GOOD BYE TO GRINDSTONE
November 3, 2006
Randy and I traveled up to our "summer home" to close up and winterize our 5th wheel trailer, and say good-bye to our dear friends in the northern tip of the Thumb of Michigan. Grindstone City is a quaint little fishing village with the apt motto of "A drinking village with a fishing problem." I believe Grindstone probably has a permanent population of around 40 people, but a seasonal population of around 400, fifty percent of them fishermen.
This was an emotional visit. This area is certainly one one of my favorite spots on the planet, and we have become quite close to the other folks who have seasonal homes in the resort known as Whalen's Grindstone Shores. Whalen's was established around 40 years ago by Mae Whalen (long deceased) as a quiet, simple spot for folks such as herself, who enjoy the peace and serenity, as well as the fishing, of Lake Huron. We have found soulmates and solice there, and will miss it tremendously. So much have we enjoyed this place that we have decided to spend the money to keep our spot in the park. A few friends and family have expressed interest in utilizing our little slice of heaven, so we know we leave it in good hands.
I guess the appeal of Grindstone for me can be summed up in one word ... simplicity. It's not fancy (and neither are the people which is what I LOVE about them). It's beauty comes completely from nature. There is a natural harbor that opens into Lake Huron. Whalen's sits on the edge of this harbor and my favorite spot for a walk is around this harbor and along the shoreline. Normally, during the season, the main activity is the fishing boats heading in and out of the harbor to try their luck with the salmon, steelhead, and lake trout. When the fishing is good, there is a natural rhythm to the area that goes something like this on the weekends:
4:30 AM Wake up, coffee, head out to the boat
5:00 AM Fish until 11:00 or until you've reach your limit, whichever comes first
Noon Head back to the harbor, hang your catch on the various "bragging posts"
and make up big lies about how you caught each fish and the one that got away
while cleaning your catch
1:00 PM Lunch and nap
4:00 PM Head back out to the boat for the evening fish and repeat 5:00 AM above
8:00 PM Grill fish. Put your feet up by the campfire with a cold one and tell some more lies.
10:00 PM Go to bed and do it again tomorrow.
Of course, there are those of us who either get seasick or simply cannot resist curling up in a hammock with a book, but basically everything revolves around the schedule, weather notwithstanding. The last couple of seasons though the fish (particularly the salmon) have migrated to Lake Michigan, so the schedule has gone by the wayside a bit.
There have been wonderful gatherings ... chili cook-offs, pig roasts, 4th of July fireworks, rummage sales, just to name a few happenings. One of the most memorable events actually happened when most of us were sleeping. The attempt by a couple of 16-year olds to steal a cooler full of beer from our neighbor resulted in the said neighber running through the park in his tighty-whities, if you know what I mean. He caught 'em. Got his cooler back too. We supplied the streaker with lovely boxers for his next nocturnal journey ... this IS a rather conservative community, you know.
There have been snapping turtle rescues, skunk mishaps, and more deer sightings than I can count. For a simple place, I can't say that I've EVER been bored. But I have laughed until I cried, and loved until I ached both the people and the place ... I hope it doesn't change too much until we can return.
Randy and I traveled up to our "summer home" to close up and winterize our 5th wheel trailer, and say good-bye to our dear friends in the northern tip of the Thumb of Michigan. Grindstone City is a quaint little fishing village with the apt motto of "A drinking village with a fishing problem." I believe Grindstone probably has a permanent population of around 40 people, but a seasonal population of around 400, fifty percent of them fishermen.
This was an emotional visit. This area is certainly one one of my favorite spots on the planet, and we have become quite close to the other folks who have seasonal homes in the resort known as Whalen's Grindstone Shores. Whalen's was established around 40 years ago by Mae Whalen (long deceased) as a quiet, simple spot for folks such as herself, who enjoy the peace and serenity, as well as the fishing, of Lake Huron. We have found soulmates and solice there, and will miss it tremendously. So much have we enjoyed this place that we have decided to spend the money to keep our spot in the park. A few friends and family have expressed interest in utilizing our little slice of heaven, so we know we leave it in good hands.
I guess the appeal of Grindstone for me can be summed up in one word ... simplicity. It's not fancy (and neither are the people which is what I LOVE about them). It's beauty comes completely from nature. There is a natural harbor that opens into Lake Huron. Whalen's sits on the edge of this harbor and my favorite spot for a walk is around this harbor and along the shoreline. Normally, during the season, the main activity is the fishing boats heading in and out of the harbor to try their luck with the salmon, steelhead, and lake trout. When the fishing is good, there is a natural rhythm to the area that goes something like this on the weekends:
4:30 AM Wake up, coffee, head out to the boat
5:00 AM Fish until 11:00 or until you've reach your limit, whichever comes first
Noon Head back to the harbor, hang your catch on the various "bragging posts"
and make up big lies about how you caught each fish and the one that got away
while cleaning your catch
1:00 PM Lunch and nap
4:00 PM Head back out to the boat for the evening fish and repeat 5:00 AM above
8:00 PM Grill fish. Put your feet up by the campfire with a cold one and tell some more lies.
10:00 PM Go to bed and do it again tomorrow.
Of course, there are those of us who either get seasick or simply cannot resist curling up in a hammock with a book, but basically everything revolves around the schedule, weather notwithstanding. The last couple of seasons though the fish (particularly the salmon) have migrated to Lake Michigan, so the schedule has gone by the wayside a bit.
There have been wonderful gatherings ... chili cook-offs, pig roasts, 4th of July fireworks, rummage sales, just to name a few happenings. One of the most memorable events actually happened when most of us were sleeping. The attempt by a couple of 16-year olds to steal a cooler full of beer from our neighbor resulted in the said neighber running through the park in his tighty-whities, if you know what I mean. He caught 'em. Got his cooler back too. We supplied the streaker with lovely boxers for his next nocturnal journey ... this IS a rather conservative community, you know.
There have been snapping turtle rescues, skunk mishaps, and more deer sightings than I can count. For a simple place, I can't say that I've EVER been bored. But I have laughed until I cried, and loved until I ached both the people and the place ... I hope it doesn't change too much until we can return.
posted by Roxanne Gillett at
11:24 AM
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