Fairport Harbor West Lighthouse, Lake Erie, Ohio

Weekend in Port Clinton: Saturday

We got up each morning around 7 and started the day with a swim (me) or a jog on the treadmill (Dan).


Saturday morning we drove out to Magee Marsh to observe the early migrating birds. There will be more variety around mid-May, when the warblers arrive and rest on the southern coast of Lake Erie before flying on to Canada.


A muskrat making its way across the channel.

We sat on the beach for the rest of the morning, and I sketched driftwood.

Back at the Visitor's Center, it was Bald Eagle Day. Back to the Wild Wildlife Rehabilitation Center brought some of their resident birds, snakes, and other wildlife for visitors to see up close. These were animals that were injured and rescued, but are now no longer able to survive in the wild, due to blindness or other injuries.

Red-tailed Hawk

Great-horned Owl

Barred Owl

American Kestrel

Bald Eagle.

As were driving back to Port Clinton, we encountered this turtle, which I guess is a snapping turtle. He was about 12" long, not including his tail.

Weekend in Port Clinton: Friday

Late lunch at McCarthy's Pub on arrival in Port Clinton. I highly recommend the Madison Salad. For bigger appetites, try the traditional Irish fare: shepherd's pie, potato soup, Irish stew, or a boxty, and of course, a Guiness.

Old Wine Barrels at Mon Ami Winery. After lunch we drove around Catawba Island to scout out some dinner places.



After dinner at the Islander Grille, we found a spot to watch a Catawba Island sun set. The Islander Grille is the new incarnation of Port Clinton's Garden Restaurant, which closed, sadly, due to a fire last fall. The food is still tops. They still bring out an appetizer of pâté (on the house), and I was glad to see they still had their Fish Market salad (shrimp, berries, field greens and other good things) on the menu. The Islander Grille is located on the Islander Golf and Country Club on Catawba Island.

Marblehead Light

Marblehead Light

Fetch

Fetch

Waiting for Crumbs

Waiting for Crumbs

Tugboat and Barge on the Grand River

Tugboat and Barge on the Grand River

Lake Erie Driftwood

Lake Erie Driftwood

Path through the dunes to the lighthouse at Headlands Beach

Driftwood, Lake Erie 

Yarrow, Dunes at Headlands Beach 

Oyster Plant? Dunes at Headlands Beach 

In the dunes, Headlands Beach, Lake Erie 

Lake Erie driftwood 

Driftwood

Fairport Harbor Lighthouse. I spent this windy, wild day at Headlands Beach. Lake Erie was awash with sizable waves and whitecaps. After hours of walking the beach and shooting photos, I can still hear the wind and the surf.

Driftwood at Headlands

Headlands Dunes. Today we hiked 6 miles, from Headlands Beach to Mentor Marsh. This wide expanse of sand dunes is quite rare along Ohio's Lake Erie shoreline. Fairport Harbor Lighthouse is in the distance.

Path through the dunes to Headlands Beach

Sailboat at Headlands Beach, Ohio