PUT-IN-BAY EXPEDITION!

It was a commemorative coin from the U.S. Mint's series on state quarters, that was probably the seed that was planted, making me want to see the subject of this 2013 twenty-five cent piece.  Up until I saw this quarter, I was familiar with most of the subjects embossed on the state quarters.  In fact, I published an article about the Indiana State Quarter, called "The Quarterly Expedition", that you can see in the archives, dated May 23, 2011.   However, I had to do some research to find out what the "Perry's Victory" quarter was about, and where in Ohio, it was located!  

 

Getting to the location of the Perry monument involved boarding a ferry at the Cataba Island dock, in Ohio,  then cruising a few miles across Lake Erie, to land on the dock of Put-In-Bay Island (www.visitputinbay.com).   I had traveled this far on my quest, on a big motorcoach,, as a part of Making Memories Tours (www.MakingMemoriesTours.com), so a boat ride was a nice change of pace.  Although a few cars are allowed on the island, our group went on foot, and walked onto the ferry.  For people whose bladder starts to spasm, as soon as they see a big boat on the water that might not have a toilet, you can notice there is a port-a-potty located in the holding area, just before boarding.  

While we were in the holding area, I noticed some of the people in the group in front of us, were wearing the uniform of National Park Service employees, so I assumed they were taking the ferry to Put-in-Bay (abbreviated PIB), to report for work at the National Park Service Perry Victory Monument.  The EMS worker, accompanied by an empty stretcher, is a reminder to say there is no hospital on PIB, so avoid having an accident, which would probably involve a helicopter flight to the mainland!

 

Getting onto the ferry involves a bit of walking and stair-climbing, so keep this in mind, when planning your visit.  

This is the view from above, where most people go, once aboard the ferry.  

When we disembarked from the ferry on Put-In-Bay Island, we hopped onto an open-air trolley, to get a narrated tour around the island.  

The cart driver gave each of us a souvenir PIB bag, that had maps of the island, post cards, attraction brochures, and a souvenir ink pin.  

 

Many visitors rent golf carts during their visit, and the rental office is adjacent to the ferry landing.

 

I was thankful not to have to deal with driving, because it gave me hands free, for taking photos!

 

Our tour package included a fifteen dollar meal voucher, so the tour driver was pointing out places where we could use the voucher, such as the easily-accessible Burger and Fries cafe.

 

PIB has a nickname of "Key West North", and even has a miniature replica of the famous Key West, Florida, landmark:

I decided to use my meal voucher at a cafe on the boardwalk, that allowed me to sit on the deck and watch the boat traffic. 

At the Boardwalk, I noticed a small poster advertising harbor tours, on a decommissioned Coast Guard boat, which caught my interest, because I have a friend on active duty in the Coast Guard:

 I saw a man on on the boat preparing it to set sail, and he told me that no advance reservations were required, and I could go on the next tour, which left in five minutes.  He took the payment with my credit card, and VOILA!  I was cruising like a cadet, in a decommissioned Coast Guard vessel.  The boat only holds six customers, and it departs, even if there is only ONE customer, which was the case today!  The Boardwalk looked entirely different from the water, than it did from the land!

We circled the C-Shaped island, which gave us a good view of the Perry Monument:

 

The boat captain put the boat in neutral, and came down from the upper bridge, to where I was sitting, to see what questions I had about the tour, so far.  I asked if he would take my photo, and I explained I usually lift my arms in gratitude in a photo, to give thanks to God for getting to see a particular scene.  He very skillfully lined up the shot, so it would appear as if I had the Perry Monument, resting in the palm of my hand!

The harbor boat tour also cruised by the dock of The Ohio State University Stone Laboratory, that conducts fresh water research.  When I posted photo of this on Facebook that day, a friend from my church commented that he had done some of his graduate studies in environmental science at this location, and lived in the "castle" building which housed students at that time.  

When the very enjoyable 45 minute boat tour ended, I disembarked, and started walking back through the main part of town.  That gave me the opportunity to enjoy the shaded tranquility of DeRivera Park

Across from the park, is the hundred-plus year old Round House, which has a very colorful interior, as well as its distinctive exterior shape:

 

Eventually my walk down main street led my to the site of the National Park Service Facility :

After getting my obligatory NPS rubber passport stamp, showing the date and the location, I watched the short video, telling about the famous Battle of Lake Erie, which was a part of the War of 1812.  Then it was time to study the diorama that had miniature ships, depicting their location during the battle.  I thought of my son when I saw the diorama, because he often sets up battle dioramas on a large tabletop, with miniatures, to re-enact famous and imaginary battles.  

 

The statue that is depicted on the Ohio quarter, is the centerpiece of the Visitor Center.  I had done a bit of studying of the War of 1812, due to attending its centennial celebration in Baltimore.  The story of that event is in a blog I published called "A Very Admirable Expedition!", that can be seen in the archives, dated June 22, 2012.  

 

It is the Battle of Lake Erie,  that made the phrase "Don't give up the ship", famous:

Since my son has the word "ship" in his name, I bought one of the souvenir flags, for him to hoist on the mast of his sailboat!

 

Another famous phrase from this battle, is the one Commodore Perry wrote to his commanding officer, and was painted on the wall of the visitor center:  "We have seen they enemy, and they are ours."

The confidence that Commodore Perry had, reminded me that students of the Word can have that same confidence, because they know the triumphant conclusion of events, because of what the Bible says in Revelation 19:19-21.  "Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image.  These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone."

 

Before I arrived on the island, I had been looking forward to getting to visit the top of the tower, to brag I had been in the tallest structure that was part of the NPS system.  However, it was not to be.  In celebration of a huge AMERICA 250 event taking place the following weekend, access to the grounds surrounding the tower, as well as the tower itself, were closed off to the public, as NPS workers were giving it a thorough scrubbing and paint touch-up to get it ready for the big celebration:  

 

This photo shows an empty lawn around the tower, but this will be a much different scene, when the America 250 Celebration opens the grounds to the large crowds expected: (Flags were at half mast in recognition of the death of U S Senator Lindsay Graham.)

 

After a very informative visit to the NPS Visitor Center, it was time to head towards the meetup place for our group, to take the free Downtown Bus, that would take us back to the ferry dock:

At the ferry landing, cars were beginning to line up, as well as several folks who had come on bicycles, including recumbent bicycles:

Once on board the ferry, a person takes the stairs to the upper deck, where we enjoyed a beautiful, sun shiny day, gliding across the water, while meditating and giving thanks for the gorgeous weather, and the many blessings of living in the beautiful United States of America!  This trip to Put-In-Bay, Ohio, gave me "MILES OF SMILES"!  Tricia

Note:  In addition to being "motivated" to travel to a spot shown on a state quarter, it was nickel, that inspired a visit to Monticello, as shown in blog called "MONTICELLO EXPEDITION!", dated April 6, 2017.  Likewise, the blog titled "FDR PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY EXPEDITION",  dated April 17, 2026, tells the background of the Roosevelt dime.   Wonder where my next "coin trip" will be??!!



 

 

SOO LOCKS ENGINEERS DAY EXPEDITION!

 Picture yourself as a member of the Corps of Engineers, participating in Engineers Day, at  SOO LOCKS, in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan!   I first heard of Engineers Day when I contacted the Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, Visitor's Bureau (www.saultstemarie.com), for information about the annual International Bridge Day Walk.  Their staff member advised me to secure lodging well in advance of the event, because it was also the weekend of Engineers Day.  I have family members that are electrical engineers, chemical engineers, and mechanical engineers, so that is what came to mind at the time.  It was not until months later, after reading through the material that the Visitors Bureau mailed me, that I realized their Engineers Day refers to the CORPS OF ENGINEERS (www.usace.army.mil), that manages the Soo Locks, in Sault Ste. Marie.  Even though I live among four separate lakes managed by the Corps of Engineers, locals here just use the phrase, "The Corps", and very seldom include the word, "engineers".   But isn't this one reason we travel--to broaden our horizons and vocabulary!   There were photo boards set up on the day of the event, so we could picture ourself as an engineer, doing marine work off the bow of a ship, and wearing a yellow hard hat.  They were even giving pretend,  "plastic" hard hats, and Helen is shown wearing one of the souvenir hard hats.    

On Engineers Day, the city street adjacent to the Soo Locks (West Portage Avenue), is closed to vehicle traffic, between Ferris Street and Osborn Blvd.  This turns the street into a avenue for vendors, community organizations, and various agencies, to have displays with information and give aways.  The photo shows that the street vendors are wheel-chair accessible.  

One very helpful items that a local skin care salon had provided, was a dispenser providing free sunscreen.  I have been to other events that were giving away sunscreen, but it was always in little plastic tubes.  The advantage of the bulk dispenser is it reduces the amount of discarded plastic,  going into landfills.  

One of the displays set up by a medical provider, included a life-size human skeleton!

Another booth, staffed by members of the Christian Motorcycle Association (www.cmausa.org), was giving out physical water, as well as Scripture tracts telling about the "Living Water".  I first became aware of this organization, when my husband and I rode our Harley-Davidson Motorcycle to the big biker event held every August, in Sturgis, South Dakota.  Since then, I see their logo often, because its headquarters are in Hatfield, Arkansas!

A local church was also there to greet visitors, and provide assistance as needed.

Just outside the high metal security fencing surrounding the locks, was a different kind of "fencing" .  There were two guys in full fencing gear, and fencing swords, giving a demonstration.  They stopped long enough to let me hold one of their swords, and get my photo made with them!

To get beyond the actual security fence, we had to go through a security check point.  I was told the small Northface backpack I was carrying was not allowed, and some of my companions were also carrying inappropriate bags.  So one person in our group gathered up the "contraband", and made a quick trip back to stow it in the car that was parked a few blocks away.  I later read on the information sheet about the event, only clear bags were allowed, and no diaper bags.  Also, only strapless wallets, with a maximum of 4.5" x 6.5".   Since the Soo Locks are such a vital "choke point" in the movement of freight through the Great Lakes, and beyond, to the Atlantic Ocean, it makes sense that keeping them secure, is very important. 

Once we got through security, the lady at the information booth for the International Bridge Walk, was very helpful in explaining what to expect the next day, when we did the walk.  She even assured us that she would look for us the next day, and sure enough, when she saw us on the bridge, pushing Helen in the wheel chair, and wearing our matching tee shirts, she remembered us, and reminded us of her promise to look for the Arkansas gals on Saturday!   It was probably easy for her to remember us, because she took our picture, and our Southern accents were very recognizable!

The Corps of Engineers had one of its newest vessels on the water, in front of the viewing platform.  In fact, the official christening of the H.J. Lawson, was held on the day we were there, in conjunction with the 2026 Engineers Day.  

The climate controlled visitors viewing building for the Soo Locks, has an upper and lower floor.

When I saw this photo another tourist took of our group, I noticed the white tent with people in it,  on the other side of the Corps boat, and I wondered if I had been wrong about not being able to walk across the locks in 2026  It was not until I saw the television news report later, that I learned that tent was for the officials and honorees, attending the official christening of the boat that day.  The television report reiterated the fact, that regular visitors could not cross the locks this year, because of on-going construction.   When I visited the historic locks in Ottowa, Canada, I got to walk across the locks at the UNESCO World Heritage Site, known as Rideau Canal (see blog dated October 24, 2024, in the archives), so if I can live until 2030, when the Soo Locks construction is said to be finished, maybe I can make a return visit, to walk across them, as well!

An anchor is the universal symbol for "boat life", so of course, we needed a photo with a big anchor!

Next stop on Engineers Day, was a short drive through town, which gave us a chance to see a public art sculpture at an intersection, depicting a large eagle's nest, along with two sculptures of America's national bird--the Bald Eagle.  It is not surprising that this waterway attracts waterfowl, and the sign alerts us that we are approaching the "Shore to Shore Birding Trail".  

The information sheet for Engineers Day, advertised that there was to be an Open House at the LSSU CFRE building, from 10 am - 4 pm (wwwlssu.edu).   The initials stand for Lake Superior State University, Center for Research and Education.  

We were especially eager to see this place, because we knew someone who had an office in this building, and she was there to open the door for her grandmother, when we arrived!

One of the CFRE Ambassadors was eager to show us a live lamprey, and explain their role in the marine ecosystems of this area.   The ambassador's actions demonstrated that the center is inclusive for those with visual impairments, and was encouraging the visually-impaired person, to add the  sense of touch, to the learning experience.  

I noticed the Coast Guard personnel that have offices in this building, were standing on the perimeter, to observe how we reacted to touching the lamprey.  Everything at the CFRE building is wheel-chair accessible, and their goal, is for the learning experience to be inclusive for all.   

 In the photo below, two of the Coast Guard staff are giving a demonstration of a device used to clean up foreign substance spills in the freshwater of the Great Lakes.  

This photo shows three generations of a water-loving family:  Coast Guard officer Tori, along with her grandmother and aunt.  

The CFRE center has a demonstration table, connected to a water spigot,  that is used to show how water flow causes changes in the landscape.  One can also see the effect of obstructions to flow and pollution effects.  

There is a large freshwater tank, and Diana took this photo of me pointing to a sturgeon, which the indigenous people called "The King of  Fish".  

The glass window wall connects to an open deck, and nature trail, adjacent to the St. Mary's River.  The buildings visible on the far shore, are on the Canadian side of St. Mary's River.  

It was interesting to see the microscope pointing into a water sample, with the view being projected onto a video screen above.  The tiny bit of water was full of little "critters" swiftly propelling themselves through the water.

I was curious to hear about the system used here to collect water samples, because I am part of an organization (www.ArkansasMasterNaturalists.org) that has a Stream Team, that routinely measures water quality on designated streams in our area, and reports the results to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.  What we do is called "Citizen Science", but these guys are REAL marine scientists!

The view from the balcony of the second story of the building, shows not only the exhibits below, but also the expansive scene beyond the glass wall.

 

One of the CFRE ambassadors wanted to demonstrate a robotic arm they had built that could perform designated tasks.  

 

Helen asked the robot to draw a fish, so it was fun watching the machine mark out a fish drawing, and put her initials on it!

The CFRE balcony also gave a great view of a group of kayakers on the St. Mary's River!

The reason we were able to visit the second story of the CFRE builing is because that is where Tori's Coast Guard office is located.  Her Master's Degree is in Environmental Science, so it makes sense that government personnel concerned with guarding the marine environment of the Great Lakes, would be in a building dedicated to environmental research and education.  

When I saw a plaque in her office related to the time she was stationed in Mobile, Alabama, it reminded me that this same group had visited her at her Mobile location, when we were on a kayaking trip to that area.  (See Pascagoula River Expedition, June 15, 2021, in the blog archives)

Tori has her own private balcony on the second story, just steps from her corner office.  She very kindly let me go out on it, and when I asked if I could take her picture on her balcony, she said "no", but she would take my photo.  So here it is!

When I was out on the second story balcony, I observed a fisherman walking by.  His net was so large, it could hold a small man, so I was reminded of one of my First Place 4 Health (www.FirstPlace4Health.com) memory verses from Matthew 4:19, that says, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men".  

The quarter-mile long building adjacent to the CFRE building is the Cloverland Electric Cooperative power house, also known as the Saint Marys Falls Hydropower Plant.  It is a historic civil engineering landmark, completed in 1902, and supplies power to the Easter Upper Peninsula of Michigan. 

Tori's balcony also gave a great view of the on-going construction at the Soo Locks, as well as the International Bridge beyond the locks.  

 

Although I did not notice it when we first entered the CFRE building, as we were leaving I saw they had a birch bark canoe hanging from the ceiling.  This was the main mode of transportation on the St. Mary's River to the indigenous people of long ago.  

The mascot for our Arkansas hiking group (WHO) and kayaking group (WHOyakers) is an owl, so I noticed there was an owl "trophy" at the front desk of the CFRE building.  It was awarded by the Michigan Alliance For Environmental and Outdoor Education, to CFRE to honor their impact by significantly enhancing the quality and availability of environmental and outdoor education. Based on all the information I learned at their Open House for Engineers Day, I would say it is a well-deserved award!  

Getting to be in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, for the 2026 Engineers Day gave me "MILES OF SMILES"!!  Tricia