Langs were picked up this afternoon and dropped off in Leland. The station is closed up for the season and all closeup procedures followed. All equipment, wagons and solar panel stowed inside, batteries, trash and gas cans off etc. Buildings locked. Additional projects included painting floor of summer kitchen, cleaning hillside and repairing water pump.
After the weekend crew returned to shore, Keith & Ally remained to spend the rest of the week on their own before being picked up next Saturday. They have been sending pictures regularly via a borrowed phone. Their first painting project was painting the new basement entry.
This is a busy time of year for FILA. Kathy Sanders, one of our Board members, is up at the Michigan Lighthouse Festival in Marquette this weekend. Board member Pete Koeppen arranged to pick up historically applicable furniture from a donor. Cathy Allchin coordinated transport to get last week’s team returned.
Another of the things we do this time of year is to start planning for next year and begin setting up “winter projects” for things that would be difficult to do “on island”.
This most recent trip brought off five sash: two from the Assistant Keepers that had broken glass and three windows from the 1867 Lighthouse basement. Now that we have good access to the basement via this summer’s project, natural light is important. Here’s one of our “offseason” volunteers getting to work within hours of the sash coming back. The glass is totally broken out but shards remain under much of the glazing. This is work that is best done in good light, a few hours at a time.
Meanwhile, volunteers Tom McBride & Marty Rosalik did some benchmarking at one of our “sister” lights, visiting Granite Island recently. Marty will then be evaluating solar systems at other lights on his way home.
There’s a lot that goes into making this project happen.
Had an early pick up of Ben, Jim & James this evening. They’d planned to stay out until Saturday afternoon but the forecast was unkind through possibly Tuesday. Logistics coordinator Cathy Allchin made a quick call. Let’s get them off…now!
As always, this team has been extremely productive. A major project was building stairs and a cover for the 1867 lighthouse basement entry. Doesn’t it look nice?
This team did tons over other work, cutting down dead ash trees along the station sidewalks that otherwise threatened to be a safety issue, clearing grounds, edging sidewalks ….more to come.
Brief report from the team tonight. “All is going well. Siding and doors tmrw weather permitting.”
Eric & Lorinda Maki returned today after 8 days on the island. Their major project was restoring and rebuilding the basement entry foundation.
This was a significant project, cleaning up a layer of failed brick, repointing the original fieldstone foundation and building this new cement cap. All materials had to be shlepped up the hill from water level, including water. Cement and mortar were hand-mixed as conditions remain pretty basic “on island.”
Another of their projects involved installing this window, built by volunteer Carl Johnson over the winter to Eric specifications from research last summer.
We’re thankful for your service and glad to have you back safely on the mainland.
Our next team of Jim, Ben & James are headed out this afternoon for an 8 day engagement focused on carpentry along with some grounds work. They hail from northern Indiana, so make a big commitment to join us.
They’ll replace Lorinda & Eric who have been out since a week ago Thursday.
Lorinda reports that Eric’s phone seems to get a better signal than hers so we should text updates there.
Discussions on the need for gas for the mower/generator and propane for the fridge. Supplies should last for their stay, but resupply is needed for the next team. Turnover projected for Friday afternoon. Cathy Allchin is taking the lead on such things.
In further news:
– Few brief showers yesterday. Windy!
– Carpenter ants have infested the lean to. Trying our best to get rid of them…
– Office window is in and looks great
– Cement to be poured tomorrow
Lorinda’s first note is reminiscent of historic keepers. Log books are often filled with similar short descriptions of weather.
Eric and Lorinda Maki were our second “camper keepers” back in August, 2016. That was back when you HAD to camp. Now some people choose to, but we do have beds, chairs and tables. It’s still a pretty rustic experience out there, filtering lake water and relying on solar or generators for power.
This photo is of their first trip. The lighthouse has changed a good bit since then, in part from their fine work. They installed the shutters on the tower, for instance.
They are out for a planned 9 day visit, delivered by volunteer boater Steve Redding and Vice President Cathy Allchin. Cathy writes: “We had easily 6 to 8 foot seas coming out.” Presumably there was less in the station, but still likely made for some adventure offloading their gear and tools.
Lorinda reports: “Cell service has been very bad today. I won’t be posting anything but will send pictures when we get back to the mainland.”
We’ve had a report from a visitor, who reported them “very busy.”
That describes these folks well. They have a big job this week to rebuild the basement entrance masonry. We’re thankful they are back helping us again this year.