THE WORLD DIVIDED

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KITES, CHRISTMAS AND FUN

SUMMER EVENTS FOR 2008 ON LAKE ERIE'S ISLANDS

LAKE ERIE ISLANDS -- Put-In-Bay on South Bass Island has lined up a fund of fun things to do over the summer. Here are just a few.
JULY 4 -- Naturalization Ceremony at the Perry Victory Visitor Center. And in the evening, fireworks over the downtown harbor.

JULY 5 -- Firelands Symphony Orchestra will perform the Freedom Concert at 7 p.m. at the Perry Victory Visitor Center.

JULY 25-27 -- Jingle bells, jingle bells ... All the halls, bars, hotels, restaurants and lamp posts will be decked out for Christmas in July. Ho, ho, ho and a boat decorating contest too.

JULY 30-31 -- Powerboat Regatta.

JULY 31 - AUGUST 3 -- The I-LYA Senior Sailboat Regatta.

AUGUST 7 -- The 5th Annual North Bass Island Historical Tour. For boat reservations and such, call 1-419-285-2804.

AUGUST 8 -- Twenty barbershop quartets will be harmonizing their hearts out at the Perry Victory Visitor Center Plaza at 7 p.m.

AUGUST 9 -- These same 20 quartets will be performing on Middle Bass Island for the island's 61st such event at the Town Hall.

AUGUST 12 -- The Roundhouse Bar once again will run the hilarious Bartenders Olympics on Put-In-Bay's Delaware Avenue and inside the bar. A parade at 7 p.m. and the lighting of the Olympic torch.

AUGUST 22-23 -- Key West Days at Put-in-Bay. Ahh, think Hawaiian shirts and Land Shark beer while the performers show off who typically work Key West in the winter and Put-In-Bay in the summer. They include Mike "Mad Dog" Adams, Pete and Wayne, Ray Fogg and the irrepressible Patrick Huston Dailey.

For details, contact Put-In-Bay.
PELEE ISLAND -- This southernmost place in Canada is usually pretty laid back, but a couple of events have cropped out that could spark your summer.

JUNE 28 -- The Grand Opening of the island's Kite Museum with kites from just about everywhere, including Japan, China, Germany, Guatemala, India, England, France, Malaysia, Korea, the United States and, of course, Canada. And its not just about seeing bright colors in the sky. You can do your own kite sailing from a 10-acre field behind the museum that is dedicated just for kite flying.

JULY 12 -- The 14th Annual Pelee Island Regatta.
For details, contact Pelee Island.

FAST BOAT, GOOD CAUSE

Earth Voyager is fast. Very, very fast.
The Formula 60 Trimaran -- 60-feet long, 44-feet wide with a 100-foot mast -- is reputed to be the fastest sailboat on the Great Lakes.
The Earth Voyager sailboat can cruise at 21 miles per hour and has been clocked at 40 mph.
That's powerboat fast.
You can get a chance to see the zippy sailer this summer as it tours the Great Lakes stumping for protection and restoration of the Big Five's waters -- on its Healthy Lakes Healthy Lives Tour.
Part of the mission is to get the government to put up $20 billion over the next five years to stop waste from entering the waters because of aging sewer systems, to close out invasive species and to cope with toxic sediments already in the lakes.
Here's the Earth Voyager's schedule.
Toledo -- June 18-21; Detroit -- June 23-28; Port Huron June 30-July 11; Sarnia, Ontario -- July 1; Bayview Port Huron to Mackinaw Race -- July 12-14; July 19-21 -- 100th Annual Chicago to Mackinac Race; Traverse City -- July 24-27; Grand Haven, Mich. -- August 6-9; Milwaukee -- August 13-16; Bay City, Mich. -- August 20-23; Cleveland -- August 27-30 and Rochester, N.Y. -- September 5-7.
For details, check Healthy Lakes.

OLDEST SHIPWRECK FOUND IN LAKE ONTARIO

It was Oct. 31, 1780 -- the Revolutionary War was in full cry -- when the 22-gun British sloop of war went down in a gale on Lake Ontario.
The 80-foot HMS Ontario was just five months old. Yet the storm, no respecter of youth, took her down along with the crew of 40 men, 60 British soldiers and as many as 30 American prisoners of war.
Six bodies, some flotsam and the sail cloth did float to the surface following the sinking. But other than that, the Ontario had just vanished.
Until this past Saturday, June 14.
That's when two veteran shipwreck hunters announced they had discovered the 228-year-old wreck lying in near perfect condition in some 500 feet of water off Lake Ontario's southern shore.
The Ontario is the oldest shipwreck and the only fully intact British warship ever found in the Great Lakes, said Jim KIennard and Dan Scoville.
Kennard is an electrical engineer who has been diving for 40 years and claims to have found more than 200 shipwrecks in the Great Lakes, Lake Champlain, New York's Finger Lakes and the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers.
Scoville is a diver who helped develop a remote-controlled submersible with students at the Rochester Institute of Technology. It was used to videotape the wreck.
Experienced wreck divers often will go down and explore sunken ships to depths of 200 feet or so. But almost never go to the 500-foot depth there the Ontario lies.
In 1995, two divers did plummet down to the famed Edmund Fitzgerald in Lake Superior, which lies at a depth of 530 feet. It marked what is likely the world's deepest wreck dive, but their time on the ship was less than five minutes -- virtually no time at all for exploring.
See the book Shipwreck Hunter for the story of the Fitzgerald as well as the breath-catching dangers of shipwreck hunting and diving in the Great Lakes.
Kennard and Scoville found the Ontario using sidescan sonar equipment and explored and videotaped it using the submersible.
The two said they thought of the Ontario as a burial site, removed nothing, but did gather enough video to produce a documentary about their discovery. They did not disclose the ship's location and added they were unlikely to return to the site.
The Ontario had never seen battle, even though it was the biggest British warship in the Great Lakes. At the time it went down, the sloop apparently was being used to ferry troops and supplies along New York's upstate frontier.
The British tried to hush up the sinking, because they knew that Gen. George Washington's troops would not only take heart in the loss, but also strategic advantage of the loss.
But the did look for the lost ship. They looked hard. What they found was little. Hatchway gratings, the binnacle, compasses and several hats and blankets floated ashore the next day. Several days after that, the ship's sails were found afloat. And the next year, six bodies washed up near Wilson, N.Y.
Kennard, who has been searching on and off for the Ontario for 35 years, hooked up with Scoville six years ago. Together, they found seven other ships in the Great Lakes.
Then came their big find. The HMS Ontario, one of the so-called "Holy Grail" shipwrecks in the Great Lakes.
(Another Holy Grail Ship, the Griffon, sailed by the French explorer La Salle in 1679 -- 101 years before the Ontario -- may have been discovered in Northern Lake Michigan. But so far, not enough evidence is in to prove it one way or the other.
To the delight of Kennard and Scoville, the British ship was in near perfect condition, preserved in the lakes deep, cold waters.
The two shipwreck hunters found the ship lying partially on its side, with it's masts still rising 70 feet above the lake bottom.
"Usually when ships go down in big storms, they get beat up quite a bit. They don't sink nice and square," Scoville said.
(The Ontario) went down in a huge storm and it still managed to stay in tact," he said. "There are even two windows that aren't broken. Just going down, the pressure difference can break the windows. It's a beautiful ship."
Kennard and Scoville confirmed their discovery when they spotted the ship's distinctive two crows' nests on each mast, decorative scroll work on the bow stem and quarter galleries on either side of the stern.
They also videoed two cannons, to anchors and the ship's bell.
(Taken from wire service reports)

FIREWORKS, FESTIVALS AND FUN

2008 SUMMER EVENTS ON LAKE MICHIGAN ISLANDS

BEAVER ISLAND
Here is just a sampling of the good times on the most Irish of the Great Lakes islands.

JUNE 27-28 -- Electric Car Show. Listen to the hummmmmm.
JULY 3 -- The Chenille Sisters with music, wit and giggles for the opening of the new Beaver Island Community Center.
JULY 4 -- An Independence Day parade down Main Street, a carnival for the kids and come dusk a boat parade followed by fireworks.
JULY 5 -- Everything Irish -- Music, dance, stories and, heaven-protect-us, food.
JULY 18-19 -- Beaver Island Air Show, featuring the Yankee Lady, a B-17 bomber from World War II that usually is housed at the Yankee Air Museum in Hangar 2 at Willow Run Airport near Ypsilanti.
Beaver Island Music Festival with all kinds of music all over the island.
JULY 21-26 -- Museum Week. Music, presentations on nature, Native American culture, oral histories, a pet show, an art show and lots of fascinating stuff about the famed James Jesse Strang, the island's -- and America's only -- Mormon king.
(If I once again may be immodest, you can find a fine retelling of the Strang story in my book Islands: Great Lakes Stories.
JULY 29-AUGUST 3 -- Baroque on Beaver Here are five days of classical gas.
Some 80 first-class musicians -- professionals,students and island amateurs -- will be playing at events around the island. Also a music camp for youngsters.
AUGUST 4-8 -- Writers Gathering & Literary Event. Well-known authors come to talk about their craft, teach and do readings from their works at Bluebird Farm. Those who come to take workshops, and places might all be filled by this point, will pay $550 for the privilege. Others can pay $10 to hear the readings. Contact Beaver Island Writers.
SEPTEMBER 13 -- Celtic Games. Look on as sturdy men in kilts struggle to heave huge weights and toss the caber, the somewhat archaic art of lifting a 18-foot-long, 150-pound cedar log and throwing it end-over-end for distance. This, typically, is not an event for the writerly types who showed up the month before.
For details, contact the Beaver Island Chamber of Commercece or the Beaver Island Beacon newspaper.

WASHINGTON ISLAND
Here are a few things to do when you are not basking on a beach, fishing or sipping bitters in a bar.

JULY 4 -- Independence Day fireworks at the baseball park.
JULY 5-7 -- The musical Oliver, performed by the Island Players.
JULY 12 -- Art in the Park with lots of watercolors and photos.
AUGUST 1-3 -- Scandinavian Fest
AUGUST 1 -- Scandinavian Fest Kaffe and Stavikirke (see photo above) Open House.
AUGUST 2 -- Scandinavian Dance Festival
AUGUST 3 -- Scandinavian Worship Service at Trinity Lutheran Church.
AUGUST 4-15 -- Music Festival with first-rank musicians from the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and other symphony orchestras.
Concerts will be performed at 7:30 p.m. on August 4, 7, 10 and 15 at the Arts & Nature Center. Price: $12 for adults, $6 for children.
Music lovers also can attend, at no charge, an open rehearsal on August 9.
In addition, the island will have a Children's Concert at 11 a.m., August 13 and the Under the Big Top Concert with island musicians at 7:30 p.m. on August 14.
In addition, a benefit concert will be given on Memorial Day weekend.

PARADES, POW WOWS, PICNICS ... AND FUN

2008 SUMMER EVENTS ON LAKE HURON ISLANDS

MACKINAC ISLAND
Like Sara Lee, nobody doesn't like Mackinac Island. Just a visit with bike riding around island, fudge eating, touring the old fort and watching butterflies is always a treat.
But during the summer, something special is going on every week. Here's a sampling.

June 6-15 -- Lilac Festival. This 10-day event is a big deal on the island with, of course, lots and lots of lilacs.
But it also includes a grand parade, free outdoor concerts, wine tasting, A Taste of Mackinac (each restaurant passing out tidbits) and, yes, a dog and pony show called The Epona and Barkus Parade.
You might even look for purplish fudge, the color of lilacs.

JULY 4 -- The Annual Stoneskipping and Gerplunking Club contest at 10 a.m. at Windermere Point. Bring some flat round stones and see how you do.
Fireworks at 9:45 p.m.

JULY 12-16 The annual Port Huron to Mackinac Yacht Race by the Bayview Yacht Club. Plan to hang out at the Painted Pony Bar with the yachties. They don't talk like swabbies, but they drink like them.

JULY 19 -- Vintage Baseball. Never mind million-dollar salaries, this is baseball as it was originally played in the 19th century -- barehanded with lots of dropping moustaches, a second baseman with a cigar in his teeth and the crowd yelling "Huzzah! Huzzah!" In case you are wondering, the emphasis is on the second syllable hu-ZAH. Now you can join in. The game will be played at the diamond behind the fort.

JULY 19-23 -- The 100th Annual Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac. Think blue and white. Those are yachtie colors. Starting from the city of big shoulders (not to mention big wallets), the yachties will be arriving sunburned, exhausted and, yes, ready to party.

JULY 24-26 -- Mackinac-Manitoulin Yacht Club Race. Same deal, shorter distance. This time between Little Current on the northeast corner of Manitoulin Island to Mackinac.

AUGUST 19-21 -- Mackinac Island Music Festival. So you say you like both kinds of music -- country AND western. Well there's that and a whole lot more -- jazz, R&B, you name it. Some of it's free, some you need to buy a ticket for. Look for Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels.

AUGUST 22-23 -- Fourth Annual Mackinac Island Fudge Festival. This is a big family deal. The Children's Ballet Theater of Michigan will perform. Also look skyward for the Great Kite Ascension and closer to the earth for National Dog Walk Day.

Details and information about lodging, restaurants and so on: check Mackinac Information or Mackinac Island Information.

LES CHENEAUX ISLANDS

AUGUST 9-10 -- The 25th Annual Antique Wooden Boat Show and Festival of Arts. If you love wooden boats -- old resort runabouts, canoes and sailboats, this is the place to ogle and take a bazillion photos. Some 120 entries this year at the Hessel Marina. To get to Hessel, take I-75 north from the Mackinac Bridge, turn east at Rte 359, drive about 16 miles and listen for the oohs and aahs.

MANITOULIN ISLAND

You don't have to drive to Oklahoma to see real Indian dancing, drumming contests and eat fry bread. It's all on Manitoulin, the world's largest fresh water island.
You can visit a real pow wows virtually every weekend of the year on the island. Not only that you'll be able to see and buy native arts and crafts. Amazing stuff, and very different from what comes from the American Southwest.
For a complete listing, check Circle Trail.

Also during the summer ...

JULY 4-6 -- The Wikwemikong Rodeo. If you have any question that Indians can't cowboy as well as cowboys, check this out on the Wikwemikong Rez in Thunderbird Park.

JULY 5-AUGUST 4 -- See Works by Indian Carvers and Wood Shapers at the Centennial Museum at Sheguiandah.

JULY 24-AUGUST 16. The De-Ba-Jeh-Mu-Jig Theatre Group. The name means "storytellers'' and this is Canada's oldest touring aboriginal theater group. See them at the Main Stage at Mission Ruins at Wikwemikong.

JULY 25-26 -- Gore Bay Summer Festival. Music, family fun and a beer garden under a tent. Don't want the suds sippers to get too tanned. Music from Jack McQuarrie and Jackson Edwards Band from Waco, Texas.

JULY 26 -- Kagawong Summerfest. Kagawong, with its lovely water falls nearby, is one of Ontario's prettiest villages. At least that's how people who judge such things think of it. The Fest will have a pancake breakfast, a silent auction and the ought-to-be famous Mudge Bay Float and Boat Parade.

AUGUST 8-9 -- THE MANITOULIN COUNTRY FEST II. If you lo-o-ove country music, Little Current is the place to be. Expect lots of country music stars. Also food and clothing vendors, kids activities, a beer garden (natch) and, for those you never made it to Dallas, a mechanical bull.
Yeeeehaw.
For details, contact Manitoulin Tourism.

DRUMMOND ISLAND
This is a quiet place for fishing, bike riding, boating and hanging out.

Every Saturday through the summer -- Tours of the DeTour Reef Lighthouse.

JUNE 28 -- The Second Annual Drummond Island Walleye Classic. Gentlemen, set your reels and ... cast.

JULY 4 -- A parade at noon and fireworks at dusk. Clip-clop and then sissss boom.

AUGUST 3 -- Arts & Crafts Show and Sale at the Elementary School.

LABOR DAY -- The 12- and 24-Hour Mountain Bike Endurance Race.

For details, contact the Drummond Island Chamber of Commerce.

OH (NO) CANADA !

It seems those nice Canadians are planning two not-so-nice developments that well might gum up (or further gum up) the Great Lakes.
One is an underground radioactive waste dump just north of Kincardine, Ontario on the Lake Huron shore across from the Michigan thumb.
The other is a five-mile-long heavy oil refinery on the banks of the St. Clair River proposed by Shell Canada. The Ontario site would be across the river from the Michigan towns of St. Clair and Marine City, reports the Detroit Free Press.
Environmentalists on both sides of the border, while not wanting to stop these projects, do want to make sure that all the proper studies have been conducted and rigorous safeguards put in place.
Nuke dump
According to the Free Press, Ontario nuclear officials are planning to bury low- and medium-level radioactive waste from some 20 nuclear plants in the repository site which would be about a half mile from Lake Huron and 2,150 feet underground.
How long would it be there? Hundreds of years. Think of it as permanent.
Environmentalists caution that safeguard should be ensured for just not the next few years but for the duration of the storage.
A spokeswoman for Ontario Generation said that if the repository cannot be done safely, it will not be built.
Refinery plan
The refinery, to be located along the river shore which has small farms and marinas, would process up to 250,000 barrels a day of heavy crude oil from the tar sands of Alberta. Reportedly the difficult process of refining oil from the tar sands results in more heavy pollutants being released into the air -- including sulphur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, sulfuric acid mist and nitrogen oxides.
The plant would be about 12 miles down stream from Ontario's so-called Chemical Valley, which begins near the Lake Huron at Sarnia, Ontario with old-style chemical and power plants and oil refineries.
The new Shell mega-operation would include a new power plant, a tank town for holding the oil, hazardous waste treatment, storage for piles of coke and docks that could accomodate 870 oil tankers a year.
The critics say, "Be careful. Be very, very careful."

L.SUPERIOR: BLOCKING BAD STUFF

Like a lot of awful things that sneak into our lives, this one is known by its initials -- VHS.
It stands for viral hemorrhagic septicemia.
You may end up calling it viral hemo-whatsis. No matter. Whatever the name, this virus has proven it can cause catastrophic fish kills. And it has hit every one of the Great Lakes, except Superior.
Understandably, no one wants it there.
So this spring the National Park Service acted to protect this largest and purest of our Great Lakes by instituting some emergency restrictions. Some of them may affect your summer vacation.
Restrictions include no exchange of ballast waters in park jurisdictions, decontamination of boats that carry water -- such as live fish wells -- that are launching into park waters and restrictions against certain fishing baits that are known to carry VHS.
Officials see that very small craft -- such as canoes and kayaks -- present almost no problem.
The restrictions are for the waters of Isle Royale National Park, the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, which contains the Grand Portage National Monument within its reservation boundaries.
Have no doubt. The situation is serious.
The virus already has caused massive fish kills of Muskellunge, freshwater drum, yellow perch, gizzard shad, white bass and round gobies. It also has caused deaths of rainbow trout and turbot.
VHS has been spotted in locations not only in the big lakes, but also in the Detroit River, Lake St. Clair and several inland lakes.
Experts believe that the virus, which was first discovered in the lakes five years ago, either was carried into the Great Lakes in ship ballast water or by fish that swam upstream in the St. Lawrence Seaway.
Fish contaminate themselves by taking in the virus either through their gills or by eating prey that have the virus.
The park service also is seeking help to block and contain the virus from the Great Lakes states that can enact helpful legislation that would require chemical treatment of ballast water.
For details, check the National Park Service's Emergency Prevention and Response Plan for Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia.