North to the Soo

Earlier this summer mom and dad suggested taking Zack to Sault St. Marie to see the locks.  This city borders Canada and is the place ships come to navigate from the Lake Superior to Lake Michigan.

We left on Saturday and headed north.  We found another Big Boy to eat at - in Manistique.

We took a round about way so we could drive across the Mackinac Bridge.

Mackinac Bridge

 We had planned to take a boat tour of the locks (the boat goes through the locks) but it was flipping freezing out so we decided to pass.

Instead we went over to the locks - there was a ship due through the locks at 11:30.

Zack "helping" Grandma

Paul R. Tregurtha (ship going from Superior to Michigan)

Also going through the locks was the boat tour we passed on.  The purpose of the locks is to transition boats/ships from the water levels of one great lake to the other.  This particular tour boat was going from Lake Michigan to Lake Superior (I believe) and the water level in Superior must be much higher.

The boat entered the locks and they close off both ends.

The boat looked like this when it docked

Then they slowly raise the water level

Until the boat looked like this when it was finished

Then they open one end of the locks and the boat/ship is ready to move on.

Interesting...just wish the weather had been better.

Bridge to Canada

Border Patrol

By the time we stopped for lunch in Munising it was much nicer out.

Munising is on Lake Superior and the place where you pick up the pictured rocks boat tour.  We took this 10 years ago when we were here.

Interestingly, we ate at the exact same restaurant too.

As usual, Ollie traveled well