Josh Cohen, Lead Ecologist for the Michigan Natural Features Inventory, a part of Michigan State University Extension, is out at the station with three other ecologists. They have a contact with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Division to conduct vegetative mapping and ecological surveys on state land on South Fox and North Fox […]
Maritime Heritage Alliance’s Champion arrived today to extract our last team “in residence” for the 2021 season. Window covers are “on” and the station winterized. This marks the end of our public tours including building interiors. The campus itself remains open, of course, a public resource owned by the Michigan DNR. We may still get […]
This year’s significant projects just keep coming. Volunteer Kathy Sanders, who painted the lantern room platform and railing last year, is back at it again with another great project: painting the 1867 lighthouse spiral stairs and railing. Impressive!
The August 7, 2021 Leelanau Enterprise featured long serving volunteers Kathy & Bruce Rollins in an article “Texas couple spends 3 weeks on island.” Families First Monthly featured an article with a somewhat historical focus. https://mydigitalpublication.com/publication/?m=62563&i=716435&p=8&ver=html5
Team 11, the all women’s team comes out via member Tim Statler’s boat, replacing the “carpenters + 2 team.” Lot’s done this past week: two additional pairs of permanent shutters installed, painting, window glazing. maintenance barn “hardened up” and repainted, stone placed in barrels to help support the boathouse doors, skeletal tower stairway windows secured, […]
Team #10 is scheduled to depart tomorrow after a two day weather delay. Was reminded of Phil von Voigtlander’s admonition a decade ago the first time my husband was “stuck” on the island. “They are safe there. We are safe here. Let’s keep it that way.” That philosophy still stands. Eric and Lorinda have enjoyed […]
Update from Lorinda & Eric Maki: “Coast Guard J-hawk paid us a visit this morning. Circled the station twice, then headed to the north part of the island. Rained a lot last night, but no high winds. Been very still the past two days.” And yes, we do have a plan to get our keepers […]
Kathy, Bruce, Charlie, Lorinda, Eric and Gary toasting Joerg and Lightkeeper’s 50th trip to South Fox on Sunday, July 27. This also marked approximately 7500 nautical miles covered by all volunteers boats on behalf of the South Fox Island Light Station restoration project.
Current keeper Lorinda Maki checking in: “Good news, I HAVE CELL Signal on South Fox! Bad news, the boat lost an engine bringing us out yesterday and now we are sort of stranded. Oh well, time to get to work! First project putting window covers on the Assistant Keepers Duplex.” And, they are, indeed, hard […]
Trip #9 this season. #6 aboard Lightkeeper. It’s been one our busiest weeks ever with a work trip last Sunday, the Nahma delivery Wednesday and another work team Thursday….and now the team turnover from Rollins to Makis. The intended celebratory trip, Joerg & Lightkeeper’s 50th journey to the island, turned traumatic with a suspected broken […]