Circumambulation North Manitou Island (Michigan)

**Red Cinema** · 07-31-2015, 16:57

Folks,

45 pictures: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/hb783psq0...2CVKxOMPa?dl=0

Planned Monday through Friday walk-around North Manitou Island. Crossed over via the ferry out of Leland, MI as planned. Headed south after drop-off and stern lecture about LNT, hanging food from voracious chipmunks and raccoons ("might as well hang as if from bears"), nesting plovers, and such good things. Stuck to the trail for a few miles then headed for the beach. Struck out three times in a row with good hammocking sites; the "oops someone already here" syndrome. Found a fourth swing necessary, and it was pre-used by a hammocker: I found hammocking things at a perfect spot with lake view and sunrise to follow.

Returned to main trail and on westward, exploring various places (side trails leading to former homesteads), lunched with a fine view of South Manitou Island and carried on to the site of Crescent City dock, now nought but watery posts. Found a great spot with a view of the sunset and lake, then off in the AM to follow the beach around the north end of the island. Interesting to see the erosion ongoing on the north end. Had a little rain but mostly used umbrella to fend off the sun. Wrote myself a note that it was successful, but while an umbrella can serve in place of sunscreen on a typical east coast hike, it is not proof vs. sun bouncing off water, and I ended up with a few tender areas. After awhile I changed out of my boots for the boat shoes I picked up to help with getting water out of Lake Michigan and they were fine, given I wasn't in a hurry and able to stop and empty out the rocks every so often.

I passed the spot on the north end where one can climb up (camped there three years ago, pre-hammocking) and carried on around the northeast corner. Realized it was only Wednesday and I was running out of island (wasn't hurrying, honest!), so I backed up and found a third great spot out of the way and settled in for a mildly windy night. Good site selection took care of wind worries and a good weather forecast check made this the third night with no tarp set up.

Thursday dawned another spectacular Michigan summer day. Despite lounging like a pro--slacking, really--I was back to the dock a good hour before that day's ferry was due, so I called in and arranged an early exit. The ride back was a treat in the bow (wild spray), and that was that. It is 22 something miles around on the beach; I did part of the island on the inland trail and half on the beach, so even counting my backing up and mooching around less than 22 miles, Monday afternoon through Thursday morning.

Enjoy!

**Zilla** · 07-31-2015, 17:01

Thanks for sharing, some of those pictures are beautiful.

**Red Cinema** · 07-31-2015, 17:39

Originally Posted by Zilla

Thanks for sharing, some of those pictures are beautiful.

Glad you liked them! Now if someone here recognizes the trees in photo 15 and chimes in....

**Oms** · 07-31-2015, 22:27

Thanks for posting the pictures. I have so many great memories hanging out on the beach. There is a bit of island magic out there.

**michigandave** · 08-02-2015, 06:43

Nice report. I'be often thought of doing the beach walk someday. Something very familiar about your first hang spot

.

**Oms** · 08-03-2015, 21:03

I don't think, I know I would have had to clean out my shorts after the storm that passed through there yesterday

. Anyone from up that way or happened to be out? Wow! I'm sure it would have been something to see those clouds coming over the lake!!!

**michigandave** · 08-04-2015, 07:34

Originally Posted by Oms

I don't think, I know I would have had to clean out my shorts after the storm that passed through there yesterday

. Anyone from up that way or happened to be out? Wow! I'm sure it would have been something to see those clouds coming over the lake!!!

I was thinking the same thing. The Detroit free press and news posted pictures from the Traverse City area of the storm and it was crazy. I've never seen a front like that in my whole life. It would make me want to take the next step in going to ground and go underground.

Photo 15 is very, very familiar. The view from there is amazing, hopefully the beeping navigational aid wasn't too bad

**Red Cinema** · 08-04-2015, 19:18

Originally Posted by michigandave

I was thinking the same thing. The Detroit free press and news posted pictures from the Traverse City area of the storm and it was crazy. I've never seen a front like that in my whole life. It would make me want to take the next step in going to ground and go underground.

Photo 15 is very, very familiar. The view from there is amazing, hopefully the beeping navigational aid wasn't too bad

Beeping?

I was in Lake Ann, Michigan, for the recent storm (very near Traverse City, which is my home town). The hail was a nice touch. I had been hanging at an empty lot a few doors down from the cabin where my folks and sundry family were spending a week on vacation, but wisely took everything down and hunkered down in a building. Could have weathered such a storm? With sufficient warning and good site selection, yes. Weathered a windy night at the Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore last year, though the winds were only in the 40's; good site selection made it not too bad. But even a good site can be brought low if the wrong tree decides to give up the ghost....

**adventuregirl** · 08-05-2015, 06:14

I was up in North Port and surrounding areas for the storm on Sunday. It was an awesome sight to see the storms roll in over the lake. We ended up bugging out Sunday evening. I wrote a trip report about it, but unfortunately didn't get any good pictures of the storm.