Son of a BEACH!

After our last trip to Michigan we swore to each other and to our car that we would not go back to that state for at least a year. Yet as the months went by the pain, fear, and anger began to subside. So a few weeks ago JoAnna asked if I wanted to take a long weekend and go birding somewhere. I was a little shocked that I was not immediately bowled over when she said “What about this place in Michigan.” I thought to myself “What could go wrong?"

The cabin was outside of Sawyer Michigan which is basically on the border with Indiana. We were planning on doing a little bit of birding but for the most part we just wanted to take the dogs to the beach and enjoy a few days in the sun and the waves of Lake Michigan. We had no plans to explore some back woods unpaved road or get lost in the woods like we did the last time. Additionally it would be warm so there was no chance that we would come across some slightly frozen river running across what appeared to be a road.

The first day was a short one. The drive was close to three hours but we had an hour to kill so we went to the beach at Warren Dunes State Park. It was windy so the waves were way too big to get in but it was nice to see the lake. Afterwards we got some groceries and drove the couple miles to the cabin. It was a beautiful home JoAnna found on Air BnB. The best part was the record collection. That night we got comfortable, opened a bottle of wine, and listened to Miles Davis Kind of Blue (full album below for your listening pleasure).

The next morning I made us some breakfast while JoAnna planned our route to different birding spots and the beach. Instead of going back to Warren Dunes State Park we decided that we would head a little more north and go to Grand Mere State Park where they advertise a dog friendly beach that also offers some good birding. First we would hit some other notable birding spots such as the Three Oaks Water Treatment Ponds and the Galien River County Park.

Our first stop at the Three Oaks Water Treatment Ponds was not very productive. We did have a number of female Tree Swallows hanging out on the fence that lines the ponds. However there really wasn’t anything in the ponds to speak of.

Our next stop was at the Galien River County Park. This park is only a few years old. It offers a unique canopy walkway that we had never seen before. You begin by walking on what appears to be a boardwalk trail. Gradually the ground begins to disappear beneath you and you find yourself in the canopy of the thick forest trees. As you get to the end of the forest the boardwalk ends with an overlook of the marsh 60 feet in the air. The first thing you notice is the gentle sway of the overlook, but your attention quickly turns to the view. The view is of the marsh and the Galien River. During spring and fall migration this spot has to be beaming with activity. When you are finished you head back fifty feet or so to a stair case that leads you down from the canopy walkway to the marsh board walk. This also ends abruptly with an overlook of the river (pictured below is the lower overlook with the canopy overlook in the background). There was not much activity at first but then I spotted some movement across the river. It happened to be a Rose Breasted Grosbeak (pictured below). This bird is not new to our life list, but it was is pretty cool to see. JoAnna also spotted a Northern Harrier that glided over the marsh and out of view. We could have spent all day here but the dogs were nagging us so we had to keep moving. 

We were now on our way to the beach. The plan was to spend a few hours at the beach getting some sun, perhaps seeing some shore birds, and playing with the dogs. Our directions to the park were a little primitive so we had to stop into a TSC and get directions. Luckily we had not over shot our turnoff by too much. We went back to the road that we were directed to turn down. Unlike Ohio the state parks are not always well marked. There was a small two foot by two foot sign with the park name at an intersection. I joked with JoAnna about getting her picture next to it but at this point she did not seem amused. We drove down the road we assumed that we had to turn on and there was yet another slightly bigger sign. We turned into the drive and things looked promising. However the paved road disappeared rather quickly and turned into a gravel and dirt drive. We drove back a half mile or so and came to a parking area. There was an apparent trail heading off into the woods but no signs indicating a beach was close. We had heard that the trails at this park were not marked so we needed to take caution. We thought that there is no way that this is the entrance to the beach area that everyone was talking about. We turned around and headed out the same way we came in. 

Back on the road we decided that we should go back to the original intersection and head in another direction, surely there must be a more direct route to the beach. This road ended in a dead end. Back we went to that initial intersection with the small sign. We decided that we needed to drive further down the way we originally went and see if there were additional entrances. We used our GPS this time and it took us to an even smaller dirt road. This road however had a car pulling out of it which made it seem more promising. JoAnna was not sold and called the Michigan Parks Department. They said that this was an entrance that we could get to the beach however there would be a little hiking trail that we would need to walk down. So we drove back until the "road" dead ended into a makeshift parking area. I told JoAnna that I would walk down the path a ways and see if I could see the beach. As I walked back I began to see more and more blue sky through the trees nevertheless I could never get through the trees to an opening. So I turned around and ran back to the car. We decided that the original entrance we went down had to be the the right place. 

We went back to the original driveway and parked the car. At this point a couple with their two kids and dog emerged off of the trail. We asked them if they had been to the beach and they said yes it is a little bit of a walk but it is a nice beach. At this point I hear the one of the kids whisper "Once you get past the hot sand." I didn't think anything of this at the time and we loaded up our gear. 

JoAnna had two bags, one with our beach stuff and the other with food. I had my bag with my camera and binoculars, both the dogs, and the two beach chairs we brought just for the occasion. The path, according to our guide book, is only supposed to be a half mile. We start on the trail with our spirits high. Pretty quickly into the hike the dogs start lagging behind and I am joking about how out of shape they are. All of a sudden Layla starts pooping right in the middle of the trail, and shortly after this Elvis starts tugging and poops on the side of the trail and Layla pees herself as we are walking. We just wanted to get to the beach and let them off their leashes where they could have some fun. A half mile or so on the trail it began to turn a little sandy. This makes us think that we have to be getting close, right?  The next thing you know we are staring a huge practically vertical sand dune right in the face. We both think that the beach is probably right over the dune, just up and over and we are there, right? WRONG! 

I start up the dune with the dogs. The first thing I notice is my flip flops are falling off in the sinking sand. I bend over and take them off. Very quickly the sand is burning my feet. It is 85 degrees and the sand feels like 150 degrees. At this point the heat and sand start to get to the dogs and they are not going any further. I start pulling on their leashes and I can't do it. I can't pull them up along with myself and gear. I drop their leashes and tell them they are on their own. I think if I can get to the top I can see how far we have to go. The top of the dune however is long and flat so I can't see down the other side. I start walking toward the other side the entire time my feet are burning. When I get to the other side I see the beach but it appears to be miles away. Additionally there are multiple dunes standing between us and the beach. At this point I feel like Frodo trying to get to mount doom and every step feels like I am getting further away. 

Actual picture of me on top of the dune.

Suddenly Samwise (a.k.a. JoAnna) gets to the top of the dune and yells "Do you see it?" I have to break the horrible news to her "Michigan screwed us again!" I quickly come to the realization that if I was in Middle Earth I would not have been the one taking the ring to Mount Doom I would be the one back at the Shire pub drinking ale and smoking long bottom leaf. We turned around and walked back down the dune where we found Layla laying in the shade. We agreed that we needed to turn around, go back to the car, and go back to Warren Dunes State Park beach where we were at the previous day. As we got back to the car we unpacked the food bag and put some things away. I noticed that JoAnna had packed chocolate chip cookies for a snack on the beach. I asked her "Who in their right mind would want chocolate chip cookies on a hot beach after climbing through Mordor to get there". If I am honest with myself I probably would have eaten them. We both had a good laugh thinking about us drinking milk and eating warm cookies on the beach. 

We arrived at Warren Dunes State Park and walked the 100 yards or so in the scorching hot sand and immediately got in the water. We had finally made it to the beach. We laid out the blanket and sat down to watch the waves roll up the sand. Just then a couple with their dog and two children arrive and set down 20 or so feet from us. Guess who it is? The same couple that told us that the beach was just a short walk down the trail. I whisper to JoAnna "Isn't that the couple at the other park?" she says "Hell yeah it is!" JoAnna goes on to explain that she swore that if she ever saw them again she would punch them in the neck. It took everything JoAnna had not to say anything and she can be a very confrontational person. The couple never acknowledged us even though I think they knew it was us.

Our next stop was the local brewery-thank goodness. We dropped the dogs off at the house and freshened up. The brewery was named Green Bush and it was located in the middle of the small town of Sawyer, only a mile or two from the house. We sampled the beer and had some appetizers. Most importantly we had some laughs about our misfortunes and adventures.     

I would like to say that this was our last trip to the great state of Michigan however we have another trip planed in a couple months. I guess we have way too much fun trying to survive.

Happy Birding!