Birthday Fun

So, it was my birthday, which happens.  Coincident with my birthday is my brother's birthday, and my sister's anniversary, but also it was one of the few days that the Lorain port authority was hosting lighthouse tours.   So, I decided to go kayaking in Lorain in the afternoon, and on the tour in the evening.  I have a little bit of a tradition of kayaking on my birthday, though not last year, since I had the long shift in the MICU that day.  The kayaking wasn't great, as its a pretty industrial area, not very picturesque, but the lighthouse was lovely, and I really enjoyed exploring it.  It's made of poured concrete, is four stories, including the basement, and sits at a little bit of a tilt because its been hit by two giant lake tankers during storms.  Shy of trying to hit it from the other side with two more tankers, not a lot could be done to straighten it out.

The approach from the kayak.  It was actually quite a distance from the landing where we rented the kayaks, down the river, and out into the harbor.  I had to turn back shortly after I took this picture in order to get on the boat for the tour.

Lorain, OH lighthouse

View of sailboats coming in to the harbor from the tower of the lighthouse

At the top of the tower

Metal shutters on the concrete wall

 flights of stairs

After visiting the Lorain lighthouse, I thought there just might be time for a jaunt a little farther along the coast to Huron, which there was.

The Huron lighthouse, along a short, very manageable breakwater.  So manageable that there were old people out there.  

Having fun with perspective.

As you can tell, its actually quite large; those tiny people turned out to be some Mennonites, doing some fishing.  

Overall, a fun day.