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Small but mighty, the Coast Guard Cutter Raritan towed the carferry City of Midland into Ludington harbor. The 100-foot tug and the Coast Guard Icebreaker Mackinaw had come to the assistance of the carferries Spartan and City of Midland after the ships became lodged in the ice just outside of Ludington breakwaters in February 18, 1977. The ice, packed tight by the wind, had damaged the rudder of the Midland.

Even on a busy July or August morning, Pentwater has a peaceful and calming atmosphere. Every time I visit, I just want to kick back in a comfortable chair, listen to good live music, and drink a beer. On this early morning in May, Pentwater had not fully come back to life yet, but it still had that wonderful calming effect on me.

Dozens of powerboats and sailboats have passed by us on this gorgeous fall night. Lake Michigan will soon be too rough for pleasure boating. We all soaked in the sunshine tonight.

First I am thinking how beautiful Lake Margrethe looks with those big clouds suspended above it. Then I spot a red kayak cruising along the north shore of the nearly 2,000-acre lake near Grayling, Michigan. Just the added ingredient I was looking for! F5.6 at 1/500, ISO 100, 24-70mm lens at 24mm

My kids and I enjoyed photographing a huge cloud over Ludington tonight. The Badger was getting ready to head out into the storm and were able to get fairly close to her at the dock from my dad's boat. I loved the split tones in this image with the dark side and the light side.

Ice Breaking Coast Guard Biscayne Bay

Today is the 35-year anniversary of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald on Lake Superior. Many people don't realize that storm hit all of the Great Lakes, including Lake Michigan. The weather this morning was the polar opposite of 35 years ago - 60 degrees with the lake totally at peace. F8.0 at 1/500, ISO 800, 600 mm lens with 1.4 extender at 850 mm

Fish Town in Leland showcases Michigan's Great Lakes commercial fishing heritage while also featuring shopping, dining, and boat cruises. Leland is one of dozens of picturesque Great Lakes small port villages, towns, and cities.

Shadows to the Light

Manistee Lighthouse and USCG

The freighter Canadian Transfer, her navigation light showing she is underway, steams slowly, carefully toward Ludington harbor on a summer night. The traditional style Great Lakes freighter was bringing a load of stone to the Laman Aspalt docks.

I am hustling to capture this moment after seeing these canoers fishing on Lincoln Lake. The Dummy Bridge at Epworth Heights provides the backdrop. F3.2 at 1/320, ISO 400, 80-200 mm lens at 200 mm

When the ice on the Great Lakes started impeding shipping, Coast Guard icebreakers bust open paths. On this ice-cold February morning the Coast Guard Cutter Biscayne Bay broke up the ice in Ludington harbor.

My dad and I always say that "Clouds are your friends!" and here is the proof. Imagine how ordinary this photograph would be if it did not have the beautiful white, wispy clouds. It is the clouds in this photograph that tie the patterns in the water to the patterns of the sail on the sailboat. F6.3 at 1/1600, ISO 400, 10-17mm lens at 17mm

Storm Front Over Ludington

I had an Ernest Hemmingway moment on the Pere Marquette River tonight. We had anchored our drift boat along the shore so that our guide, Josh Mead, could grill us a homemade pork chop dinner with all the fixings. As we enjoyed our gourmet meal, an old-fashioned wooden drift boat slowly slipped past us. I grabbed my camera and waited for a defining moment. I wondered how many times my great-grandparents floated this same stretch of the river in wooden drift boats. F6.3 at 1/100, ISO 800, 70-200mm lens at 112mm

Tall Ship and Sunset

For years, I have enjoyed observing sailboats swinging from their mooring buoys with the wind in the harbors along the Lake Michigan shoreline. This summer night in Ludington harbor I watched the water and sky around a sailboat on the hook on Pere Marquette Lake transform from electric orange at sunset to shocking pink minutes later.

Winter painted a still life of the tugboat Kurt. R Luedtke and carferry City of Midland. I enjoy looking at ships, especially in winter. Ice and snow are among a photographer's best allies.