We checked out of the Riviera Motel this morning
and drove back across the Mackinac Bridge to the Mackinac County Airport
in St. Ignace, where we were the guests of My
Flight Tours. Out pilot was the 26 year old founder of the three
year old company, Sergio Troiani. I took over 200 photos during the flight
over St. Ignace and the north end of the Mackinac Bridge.
My door had been removed so I could get better pictures,
which made it fun when the helicopter banked left and I was looking almost
straight down. The flight took about 10 minutes, but at the time it seemed
twice as long. Linda was taking different photos from the other side of
the helicopter.
Pilot Sergio Troiani
The Mighty Mac from near the St. Ignace Mackinac County Airport
Star Line and Shepler's St. Ignace Ferry docks
Mackinac Bridge with Mackinaw City in the distance
North tower of the Mighty Mac
Coast Guard Station St. Ignace with the ice breaking tug Biscayne Bay
The green area at the end of the dock to the right of Biscayne Bay
is a colony of Common Terns (Sterna hirundo).
Parasailing near the St. Ignace dolphins
These four dolphins in Moran Bay were where freighters or barges unloaded
jet fuel for Kincheloe Air Force Base,
37 miles away. The military base operated from 1943 - 1977. Originally
tank trucks hauled the fuel the base, but
eventually an underground pipeline carried the fuel.
We followed the flight with a ride to Mackinac Island
with Shepler's Mackinac Island Ferry. The views of the Straits are
more beautiful when traveling from the Mackinaw City side, but we were
already in St. Ignace and Shepler's charges less for overnight parking
on this less visited side. The ferries from St. Ignace follow the west
side of Mackinac Island to the City of Mackinac Island.
The Felicity - Shepler's Mackinac Island Ferry
The Mackinac Bridge
Grand Hotel
Round Island Lighthouse
Arriving at Mackinac Island behind the larger Miss Margy which just
came from Mackinaw City
