There’s an old saying in Michigan (probably in every other state, as well) that goes something like this….”If you don’t like the weather, wait ten minutes – it’ll change.” So true!
The weather news had been full of high wind warnings for the latter portion of the week. So, I bustled around in the early days (warm, bright, and sunny) getting yard work done. November has been a spectacular month weather-wise, with many days where it was warm enough to enjoy being outside without a jacket. Rare, indeed. But that all came to a screeching halt on Thursday when West Michigan got walloped with cold and wind.
So, what do we do when it gets windy like this? Head to Lake Michigan to watch the action, of course. Wind gusts of up to 40mph for a couple of days had the Lake whipped up like I’ve not seen in years.
How windy was it? So windy that the current in the channel was actually running backward – IN from the Lake, instead of OUT to the Lake. Incredible.
So, I braced myself as well as I could and snapped a few photos. The beach was full of folks with camera with huge lenses – there have been lots of terrific photos posted on Facebook this week. 
We hung around for awhile, and left when it started to sleet. It felt like the wind was driving the ice pellets right into my face. Nasty!
Here’s the best of the photos I took. The lighthouse at the end of the pier stands 36 feet high – and waves were smashing up over the top. What a crazy Michigan day.
There was so much sand blowing around that the City was running front end loaders up and down the street, plowing sand.
For those of you who have never camped in a Michigan State Park, this is what passes for a campground along the Lake Michigan lakeshore. I know, it looks like a parking lot – incredible that the competition for these spaces is intense in the summer. We met some folks from Indiana who mentioned that they were so close to their neighbors that they were unable to put out their slide. We don’t camp here.
And, a few more videos, just to top things off. As I write this, it’s beautiful and sunny. Temps back up in the low 60s. For now, I’ll take that.
The power of nature is amazing. So glad to see it through your camera lens. Looks way too chilly for my liking.
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Hanging around bad weather isn’t all bad, Dave. It makes the winter escape all that much sweeter When you seriously hit the road next year, you’ll find yourself wandering into all sorts of lousy weather – just be a good Scout, be prepared, and it all adds to the fun.
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I heard a similar saying while in Melbourne.
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Yeah, I had the feeling it wasn’t unique to Michigan. sigh….
On Mon, Nov 16, 2015 at 2:41 PM, campshaws wrote:
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As much as I hate cold weather – your pictures and descriptions made me yearn to be in Michigan again. The power of Lake Michigan is electrifying.
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Usually, there’s not too much to miss with November Michigan weather. But there is something special about the ‘big’ weather that makes it fun to be around.
On Sun, Nov 15, 2015 at 11:24 PM, campshaws wrote:
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I think that your photos are great, as are the videos, you really captured the power of the waves and wind!
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Thanks, Jerry. I was really disappointed in the video quality, but I was getting pushed around so much by the wind, I just couldn’t hold still. Couldn’t find anywhere to brace myself. It is wonderful to be near the Lake when it’s so crazy, though.
On Sun, Nov 15, 2015 at 10:45 PM, campshaws wrote:
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I’ve been out there in previous storms, I know how hard the wind hammers a person, both physically and mentally, no need to apologize for the photos or videos.
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It’s just really surprising how hard it is to hold still!
On Mon, Nov 16, 2015 at 12:26 PM, campshaws wrote:
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The ground floor thing is worrisome only during a bad storm, but we do have tsunamis on our minds, too.
Know what you mean about timing. Oregon summers are the best time of the year but what did we do last July? Ended up being way down south for most of it! However, we had a really hot summer with many temps between 95-100, so we didn’t miss much.
Let me know if you do think about coming out this way as I’m filled with advice. :-)
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That would be fun with warmer weather
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Yes, it would. But I think part of the beauty of the whole scene was the dark wintry sky. It looked cold, and certainly WAS cold, which added to the whole dark beauty. We don’t go to the lakeshore around here often, so it was a great time for a visit.
On Sun, Nov 15, 2015 at 5:20 PM, campshaws wrote:
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When were you out there, Judy? I was out there around noon to 1:30 on Thursday. It’s so beautiful and ominous when the big lake gets blowing. Did you see the crazy surfers and kite boarders? I got some pictures, but none as wonderful as yours.
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We went early Friday afternoon. Nobody in the water – happy about that, because I would have been upset to see those idiots! I saw some videos or photos online though, where folks were actually standing out on the pier! Can’t imagine anyone being that stupid.
So beautiful, eh?
On Sun, Nov 15, 2015 at 5:05 PM, campshaws wrote:
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Looks just like the Oregon coast when the winds are high which is one reason we don’t get hotel rooms that are beach level. So fun to watch but not so fun to be out in it, eh? We are going to the coast over Thanksgiving and hoping for either stormy weather or sunny and calm.
I hope you two can make it out this far someday. Our coast is pretty gorgeous but sorry to say campsite availability is pretty rare from June-September. October is a great month to visit. :-)
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We hope to get out your way in the not-to-distant future, but the time frame is awkward for us. Maybe late next summer? There are so many places to go that require summer travel, and that (sadly) is the time we most appreciate being home. What to do?
Never thought about the ground floor hotel thing. Now I won’t be able to get it out of my mind!
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