Fairport Harbor West Lighthouse, Lake Erie, Ohio

View of Lake Erie from Geneva-on-the-Lake

After lunch at The Lakehouse Inn yesterday, we went to the park, and while Dan dozed off in the warm sun, I sketched our view from the bench where we sat.

Headlands Dunes State Nature Preserve, Mentor, Ohio

Fairport Harbor Light across the dunes on Lake Erie at Headlands Beach

Elaine shot this interesting angle on some driftwood

Driftwood on Headlands Beach, Lake Erie


Late fall at Headland Dunes, Lake Erie, Mentor, Ohio

Lake Erie Driftwood Revisited

I believe this is the same driftwood spot as in this photo taken last year around this time, but the storms over the past year have brought in new pieces of wood and piled them up against last years driftwood, and now it's quite a tangle. My friend and I had a great day at Headlands Beach on Tuesday--walking through the dunes, watercolor painting, strolling on the beach, and fried perch at Brennan's Fish House in Fairport Harbor.

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

Spindrift

Spindrift

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 

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