Off to Marquette, we departed Grand Marais with the sunrise.
The beautiful Au Sable Point Light marked the first cape we rounded.
Soon, we saw huge sand dunes along the shore, which eventually transition into the Pictured Rocks. We were too far offshore to see the Pictured Rocks, and plan to swing closer to shore upon our return.
We docked at Presque Isle Marina, which is adjacent to a beautiful park with hiking trails. The park features the historic gravesite of Charlotte Kawbawgam, whose father, Chief Marjigeezick, led the white men to the iron ore outcropping which began the mining boom in the Upper Peninsula.
A beautifully restored gill net fishing tug was moored at the marina.
Adjacent to the marina is the Presque Isle Ore Dock, a busy shipping point for iron ore from Marquette County mines. The dock is 1,200 feet long, 54 feet wide and 75 feet high. Two hundred ore chutes provide a combined 50,000 tons of ore for loading. Locomotives bring ore hoppers around the elevated railroad track, which feed the chutes. As ore boats were loading, we heard the roar of ore descending the chutes.This evening, we enjoyed hosting several Michigan Tech friends from the area who came for a drink aboard: Mike and Judy Henrickson, Steve and Shelly Hicks, and Tom Baldini.
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