Cindy’s Mother’s surgery went better than expected so after two weeks we returned to the boat and took a day to drive to Holland, MI to see Windmill Island.
Holland, MI
Holland, MI is on the south shore of Lake Macatawa and is best known for its’ Tulip Time Festival held the 2nd week of May each year. Six million bulbs are planted every fall for the spring display throughout the city. One million tourists come each year for the festival.
The worlds largest pickle plant, H. J. Heinz, produces 1 million pounds of pickles during the green season. The plant has produced pickles for 116 years.
L. Frank Baum wrote most of his famous “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” while at the lake.
Windmill Island has a replica of a Dutch village from where the windmill originated.
Brenda our guide in her authentic Dutch attire.
“DE ZWANN'’
De Zwann is Dutch for “The Swan” or graceful bird. The mill is over 240 years old, 124 feet high with 40 foot sails and is a grain mill. It was brought here from the Netherlands in 1964. The US was able to purchase the mill under the agreement it would number 1: continue as a functioning grain mill used to produce flour and number 2: remain an educational landmark. It was the last mill to leave the Netherlands.
Canals are common in the Netherlands, so are the windmills and draw bridges.
The man powered draw bridge is typical of the Netherlands. It works by a weight and balance mechanism.
Visitor information building
Lovely gardens
Carousel House for the 100 year old merry-go-round
Inside this house was the miniature village
After purchasing your post cards this mail drop was right outside
“Klompen”
Wooden shoes are carved from Poplar wood.
Inside the gift shop was an assortment of Dutch trinkets and delectable's. Everything was imported from Holland.
Pipe Organ house
The metal pipes are wood covered, showing inside the decorative window
Brenda demonstrated the organ. The holes punched in the book operated the keys. The bellows at the bottom provide the air. Similar sounding to a calliope it was very festive. They had found this book on EBay. They are getting rare and hard to find.
History of organ
Inside the green house, where the tropicals are housed for winter.
Wooden shoe planter.
Large Staghorn fern
Logo on a city truck
Our afternoon on the island convinced me that I would enjoy coming back to Holland for the Tulip Festival in May.
Holland Beach State Park
BIG RED, Holland Harbor Lighthouse
Captain Larry
Gull ,cormorants and a duck comingling on the rocks sun bathing
Break wall with an ATON (aide to navigation) that looks like a missile on a launch pad ready for blast-off
Chinook salmon caught off the break wall
Tunnel Beach
The tunnel was dug through the sand dune
The sand was warm and sugar fine
Looks like the gulf doesn't it. Michigan States’ catch phrase for their water, “Unsalted”
Michigan has the best sand beaches, but the stairs are killers.
Back in the boat we fueled up and saw a pair off trumpeter swans gracefully swimming.
Passing the Muskegon Light house on the way to South Haven, we passed Tunnel Park Beach where we walked the day before.
It was a good day for being on the water.
More sand dunesSouth Haven is a most boater friendly community. In 1998 the American Sail Training Association awarded it with the Port of the year award.
Blueberry crops are a big reason for a festival in this state. You can find wine, jams, pastries and even candles all with blueberries.
South Haven Light house 
South Haven Marina, just minutes from town
Clementines
Clementine's served wonderful dinners with an old world charm. The 20 ft walls with tin ceiling were awesome.
The owners’ trophy moose
Black River flows into South Haven
The Old Harbor Village Board Walk is a New England themed shopping district seen above and below
Center Street is where all the eateries and shops were. It is an eclectic mix of high end to antique to art shops. Plus everything in between.
Due to the wind and wave forecast we stayed an extra night and took in an afternoon movie. Two admission tickets with 2 drinks and 1 popcorn cost $13.72. With .50 refills. What a deal!!
See the wind blown socks
After the movie we walked back to the boat to drop off our packages. Later we walked to the pier to watch the sunset.
Drummond Islander II was an old ferry boat docked on the wall by the marina.
Even a cloudy sky can produce a marvelous sunset
Michigan City, Indiana
Claim to fame: John Dillinger spent a few years in the state prison here and masterminded one of the greatest prison escapes in 1933.
Working our way down the shore it was always a guess as to what type of ATON or lighthouse would lead us into the channel.
Nuclear power plant
The original site of Haskell, Barker and Aldridge railroad freight car manufacturing plant which produced 10,000 cars in 1907. In 1883 Barker merged with Pullman Inc. to become Pullman Standard.Today it serves the city as a community park
Little cabin built from stone with reflecting pond
Park Benches made from cut limestone
Washington Parks’ Bandstand built in 1911 with a very interesting metal roof where President Clinton spoke in 1995
WW I Veterans monument, 6 ft bronze “Doughboy in battlefield” attire on a 13 ft granite pedestal.
Wind rocks sculpture in park
Naval armory white stucco art deco building
Lighthouse Museum, former site of Smith Brothers cough drop factory
Matt Allen tug boat looks weathered and worn from all his lake excursions
Heavy haze made a dark afternoon sky
On the other side of this sand dune was our marina. We took a stroll to watch the waves and sunset.
Light posts lined the walkway. Upon closer inspection, you can see the effects of the sand blasting on the powder coat finish. Every post had this sand blasting effect reaching upwards 10-12 feet. That's a lot of wind.
Boating for “dummies”. See the arrow telling people which side to pass on? If you look in the rigging you will see two black diamonds one above the other. On the other side you will see two black balls one above the other. These markings are for the experienced boaters. Always pass on the “diamond” side.
A better picture of the “dayshapes” in the rigging. You can see the diamonds and balls. The ball, diamond and ball in the center between the other markers indicate that the dredge’s maneuverability is constrained while it is working. You can see these from quite a distance. They are required, the “PASS” sign is not.
At last the sun peeked out for a moment,
then retreated behind the clouds to give us a pastel pink sky.
Since Barefoot’n was coming back to their boat to resume the Loop we decided to wait and have lunch together the next day before heading to Hammond, IN.
While heading to the restaurant I had to stop and take this picture.
When I see a historic church our building, it sparks an inner emotion. Maybe I should have been an architect. It is constructed of Roeske brick. Many homes, businesses and roads were built using this brick in the city.
Civil War Monument at a cost of $15,000, was donated to the city in 1893.
Luscious tropical plant and flower containers make a big impact at the marina
Annuals are mixed with perennials to make a lovely display
Heading out to Hammond, IN
Captains Log: We left Michigan City at 12:15 after lunch with Barefoot’n. On the way out f the marina we filled with fuel for hopefully the last time. Fuel here was $1.50 PER GALLON cheaper than in Chicago, and a lot cheaper than anywhere in Illinois. (Got to keep those imprisoned ex-governors housed in the manner to which they are accustomed.) It was only 30 miles to Hammond Indiana. The marina at Hammond is a LOT cheaper than any in Chicago. It is only a short train ride to Chicago.Lake Michigan was good to us today. The waves were only about a foot high and just about straight on the bow. Lake Michigan can get pretty rough and we have had excellent weather for travelling throughout our time on the lake. The Apps that I have on the phone have been pretty accurate. I have an Android phone and the Apps that I use are; Marine Weather by Bluefin, Passageweather.com (sailing weather App), Tides and Currents, Windfinder, and Windguru.
On the Computer I use ZyGrib. You need WiFi for it to load, but it downloads a week of wind and wave information that you can use anytime.
We found our slip with no help from the Marina office. The Office is so far away that they cannot even see the boats entering their harbor. We tied our self up and waited for Barefoot’n to arrive. They had just returned to their boat in Michigan City and had things to do before getting underway, so we were an hour or so ahead of them. I could track them on AIS and knew when they were getting close.
We sat down with them when they arrived and planned our next days train trip into Chicago.
Hammond, IN
The city was named after George Henry Hammond. He was a pioneer in the use of refrigerated rail cars used for the transportation of fresh meat.
The break wall protecting the marina
We will go the the right around the break wall then left and back into our slip facing north. We are at the southern most point of Lake Michigan.
First up would be the South Shore Electric Line into the City. Neither Larry or I had visited Chicago and were anxious to see the Science and Industry Museum with Barefoot’n.
Just a short wait and we were on our way. The Conductor checked our tickets.
Since 1933 the museum has had 180 million visitors from across the world. It is the largest museum in the western hemisphere.
The Science and Industry Museum is by far the largest museum we have been in. With multiple levels and several wings totaling 14 acres, we had no time to dilly dally in order to see the wonders inside.
From Airplanes to the Zodiac constellations every letter of the alphabet was covered. You could even conjure up a storm including a tornado. All sorts of scientific gadgets and problem solving games were interactive. Our day went by too quickly to see all the exhibits it had to offer.
This German Submarine is the only one in the USA. It was captured when the crew, in their hurry to escape, failed to set the charges to scuttle it. On board was a German “enigma” coding machine and other valuable information that helped the Allies during the remainder of the War.
U-505 “Unterseeboot”
Forward torpedo tube
No room for the periscopes on the real submarine so they made a separate mockup.
View from the stern
For the little girl in us, this doll house castle was exquisite. Every intricate piece of furnishing had been duplicated by hand from an original design. Crystal chandeliers, diamond encrusted sitting chairs, hand woven curtains, tapestries and even the mini hand painted Mickey Mouse portrait were all replicas of originals. Just to mention a few. Knights, complete with armor suits, guarded the foyer in the castle.
Only 2 sets of the Queens’ Royal Dalton China pattern have been made in miniature, one belongs to herself and the other, is on this Knights of the round table.
Stick with the boat, Captain Larry
Tractors are my grandsons passion
White walls, chrome fenders, two tone paint job and a spring padded seat. They don’t make them like they used too.
Advantage goes to Vicki. It was a tough match.
This museum is a must see for the entire family. You will need more than one day,especially with children, to cover all the levels and wings.
Find out when the Illinois resident appreciation days are and take advantage of the no admission charge like we did.
Great architecture on the way to the train
This site was remembered for the Roby Tap Tavern where workers from the steel mills and Lever Brothers Soap factories could eat a bowl of famous Roby Tap Chili.
After another filling meal, the long board walk seemed appropriate.
Our next stop will be Dusable Marina Chicago, IL
Hammond Marina from the Casino.
