Wednesday 23 January 2019

Ohope, part 3

Sun at last! Slather on the sun block 50 and let's go.


 We watched that cloud develop, quite a sight. And look what we can see out there, now that the atmosphere is clear. That is White Island.



 We started our day by driving down to the west end of the beach. 




 The far end was rocky, but that was okay. We all had a blast climbing around. 
Allie especially had an interesting experience while on the sand in front of those rocks. 
At one point, she stepped into a little deeper hole in the sand, and instantly felt a sharp pain on the side of one foot. She jerked it out of the hole and found the site of the pain red, but the skin unbroken. Investigating later, she found a large clam at the bottom of the hole and believes that it had been sitting there partially open. When she stepped into the hole, it pinched shut and happened to catch a bit of skin, startling her but doing no real damage. 



 Allie and the boys pointed out a path to Jeanne and I that lead to an observation platform. They dashed off up the trail. J and I followed at a more sedate pace.



I took a few pictures as we climbed an infinite number of steps. 


 The pathway was narrow, running along the face of the cliff.





 At the top was this quail.



As I stood on the top viewing platform, I looked toward our house and wondered just where on the cliff we were. What it would look like from our house? Well, later that day I took pictures from our house toward the cliff-side platform we had been standing on. This is what I saw with the aid of my camera.
 Look at the bare rock spots on the distant hillside in the center of the picture.


That's where we were. The quail was in the trees on the far left side of the platform.  
Lots more to come. Check back soon for another installment.      -djf

4 comments:

  1. What a beautiful view! You all must have the strongest legs and stomach muscles from climbing all those steps. I will have to start training to get ready for my hike around Lake of the Clouds during the 4th of July this year. I want to do it for my "big" birthday coming up in August. I cannot remember Lake of the Clouds enough from my childhood to know if it has the many steps like at Presque Isle. McKenzie

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    1. It is not too much of a climb from the parking lot to the Overlook for the lake, but it is a long ways down from the Overlook to the level of the lake.
      But what a great hike that sounds like.
      I had always wanted to do the hike from Lake of the Clouds to the Presque Isle River mouth, but never got around to it.
      With all the waking you do up and down the hills in MN., I'm sure you'll be in fine shape for the 4th. Have fun.

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  2. The West End of Ohope sure looks beautiful and full of delightful treasures - did you find lots of shells - excluding that mean ol clam that bit Allie? When you said that the path was narrow and ran along the face of the cliff I was imagining an attack of vertigo could completely wipe me out! but with a sturdy rail and lots of vegetation to shield my view of the drop-off, I may not get vertigo at all. And then the view from up there must have been quite the reward.

    The pix from your house of the place you climbed - is it just me- or do those bare patches on the cliff remind you too of a map of Michigan?

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    1. Yes, we did find some nice shells, although not one of each of the species listed on the sign.
      Although it was narrow, the steps and railings were of a sturdy sort that I'm sure would have allowed you to make the climb.
      And I see what you mean about the cliff face resembling Michigan.
      Thanks for the comments.

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