The Schooner Manitou

I live about 20 miles South West of Traverse City, Michigan. And today I drove in to Traverse City for some errands and couldn't help myself from stopping at the beach on West Bay. It was a gorgeous day! Sunny, breezy and 20 degrees cooler in Traverse than at home! I left home feeling over dressed in my jeans since it was 80 degrees (F) but didn't feel like changing... good thing I didn't, it was 58-62 degrees in town. (Some crazy girl was on this beach in a bikini!) That's just how it is here in Northern Michigan. Our motto is: If you don't like the weather, wait 5 minutes. We usually stash extra clothes in our cars so we are prepared for climate changes like today (sweatshirt, raincoat, shorts...). I laid down in the sand, in my jeans, to get this shot. And that was enough of the beach for me today... burr... that wind off the bay was chilly!

The tall ship you see in the distance is the Schooner Manitou. Go Big for a closer look. They take people out for several hour tours of the bay. Or you can rent it for special occasions (parties, weddings, etc.) and they even do a 4 day cruise with wonderful meals (so I've heard). Those folks out there today must have been bundled up. But what a pretty day to be cruising Traverse Bay.

When I got back home a few hours later, it was still around 80 degrees... so strange.