• Wednesday-What'sUP December 7 - 11:21 pm

This is quite the scene that Brian Rendel captured near the Houghton Waterfront Park just a few days back. He snapped this on a chilly evening at dusk, with the sun reflecting perfectly off the few wisps of clouds. They almost look like they're highlighting the U.S. Coast Guard boat, "Biscayne Bay", also referred to as the "Sentinel of the Straits". I'm not sure what the boat was in town for that day, maybe one of our 'resident boat nerds' can fill us in on those particulars.

Brian's second shot is a beauty, also, with the different hues of blue in the sky, the icy waters and the bridge itself, sliced by the colored lights reflecting like spears in the water. Sure looks like it was a beautiful night to be out along the waterfront, even with the chilly temperatures.

Very nice photos. I think that same CG vessel was in Marquette last week. Really like the reflection in the second photo.

Really nice pictures!! Worth fighting the cold weather for!!

Excellent shots, as always on da PastyCam.....

WOW...how striking! Beautiful pics!

Hey..I was watching the Today show, and the little ticker line was talking about how Red and Green are the typical Christmas colors for decorating your home...but there is a Red, White and Blue theme on a house in Lake Linden!

Ok Pasty Cammers....I wanna see a picture or two of this place! Thanks!

Mary says: Hey Donna...that's Erick Baccus' house, Dick's son. He just returned to the area, having just got out of the Marines! This was even covered on TV6 news, with a short video, check it out: Red, White and Blue in Lake Linden. Thanks for your service Erick!

If its tied up, thats a weird place to be tied up. it looks like its all
the way down at Shoots and ladders.

Beautiful shots, Brian, thank you! The bridge, to me, has always been a marvel!

Maybe the crew wanted to have a little fun on the slides before leaving town??

Pretty shots, Brian! I didn't realize the bridge was so low to the water. Is it required to open up for little 'run-abouts'.....if not, you'd better duck! Love the sky colors in the first shot.

Hay Mary thank you for the web page on Ericks house.He did a great job on his house. And thank you Erick for your service to are country

Shirley, they normally lower the bridge in the
winter so snowmobiles can use the lower part.
Normally this time of year there aren't too many
pleasure craft on the canal.

Shirley Waggoner (Shirlohio):
"… I didn't realize the bridge was so low to the water. …"

As Robert said, the bridge is only all the way down in the winter. During the rest of the year, it is up, with the traffic running on the lower (former railroad) level, thus it only needs to be raised to its maximum height for a large/tall ship to pass.

Thank you Mary! And God Bless Erick and all his compadres'....

Thanks Rjgoniea and FRNash for your replies....very unique bridge, first I've ever heard of one like that. Things sure do change UP there in winter.

Thanks Erick. Have a wonderful Christmas. Welcome
home!

I have pictures on my Facebook picture album of hubby and I snowmobiles on the snowmobile trail of the lift bridge.

Shoot hit the post button to quick, I posted my snowmobile picture taken a few years back, on the lift bridge, click on my profile picture.

Good pictures, especially the pink + blue.

Janie T......WHERE'D YOU GO? Just kidding...those are 2 fine looking vehicles! I have a Facebook acct. but hardly ever go there anymore. Matter of fact, the last time was when George Hite's page was there.

lol Shirley! Those were two fun sleds! We bought those sleds new. We sold them and got a couple newer sleds with better suspension and options though...we stayed with the Polaris brand though.

Are your newer ones black, Janie? Can't beat basic black in anything. For many years my daddy would only drive black cars.....'course way back then that was about the only 'color' you could get.:D

Mary:

The Coast Guard vessel Biscayne Bay is officially not a boat. It is classified as a cutter. Typically anything 65 feet or longer is called a cutter. The Navy would call them ships but all Coast Guard “ships” are called cutters.

The 140 foot USCGC Biscayne Bay (WTGB 104) is stationed in St. Ignace with the assigned unit missions of Ice Breaking, Search and Rescue, and Maritime Homeland Security (i.e. Law Enforcement). The primary mission of ice breaking by Bay class cutters (all named after American Bays) is accomplished by what is called a bubbler system. Low pressure air and water is forced between the hull and ice that effectively lubricates the hull. There are eight such cutters in service in the Great Lakes and the Northeast U.S.

~Ed

Shirley, Bob's is black,w/red mine is a deep purple and black.

Well, Janie, you've still got some 'black', eh?:)

This is not the Biscayne Bay, it is the Katmai Bay....i took pictures of this boat myself only 3 days apart when they were here in Houghton.

That certainly makes more sense since the USCGC Katmai Bay (WTGB 101) is stationed in Sault Ste. Marie.