Parallel Universe

We decided to drive to New York to spend some time with our daughter. For the return trip, we opted to take the S.S Badger back to Manitowoc, rather than drive through Chicago. The voyage with a vehicle isn't the cheapest but I find it worth every penny not to face the traffic around the southern shore of Lake Michigan. The cities of Manitowoc and Ludington are linked by this historic ship and federal highway 10 is joined by the carferry service. In 2015, the Badger was officially designated as part of the highway.

We spent the day before our departure in Ludington, MI, biking around and enjoying the view from the beach. We admired the flowers and yards of the people in the city. Although Ludington is smaller in population than Manitowoc, it seemed larger to me. They have done well developing their lakefront and we saw many small businesses downtown, much like Manitowoc.

While I've been in Ludington many times over the years, this time it got me thinking. I needed to replace a small part on one of our bikes before we rode very far around Ludington. I looked up the address of a bike shop and we headed out. The shop was on West Ludington Ave. and I instinctively headed away from the lake. Suddenly it struck me, the lake was west and I needed to go toward the lake. It was rather unsettling to me to have it be opposite. When a person's static frame of reference is suddenly different, questions arise.

If you know me, you know I get up early. If you really know me, being an early riser is central to my core. My family moved to Manitowoc in 1966. The lake has always been my reference point for east. I am drawn to the lake at sunrise like a moth to a light. I often wonder if I grew up in Ludington, would I be drawn to the lake at sunset? Would I be a night owl? As a personal experiment, I am thinking I need to spend a few weeks on the other side of the lake to investigate this more fully.

I'm not sure what it is about the carferry and other large ships that enter our harbor but I am drawn to them and I know I am not alone. Seeing the people watching and waving as the ship leaves or enters port is heartwarming. As we left the Ludington harbor, there was even a man playing the accordion! Waving at strangers and having them wave to you, perhaps that is another simple act that reminds us we are all connected.

For me, there is a bit of nostalgia as I recall the Viking, Sparta, City of Midland 21 and City of Midland 41, as well as the Badger. I recall the days when the carferry would dock at the second carferry slip where the new River North apartments are being built in Manitowoc. I recall Kewaunee, Milwaukee and Muskegon, MI also being ports for the ships. Although the Badger burns coal and that bothers me as an environmentalist, selfishly, and perhaps hypocritically, I don't mind riding it. I feel transported across the lake, as well as back in time.

I am also enthralled with other ships in the port. It is easy for me to visualize what our harbor must have looked like hundreds of years ago with indigenous people canoeing down the river, and schooners and clippers sailing in. The geography of our area certainly influenced the industry, and perhaps more subtly, affected our psyche as a people.

In my youth, our family went over to Ludington a few times. As an adult, we've taken several trips as well. Much like the river towns of the Mississippi, the lake cities look very similar. The harbors, the lighthouses, the beaches, as if I am existing in a parallel universe that evolved differently. Of course, each is unique but one can't help but feel comfortable despite the slight differences. The four hour passage across the lake gives a person much time for reflection. By the time we arrived back home, I looked upon our community with the eyes of someone approaching her for the first time. Of all of the times I've been on the Badger, our approach to the harbor was unique. The Badger was approaching the lighthouse and then did a complete circle, as if the captain was doing a larger, slow motion doughnut out on the water. (Later, I asked a crew member and learned there was a problem in the engine room on the way over. They had fixed it and wanted to test it.) I felt like this circle gave me a chance to see all of the compass points and help me recalibrate to my comfortable view of the lake. I may not always know which way is up but at least I can once again point to the east without hesitation.

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/4fabf5_0b16956cc03248faa0fb083434646ffb/720p/mp4/file.mp4