SS Sorlandet

Anne took this photo of the Norwegian sailing ship Sorlandet yesterday. It is part of the Tall Ships Challenge, a group of sailing ships that are touring the Great Lakes this summer. This weekend the tall ships are visiting Soo, Canada. I’m not sure how many will be there. There are about a dozen tall ships in the challenge, but Bay City, MI, an earlier port of call only seemed to have four. Maybe I can ask this blog’s northern ‘cub’ reporter to bicycle into the Soo this weekend and take a picture or two. I know that the best shots could only be taken in Canada, but I can’t really ask her to bicycle across the border. I’m not sure that they even allow bikes on the International Bridge any more.

Yesterday, also had a dark and stormy night. The Mackinac Bridge is back open now after a semi tractor-trailer tipped over while crossing the bridge Thursday evening causing the bridge to be closed for hours. News reports state winds of 65 MPH. It looks to me that the bridge’s cables saved the truck from going over the side. If they had not snagged the truck, it might have shared the same fate as a tiny Yugo had years ago.

Wednesday, as this bit of weather was starting to roll in, there was a kayaking incident. Some of the kids from down the beach had kayaked out to the island. Thunderstorms with visible lighting rolled in from the south, sneaking up on the beach. The wind and waves rose. Anne and Dashie took the cabin’s kayaks out together to escort the kids back into shore. Anne’s mom and later me when I eventually heard about this was upset about this. Anne later said that no one was in any real danger. Although, she also said that the waves were higher than she was comfortable with. Anyway, no harm, no foul, except for the foul weather.