Sinkhole

The grand opening of Rockport State Recreation Area was just the first of two days of events.  Friday's ribbonless ribbon-cutting was followed yesterday by a full schedule of "here's what we offer" events at Rockport and Besser Natural Area.

I went to Besser first.  Two groups were on guided tours when I arrived about 10:30.  One group was doing a beach walk along Bell Bay, while the other was on woodland paths identifying local flora and birds by their calls.  Wagon rides to the sinkholes were also on the Besser schedule, but that was scrubbed when the crowd proved insufficient.

Bell Bay, on Lake Huron.

Besser is notable for its sandy beach.  Most beaches on Lake Huron are cobblestone.  That makes them somewhat difficult to walk and even more difficult to swim.  But Besser's beach is more like what you find on the Lake Michigan side of the state, only with fewer people!

After a half hour at Besser I drove over to Rockport.  This site was busier.  The Coast Guard Auxiliary conducted safety checks for boaters; DNR offered boat trips to Middle Island (another part of this linked facility); and still other people taught kayaking.

I elected to take the jaunt — or jolt — to the sinkholes.  A truck was leaving as soon as I arrived, so I jumped on the tailgate and was jolted over rocky and mudholed two-tracks about three miles to the sinkhole.  The safety of this mode of transportation — a dozen people in the bed of a pickup — is questionable!  I was certain we would hit a bump and I'd be flung bodily from the truck.  But I survived... and grabbed a seat on a Gator ATV as soon as possible!

Halfway through our ride to the sinkhole, I was able to find
a seat on a Gator ATV.  That was far more comfortable than
the tailgate of the DNR pickup truck!

The sinkhole lake was very pretty — on most days a quiet place
to fish... or watch the bears!  Yes, Virginia, bears in Michigan.

After the sinkhole, they hauled us back to Rockport, by pickup.
I think the State Police would not have been pleased with this
mode of transportation!

The sinkhole we visited (one of 3-4 on the property) is actually a lake.  We had to scramble down a steep bank to get to it, which of course meant scrambling up again.  But it's quite lovely, and fish were clearly visible swimming in the shallows.  I believe it was this lake into which DNR introduced some dye which, a few weeks later, was detected in the Detroit Salt Mines, over 250 miles to the south.  I find it fascinating that there's a water connection over that distance.  However, I'm told that the limestone formation visible here at Presque Isle runs southwest into Northwestern Ohio and eventually to Texas.  In other words, there is a whole different world under our feet! •••