This day started out at the Alpena, MI County Fairgrounds with a friendly conversation some fellow campers, who where the first arrivals of a RV club called the "Escapees". They explained that the RV club is made up of local chapters -- there are 6 in Michigan-- and the Escapees headquarters is in Texas.
My new friends told me they get a kick out of introducing themselves as "We're the Escapees" because they are from a town that has 5 prisons in the area...
With that bit of humor I climbed in my camper and headed South.. I had heard a radio report that the Tall Ships would be arriving all week in Bay City, MI. for a riverfest type event to start on Thursday...
Since I figured the arrival of the ships would make some nice photos, I wanted to get there and scout out a good camera vantage point where I could, hopefully, get some shots while they were still under sail... and before they entered the Saginaw River, --sans sails-- to the downtown docks.
Well, I can tell you I now know every back street, marina and boat launch ramp in the entire Bay City area..
After cruising around for about two hours I did manage to find an ideal spot at the mouth of the river where I figured, with a long lens, I could accomplish my goal...
Then I got the news... The ships were arriving on Thursday!
Thursday was three days away and I did not think that Bay City was the "garden spot of America" where I wanted to spend three days camped in an industrial area waiting for some ships that may, or may not, be under sail when I could make some photos... I headed south again... Then East on route 25 following the Saginaw Bay shoreline and finally stopping for the night at a Michigan State Park, aptly named Albert E. SLEEPER.
that is at a point where the bay meets Lake Huron, east of the town of Caseville, where I am using the only WiFi access point in the area..
Before getting to the Bay City area, I made a stop along the way at the Sturgeon Point lighthouse, at Harrisville, and toured a historic one room school house.. (the tour of the school did not take long.. It was just one room). The light house has been there since the 1870's, and so has its brick outhouse (that is still in use). They claim the light at the top of the 70 foot tower can be seen for more than 16 miles. The structure is now a museum, but the light is still operational.
