.

Sunset over the marsh.

The beach at Hunting Island is a great place to find fossilized shark's teeth.  Ellen and Luanne are the two most dedicated hunters and vie for the most and largest found.  

Most are a lot smaller than the tooth on the left.  I bought the tooth at a shop in town, unfortunately it was after Ellen had left for home.  

While on a walk with Teresa and Luanne, I "found" this amazing tooth and with great excitement shared the find.  T had been with me shopping, so she was in on the fun.  We put it over on Luanne completely and it was a great laugh on the afternoon stroll!!