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Approach from the southCrossing the Bridge
"The Mighty Mac"
Sailing over the straits, 155 feet (47 m) above the passing ships. Off to our starboard (right), is a bulk freighter headed "up lake". Or is it "down bound"? Hard to tell.
It's riding low, so it must be full. It's passing west under the bridge, so it would be headed to port in Lake Michigan. If it's 'up lake', it'll be to a Michigan port like Escanaba to drop it's load (coal? limestone?) and pick-up another load, (iron ore?).
If it's 'down bound', it'll be going to Milwaukee, Chicago, or a steel mill along the southern shore of Lake Michigan. Probably loaded with iron ore pellets (taconite) from Lake Superior.
Mackinac Island, that's Mac-ki-naw. French spelling of an indian word, making the 'c' disappear. Like the 'turtle' from which it gets it's name, the island basks in the sun in Lake Huron.
From the south approach, we are soon to enter the suspension portion of the bridge. Five miles long (8 kilometers), the bridge connects the lower peninsula of Michigan to the upper peninsula or UP.
The two towers stand 552 feet (168 meters) high, watching over the strait.
Live camera now lets you watch the bridge at any time of day or night from anywhere in the world. It's foggy today.
