16 July 2009
Lake Michigan
Posted by stephyc under: Uncategorized .
Today, July 16, 2009 Keith and I took the kids (Nikki, Logan, Lizzi, and Aly) to see Lake Michigan! A few quick facts about Lake Michigan….
It’s the only Great Lake entirely in the United States.
It has a surface area of 22,400 square miles.
It is 307 miles long by 118 miles wide with a shoreline 1,640 miles long.
The lake’s average depth is 279 feet, while its greatest depth is 923 feet.
It contains a volume of 1,180 cubic miles of water.
It’s the fifth largest lake in the world!
This was our first view of Lake Michigan from the beach! It is so large you only see the lake all the way to the horizon! It was a beautiful blue color and the sand was so soft! We chose to go to the old pier first. I took some pictures that I’m sure Jason will love!
Lizzi standing on the old pier with Lake Michigan behind her!
Nikki with Lake Michigan behind her!
One of my favorite pictures that I took at Lake Michigan! I know this might shock you, but this is an 11 mile view! Still no land in sight.
This picture is for Jason! I just know you will love it. Yes, that is Keith out on the old pier!
Nikki decided to make a sand angel! She would not get up until I took her picture. Of course I have to get a picture of the finished sand angel!
Lizzi saw Nikki making a sand angel and she had to copy her. Here is Lizzi’s sand angel!
Lizzi didn’t want to get up, but I made her so I could see her sand angel!
We decided to let the kids play on the playground in the marina. On the way we saw an Old Lumber Schooner that had been pulled out of Lake Michigan when they were building the marina.
It was so cool that we could walk through and see this amazing ship.
Another side to this amazing ship!
Apparently this is the remains of the Lottie Cooper an Old Lumber Schooner!
Logan looking at the information sign. They have signs all through this display! It’s very informational!
The outside of the Lottie Cooper Schooner.
I love looking at the quality of work on old building, boats, etc… It’s amazing what we did before technology!
TravelWisconsin.com tells about the shipwreck: Built in 1876, the Lottie Cooper is a three-masted schooner that capsized and sank in gale force winds in 1894 just off the Sheboygan Harbor. She was one of an estimated 10,000 ships that have been lost on the Great Lakes, 700 of them on Lake Michigan and 62 of those just off Sheboygan. Her remains were discovered during surveying work on the harbor floor prior to construction of the marina. They were recovered, re-assembled and are now displayed at Deland Park. Self tours and guided tours are available.
We were able to tour a ship that wrecked over 100+ years ago! How incredible is that!
I look at these pictures and I’m amazed at the workmanship!
I love taking pictures of the United States flag. I saw these three and had to take this picture…
It really was pretty windy, but I didn’t notice until we got onto the pier to the lighthouse.
We finally took the kids to the ship playground. So they could have some fun!
The kids had a great time on this playground. They each took turns being the captain and steering the wheel. They would call to each other on the “toy telephone.” One time Logan was talking to “Captain” Lizzi and he told her, “You need to get down to the poop deck!” It was funny! Keith and I let the kids play for a while before taking them down to the lighthouse. The pier to the lighthouse is really interesting. The path is totally smooth to the marina.
Then you go over a path that probably was paved right into the boulders that were on the beach and very rough. Aly fell down going over a rock.
The path becomes smooth again. Keith with his kids on the path to the lighthouse.
Finally the path becomes like this narrow and sloped on the sides. Of course as we were walking out here the wind was getting stronger and stronger. Logan grabbed my hand several times because he was afraid the wind was going to blow him off.
Nikki, Aly, Logan, and Lizzi on the steps to the Sheboygan Breakwater Lighthouse. This lighthouse was placed here in 1915 but commenced operation in 1905. The kids didn’t like being up on the top of the lighthouse platform. They quickly made their way around and back down onto more solid ground. 
Here’s a close up of the lighthouse.
Lizzi posing for another picture on the way back to shore.
The view toward the beach where we first saw Lake Michigan! It’s amazing to see a lake this large! I’m so glad that I was able to take my girls to see the fifth largest lake in the world! It was an incredible day!
Stephanie Shultz is a wife and mom two little girls in Cottonwood, Arizona. She enjoys photography, hiking, scrapbooking and sight seeing.