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Duck Lake Fruitland Township Lake Michigan Lakeshore Bike Trail Sunrises Sylvan Beach Waterfront White Lake, Muskegon County, Michigan

Moonset and Sunrise, August 16, 2008

As is normal for our weekend mornings, Chris once again decided that life is far too short to spend too much time getting too much sleep – especially if there is a possibility that someone might be irritated and irrigated into taking her out for a hike.

With the (very) early start, we made it to the big lake in time to catch the setting of last night’s beautiful full moon.

The full moon sets over Lake Michigan on August 16, 2008

Don’t let those small speckles in the photo trick you into cleaning either your glasses or your monitor. They are the navigation lights of just a few of the many boats fishing off the channel this morning. So many, in fact, that it seemed as if the stars were testing the startling new concept of shining both above and below the horizon.

And not all of the fishing action was off-shore. While the boaters were out chasing their salmon, both the north and south walls of the channel were filled with anglers hoping to add perch onto tonight’s menu.

Perch fishing off White Lake's south wall on August 16, 2008

If you walk the beach even occasionally, you realize that this size of crowd isn’t normal, but then neither are the number of perch. The schools are so inordinately large that most of the fishermen are simply doing a quick visual reconnaissance over the wall before dropping their lines right into the middle of a lot of fish. Not quite as easy as dragging them from a barrel, but it could be worse!Dredging ship, Carol Ann in White Lake Channel, August 16, 2008

Lest anyone think that this sums up the pre-dawn (!) action, at this same time, on the eastern end of the wall, the crew of the dredging ship, Carol Ann, was heading out. Their work is the reason for the large black pipe that you will find stretched across the south wall. It will be moving sand from the bottom of the waterway onto the beach.

Chris was surprisingly unimpressed by all the early AM activity and insisted on heading home for breakfast. Said insistence being equivalent to a wave insisting on going ashore, we departed. Shortly after leaving the channel, the sun finally showed up and seemed no more moved than Chris by all of the action.

The sunrise over White Lake on August 16, 2008

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Duck Lake

Duck Lake, July 5, 2008

We were allowed to sleep slightly longer on July 5 before being dragged right back to Chris’ favorite swimming hole. But, even this (all too) minimally later hour led to an remarkably different view at the lake.

On this trip, we arrived just as the sun appeared over the trees to the east – and began burning off of fog along the southern shore.

As you can see, Chris was surprisingly oblivious to all of these aesthetic nuances. Her far greater concern being whether or not someone was going to throw the damn stick.

Chris at Muskegon County\'s Duck Lake State Park on July 5, 2008

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Duck Lake

Duck Lake, July 4, 2008

In spite of that famous section of the Federalist Papers in which Madison declared that…

…on July 4, the People of these United States shall remain in bed until such time as it is deemed appropriate to devour numerous foodstuffs of indeterminate origin, especially those which shall be named as both hot dogs and hamburgs.

When consumption of any additional alleged foods shall no longer be physically possible, the sound of the citizens’ collective groans, stomach rumbles and burps shall signal the commencement of the celebration of our country’s founding. Said celebration shall be accomplished with the expenditure of much of our nation’s treasure on really cool Chinese fireworks…

…Chris still got up early for a hike over to Duck Lake. It was just as well that she did, as we are still hoping to get out of here soon for a day trip on the Little Manistee.

The walk into the park was awfully dark, but, luckily, Chris knows the trails very well, especially the one to her favorite swimming spot. We got to the lake just in time for the dawn to start to break over the eastern shore of the lake.

Dawn breaks over the eastern shore of Muskegon County\'s Duck Lake on July 4, 2008

It took Chris only a few minutes of dragging me through some very tall and very wet weeds to get to her swimming spot. It was well worth the soaked jeans to enjoy the view.

Chris swimming in Muskegon County\'s Duck Lake on July 4, 2008

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Duck Lake Fruitland Township

Duck Lake Circumnavigation, June 28, 2008

Chris decided that this morning would be a perfect time to explore the southwestern shore of Duck Lake. Her instincts couldn’t have been better.

As we turned the corner from Duck Lake Road onto Scenic, the sun finally made it’s first appearance of the day and made up for sleeping in by putting on quite a show for us.

Chris playing in Duck Lake on June 28, 2008

When Chris finished her swim, we headed down some seemingly impassable trails that she insisted were otherwise, we came upon these Dwarf Irises (Iris lacustris Nitt).

A dwarf iris on Duck Lake's south shore on June 28, 2008

We understand that these are endangered. This makes sense having never run across them before – and not finding many this morning either.

A second Dwarf Iris on Duck Lake's south shore on June 28, 2008

According to “Michigan wildflowers in color” by Harry C. Lund, these are found almost exclusively on the sandy or gravelly shores of Lake Michigan or Huron and the boggy areas adjacent. He list it as “a threatened species do not disturb”.
A third Dwarf Iris on Duck Lake's south shore on June 28, 2008

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Duck Lake

Clouds over Duck Lake, June 22, 2008

Rain clouds and their reflections frame the eastern shore of Muskegon County's Duck Lake on June 22, 2008

Rain clouds and their reflections frame the eastern shore of Muskegon County’s Duck Lake on June 22, 2008.

This is one of our dog Chris’ favorite places to wander. If you are tempted to try it with your hound, remember to keep an eye (and leash) out for encounters with the resident skunks. Just this morning, we had two separate meetings that worked out fine, but could easily have gone otherwise.

If in spite of that, you are still tempted, here’s more info on the park from the DNR website.

Duck Lake State Park is a 728-acre day-use park, located in Muskegon County. Featuring a towering sand dune, the park stretches from the northern shore of Duck Lake to Lake Michigan. The terrain is a mixture of open brush land to mature hardwood forest, with some pockets of open meadows mixed in.

The land was purchased by the Nature Conservancy from two Boy Scout organizations, and acquired by the state in 1974. Remains of the old scout camps were removed and access roads were constructed.

The park was officially dedicated in the spring of 1988.

A new entrance off of Scenic Drive was completed in May 2005.

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Duck Lake Sunrises

Duck Lake, July 6, 2007

Nero seems to be watching the sun burn the morning fog off of Muskegon County's Duck Lake on July 6, 2007

Nero seems to be watching the mist being burned off by the morning sun at Duck Lake State Park.

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Duck Lake Sunrises

Duck Lake State Park, July 6, 2007

A misty sunrise at Muskegon County\'s Duck Lake State Park on July 6, 2007

The sunrise cuts through the Duck Lake mist on July 6, 2007.

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All Photos Duck Lake Sunrises

Duck Lake State Park, July 6, 2007

Chris takes a quick break from the very serious work of thoroughly exploring the weeds to admire an amazing morning at Duck Lake State Park.

Chris takes a quick break from the very serious work of thoroughly exploring the weeds to admire an amazing morning at Duck Lake State Park.

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Duck Lake

Duck Lake State Park, June 2, 2007

A post-storm raindrop at Muskegon County\'s Duck Lake State Park on June 2, 2007

A post-storm raindrop at Duck Lake State Park.

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Duck Lake Lake Michigan Waterfront White Lake, Muskegon County, Michigan

Harvest Moon over Lake Michigan, October 7, 2006

Full moon on Lake Michigan, October 7, 2006

The full moon over Lake Michigan just south of the White Lake channel.

Nero and I left early that morning to check out the moon shadows. Unfortunately, about five minutes after shooting this picture, Nero decided he should also check out one of the local skunks.

The rest of our walk was just as smelly as it was beautiful.

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Duck Lake Sunrises

Duck Lake Channel, October 5, 2006

Duck Lake channel from Scenic Drive on October 5, 2006

Duck Lake channel from Scenic Drive on October 5, 2006

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Duck Lake Sunrises

Duck Lake State Park, September 2, 2006

Misty Duck Lake sunrise, September 2, 2006

The sun rising over a misty Duck Lake on September 2, 2006

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All Photos Duck Lake Sunrises

Nero at Duck Lake, September 2, 2006

Nero at Duck Lake, September 2, 2006

Nero Woof enjoying his morning swim at Duck Lake State Park on Septemeber 2, 2006