Part 2, Day 69: One more from the Lighthouse

Day 69: One more from the lighthouse earlier this week. 

Today's #greatlakesfact: Isle Royale is a massive island (and also national park) surrounded by Lake Superior. Within this island are several smaller lakes. Yes, that's a lake on a lake. 

Part 2, Day 68: Locking Downbound

Day 68: Before and after at the Soo Locks from the "upper pool" water level, we enter the lock chamber and are lowered 21 feet before continuing down the river. 

Today's #greatlakesfact: Not only is Lake Erie the smallest Great Lake when it comes to volume, but it's surrounded by the most industry. Seventeen metropolitan areas, each with populations of more than 50,000, border the Lake Erie basin. 

Part 2, Day 67: Happy Birthday, Mom!!!

Happy 60th birthday, mom! I so wish I could be there to celebrate with you and love you so much!

Today's #greatlakesfact: The shoreline of all of the Great Lakes combined equals nearly 44% of the circumference of the planet. 

Part 2, Day 66: Split Rock Lighthouse

What do you do when you find an old rusted bike in the engine room? Take a 20 mile bike ride to visit a famous Great Lakes lighthouse. 

Today's #greatlakesfact: All four other Great Lakes, plus there more the size of Lake Erie, would fit inside Lake Superior. 

Part 2, Day 65: Sunrise Sunday

Day 65: Early morning river navigating with the earliest light of the day just starting to appear. #sunrisesunday 

Today's #greatlakesfact: Lake Superior is not a lake at all, but an inland sea. 

Part 2, Day 64: Sailboat Race

The Port Huron to Mackinac sailboat race started yesterday and our course went right through a cluster of 168 sailboats shown on this screen. And sailboats have the right of way. And it was the middle of the night. 

Today's #greatlakesfact: Lake Michigan is the only Great Lake that is entirely within the borders of the United States. 

Part 2, Day 63: The Mighty Speer

Day 63: We met the M/V Edgar B. Speer, my home for 70 days last summer, for the first time today. She was my first commercial ship and I learned a lot over there. 

Today's #greatlakesfact: If not for the Straits of Mackinac, Lake Michigan and Lake Huron might be considered one lake. Hydrologically speaking, they have the same mean water level and are considered one lake. 

Part 2, Day 62: Evening Walk

Day 62: Just out for my evening walk doing laps on deck and enjoying some beautiful blue skies. 

Today's #greatlakesfact: The original publication of Dr. Seuss's "The Lorax" contained the line "I hear things are just as bad up in Lake Erie." Fourteen years later, the Ohio Sea Grant Program wrote to Seuss to make the case that conditions had improved. He removed the line. 

Part 2, Day 61: Control Room

I'm just hanging out in the engine control room while we are pumping ballast during a stone load in Drummond Island, MI. 

Today's Great Lakes Fact: In the mid-19th century, Lake Michigan had a pirate problem. Their booty: timber.