August 3, 2009 - Big Bay, Michigan

On a calm day, we made our crossing from Isle Royale to Houghton on the mainland. Because the Yamaha dealer is here, we stopped to have our dinghy outboard repaired. Gary, the mechanic, really knows his stuff, and after ordering the necessary parts overnight, he fixed us right up.



In the meantime, we had fun with Russ and Char Gronevelt who were at their cottage in Dollar Bay, and watched the sun set behind the Lift Bridge.

Off again to make our way eastward. We headed across Keweenaw Bay for our night in the harbor at Big Bay.






This is a secure little harbor, where we were the only transient for the night. There were numerous seasonal small boats here as well.











We went for our walkabout into town, about a mile uphill. This town is famous as the filming site for the movie “Anatomy of a Murder.” In fact it was 50 years ago that Jimmy Stewart, Lee Remick, George C. Scott, and other famous actors came to this town – and to this building – to film the movie, based on the 1957 novel by John D. Voelker, Ishpeming-born Michigan Supreme Court Justice.













The book and screenplay are based upon a true story that took place in Big Bay, of a jealous husband who shot and killed the bartender in this establishment. The bartender had apparently taken a fancy to the guy’s attractive and somewhat wayward wife. The husband was acquitted by virtue of temporary insanity, the first successful use of this defense in the state of Michigan. Today, the building is the Thunder Bay Inn, a hotel and dining establishment – with of course, the bar!