Texas Gypsies: South Haven, MI

Tuesday, August 2, 2016

We got up early this morning and walked to the mini-golf course here at the park.

Tic won both of the games we played the day before. Dusty wanted to redeem herself. Horaah! She did. Dusty won both games this morning.

In a little while we plan to leave to head to South Haven, MI on the coast of Lake Michigan. People we met at Desert Gardens are coming into South Haven to visit another couple from Desert Gardens. We've met them but don't know them very well and are excited to get the opportunity to visit with all of them.

We left in time to have lunch at Clementine's in South Haven. One of the employees at the park we are at suggested it.

Clementine's used to be a bank. It is on a corner on the main street of town.

The front door is no longer the entry to the building. It was gorgeous!

The inside was very well done. The old tin tiles are still on the ceiling.

Clementine's is known for its large servings, so Tic and I split the special for lunch. The special was 3 pieces of cod, 6 fried shrimp and 6 potato patties with garlic bread. They split it in the back. It was plenty of food for both of us.

Next we walked 1 block to the water's edge and out onto a pier with a lighthouse at the end.

This was our first view of the pier between the Black River(which flows into Lake Michigan) and Lake Michigan. We later learned that the catwalk you see leading up to the lighthouse is used in foul weather. We saw pictures where on windy days the waves were so high the catwalk had to be used to get to the lighthouse. We also saw pictures during winter with snow built up on the pier up to the catwalk. There were two doors into the lighthouse, one at the floor of the pier and one at the catwalk. Today the temperature outside was 77, the surface water temperature was 71, and the intake temperature was 49.

Our walk took us past the public marina along the Black River. Lots of boats!

This boat belong to a fishing guide. We got a kick out of the name of the boat.

As we got closer to the lighthouse, we saw this huge catamaran.

From the pier looking back at the water's edge, the beach is VERY crowded. It is hard to believe to this is a lake and not the ocean.

Looking from the end of the pier back at the lighthouse and its catwalk.

We are at the end of the pier looking down into the water. It is amazingly clear and probably much deeper than it looks.

It is time for us to go meet at our friends (Mike & Lidy) from Desert Gardens. We just learned that Mike & Lidy stay here during the summer months. Another couple (Kevin & Donna) also from Desert Gardens are meeting at Mike & Lidy's. After visiting for a few hours it was dinner time.

We headed into South Haven to the Idler Riverboat for dinner. We ate outside on the lower deck in the shade. It was pleasant and the food was good.

Here's the 6 of us vagabonds. From left to right, Kevin,Lidy,Mike,Tic, Dusty & Donna.

Then we all walked to the lighthouse. It was the second time today for us, but we enjoyed the company of our friends and the walk.

As we walked down the hill, we saw this schooner leaving for her sunset cruise. It was still at least an hour until sunset.

On our way, the sun was hitting these flowers and highlighting them just beautifully!

From the pier, we saw this powered parachute. Mike said he sees him quite regularly.

Mike and Lidy knew of a place we could sit and watch the sunset on Lake Michigan. Tic scampered up a sand dune and got this picture of Donna, Lidy and I sitting and visiting.

Once the schooner got out on the lake it put all its sails up. Tic got a great picture from our waiting spot.

The winds got VERY calm. The schooner started heading back as the sun was setting. It dropped most of it's sails and powered by.

The remainder of the pictures are of the progressing sunset.