Morning Ferry

The first ferries coming into the the harbor at Mackinac Island this morning glided past Round Island Lighthouse. A sharp line of clouds to the southwest threatened the island weather for the day.

But the weather at the Straits of Mackinac is auspicious to say the least. A day that dawns foggy and cool will turn out to be sun filled with light breezes by noon. Rain in the morning often blows through the Straits as weather fronts cross the top of Lake Michigan and intersect with the width of Lake Huron's waters.

This unique Great Lakes micro climate pattern brings pollen free days to the Island and keeps the mosquitoes at bay. It is no wonder that people have been coming to Mackinac for centuries.

You can ride a bicycle around the island on M-185, a Michigan state highway that is restricted to pedestrians, horses, and bicycles only. It's an eight mile ride, fairly flat, and very doable, even if you don't ride a bike regularly.

Mackinac Island is 45.8 degrees north. In summer, the days weave a magical northern spell, especially in June and July. Right now the sun rises at 5:47 am and sets at 9:31 pm. Twilight dawn starts at 5:10 am; twilight dusk ends at 10:10 pm. You can go out to eat later in the evening and still take a downtown stroll for ice cream before it is totally dark.

For those of you regular Willow Blog readers who have never been to The Island (as we call it in Michigan), I hope that I'm giving you a few reasons to plan a trip to Michigan and experience Mackinac Island. Maybe when you come you'll be on the first ferry in the morning.