Presque Isle

This past Saturday, I went on an adventure with my roommate Katie and our friend Rich down to Presque Isle. Unfortunately, the weather wasn't warm enough to catch some rays or swim in the lake, but we did take a nice tour of the National State Park. We picked up a map early on to figure out where we were headed and I noticed that the map looks like the head of some ancient creepy animal. Coincidence? I think not...We stopped to get a picture of a picnic pavilion and realized there were many throughout the park. The picnics were deserted considering the weather wasn't so great but it is obvious that they are well-used in the summer months for barbeques and parties. Our next picture was of the marina, located in one of the many little lakes within the peninsula. There were a few brave souls out in canoes and motorboats fishing and having a good time. Most of the bigger boats used on Lake Erie were still covered up and looked like they needed to have a few maintenance issues resolved before being tested in the murky waters. I stopped at the Perry Monument which at first was mistaken for a lighthouse. The monument had a few onlookers who were feeding the geese and "enjoying" the chilly weather down by the lake. Perry Monument is located on Misery Bay, a beautiful area of water that had many boaters around the area. If only it was sunny and about 50 degrees warmer, I'm sure the Bay would be occupied with people having picnics, enjoying the wildlife, and boating. We saw about 15 bikers and rollerbladers on the long bike trail throughout our journey around the peninsula. It looks like a great path to walk or run on and people were taking advantage of the rare absence of snow and ice in March. I had no idea that there were people actually living in Presque Isle! I was so surprised to find about 10-15 houses floating on a little bay in the middle of the peninsula. The houses looked like summer getaways for people who enjoy fishing and isolation in the summer. Surprisingly, the coast guard building was completely fenced off with barbed wire and gates. There is a little speaker to request admittance to the area but it looks like you need some sort of code to even use the speaker. I couldn't get a picture of the building itself since I couldn't get close enough, so the sign will just have to do! North Pier Light: This light was a hike to get to as it was at the end of the pier. It looked abandoned and was kind of the common image of a lighthouse that people think of. Beach picture with ice: I was shocked to see chunks of ice still floating on the lake, especially near the shore! Beach 11: This beach was absolutely deserted but looks like a lot of fun when the weather gets warmer!