Vacation 2013

10 September - 7 October 2013
mini-vacation in Northern Wisconsin and Upper Michigan

Page 5

Tuesday - 24 September 2013
This day started out in Chicago.
After dropping Mona and Jenny off at OHare Airport to fly home to McAllen, TX
I drove back to Sheboygan, Wisconsin, arriving at my cousin's in the late afternoon.

Wednesday - 25 September 2013
Got out maps, and went online, internet searching out and planning a few vacation days
to the upper peninsula of Michigan.
Although I had a perfectly good GPS, I also like to have a fairly detailed State map for navigation and planning.
There is a tourist information building in neighboring Manitowoc, WI which serves Wisconsin and Michigan.
It also has information on the large ferry which runs between Manitowoc, WI and Luddington, MI.
On the spur of the moment my cousin, Donna, and I decided that a boat trip might be fun so booked passage on the SS Badger
which was scheduled to leave Manitowoc at 1 AM and steam overnight to Michigan.

Thursday - 26 September 2013
Just after midnight on Thursday, we boarded The SS Badger to cross from Wisconsin to Michigan,
and have the experience of sailing on the last coal fired steam powered ferry on Lake Michigan.

~ ~ ~ ~ daylight pictures for description, we only saw the ship in the dark of night ~ ~ ~ ~

- -
The SS Badger one of the Ferries which cross from Manitowoc, Wisconsin to Ludington, Michigan
(daylight pictures from Wikipedia)

~ ~ ~ ~ end of pictures from Wikipedia) ~ ~ ~ ~

Badger just arrived in Manitowoc - view from loading area

Ferry ticket office viewed from the deck of SS Badger.
Note large windmill blade in the waiting area to the right.

It was dark at about 12:45 AM - View of SS Badger bridge from foredeck.

lines cast off, leaving the Manitowoc dock

Ferry SS Badger Deck plan

Lake Michigan Ferries history
These ferries were originally constructed primarily to transport railroad cars across the Lake.
Now they transport large trucks, oversized loads, and regular cars,
saving them over 200 miles vs. the alternative route via Chicago and Indiana around the southern end of Lake Michigan.
The SS Badger is the last ship on Lake Michigan which has its boilers coal fired.
In the near future it will be converted to an oil fired boiler system, as the coal ash is considered too toxic to just dump.
For a while when we were on the fore deck we were downwind of the stack.
Half a day later I noticed a little fine grit in my hair... a wee bit of coal ash.

above and below - the childrens play area on SS Badger

The long hall with the cabins on the outside (right) side.

The Theatre. No films tonight.

One of the many lifeboats.

We had to put a deposit on the key to the cabin. It is shiney brass and is often enough not returned.
Penny there for scale.

The cabin, looking toward inside of the door. Each cabin has its own restroom.

~ ~ ~

The ferry crosses Lake Michigan in about 4 hours.
Just enough time for a bit of sleep before proceeding toward the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Unloading at Ludington, MI.
The load is part of a pylon for a large windmill to generate electricity.

The end of the pylon trailer has its own steering.

The sister ship of Badger, the Spartan

One does not drive ones own vehicle on or off the ferry.
Here the Suburban is driven off. It was parked in an assigned area for us to pick-up.

~ ~ ~

Fall color in northern Michigan - South of Mackinac Bridge

First view of the Mackinac Bridge

Crossing the Straits of Mackinac
Bridge and road maintenance is done before it freezes.

~ ~ ~

We crossed the 4 miles (minus 50 feet) bridge and entered St. Ignace
the first town across the bridge on the Upper Peninsual (UP) of Michigan.