Buckin the Ice

This ferry runs between Cheboygan, MI. and Bois Blanc Island.. The last ferry ran on Thursday.. This one was pushing thru the ice in the mouth of the Cheboygan River before getting to open water.. I would have Loved to be on this one.. I was in Cheboygan getting work training and had to be responsible... Dang..

Looks c-o-o-o-ld! If it makes you feel any better, Susie, we are still getting ships in here and at Muskegon with cargo....no ice yet with the temps yoyo-ing between the mid 30's and high 20's!

Thanks Toni.. Bois Blanc Island is a summer residence for me.. I haul our little pop up over and park in my brother's yard so I have electricity.. I work at the tavern and have a great time.. Bois Blanc has a combo store/restaurant/gas station and a tavern/restaurant (where I work) and that's it for tourists.. There are about 45 year round residents and the population grows to a couple thousand in the summer.. The Coast Guard stops ship traffic thru what is called the south channel in the Straits so an ice bridge can form for snowmobile traffic to the Island.. It usually gets safe in February and the Island residents put up a tree line to follow.. I'm looking forward to a winter trip this year.. Absolutely white snow and utter quiet.. It's the best!

Your B&W image threw me off for a minute, Susie. I used to live in South Texas where the beaches are light colored and the grasses stick out of the dunes. I couldn't figure out why your ship would be on the back side of the dune field. Then I realized it was snow and ice. D'oh.

From a technical standpoint, I might crop about half of the sky in your image, so the horizon isn't splitting the frame.

Not until February? Sheesh, I thought it was around the 1st of January! What do people use for transport back and forth between now and then from Mackinac Island and Bois Blanc to the mainland...airplanes?

Yea, I know the feeling of peace and quiet too, although not quite as quiet...from the end of September until mid May Grand Haven is nice too..no tourists to speak of..Yippee!

The milder winters the past few years have knocked the cross time back.. The big waters need a few weeks of sub-zero and calm days.. And snow on top is important too.. Yea. They fly but it is expensive.. Most Islanders share a plane or have an emergency before they will use one.. They are all stocked up and settled in.. Big freezers! :) Happy Winter! The best time of year.. And people wonder what the draw is! LOL! Guess we know..

Nice image, Susie. I'd really like to make a trip up north when all the lakes have frozen over. Personally, winter and fall are my favorite seasons around Indiana. That is providing that we get some snow.

Also, welcome to NPN

Thanks Robert.. Winter/Fall for me too.. Less tourists.. There is a period in the Spring, just before black fly season that I love too.. When you can smell dirt again... Oh, Chuck, I totally agree.. Now that I look at it more.. Thank you for the comments everyone..