08:00 a.m. - 01:00 p.m.

Day seven will be filled with human-kind's attempts at taming nature and exploring some of the environmental implications of these modifications. Our first stop of the day takes us to the Soo Locks located on the St. Marys River.

Lake Superior's only connection with the other Great Lakes is through the St. Marys River. The St. Marys Rapids mark the spot where Lake Superior drops approximately 21 feet to meet the other lakes. To make shipping of natural resources a reality, the first lock was constructed on the Canadian side of the border in 1797! The beginnings of the locks on the U.S. side of the border began in 1885. Since that time the locks have transformed into a technological marvel that provides a conduit for shipping and another avenue for generating hydroelectric power.

We will look at how the locks work by taking the Soo Locks Boat Tour, which takes us through the locks themselves.

We will also visit another of the Upper Peninsula's many treasures while on this tour.

Lighthouses are just one more way that we attempt to control our environment by pointing out dangerous areas for shipping. This will also insure that we do not damage our environment by having a potentially hazardous accident that could impact the Great Lakes waters. Although the lighthouse pictured below is a historical site on this tour, we will also visit the Gros Cap Reefs Lighthouse, which is a Canadian owned and operated automated lighthouse.

The boat tour is about 4.5 hours in length and a box lunch will be provided for all students during the trip.

01:00 - 02:00 p.m.

We will depart Sault Saint Marie for the Mackinac Bridge.

02:00 - 03:30 p.m.

Mackinac Bridge - Our second stop of the day, the Mackinac Bridge is the third largest suspension bridge in the world and the largest in the western hemisphere. Opened in 1957, the bridge was an engineering feat. Many of the processes we discussed in Hydrology and Geology were used in developing the plans for the bridge. Borings of the underlying geolgy were taken, ice and water currents were studied and climatolgy was consulted for the best time of year to begin work.

We will stop at the Bridge View Park for a look at the bridge and go to a visitor center to read some of the history of the bridge. We will discuss how the natural sciences play an integral part in the building of any structure with special emphasis on large structures like this one.

A unique activity that has begun on the bridge is the annual Labor Day walk. Each year two lanes of the bridge are closed off and the governor along with 50 to 80 thousand other people make the 5 mile trek across the bridge.

03:30 - 04:30 p.m.

Dunes - Time permitting, we will stop along the northern shore of Lake Michigan while returning to Green Bay for our transportation home. We will explore some dune activity and discuss how Michigan has taken steps to insure the dunes continue to be a tourist haven, while also finding commercial uses for them.

Dune mining is a business which is mainly concentrated in the Lower Peninsula, but some harvesting occurs in the U.P. as well.

There have been steps taken in recent years to ensure that the over-mining does not occur and some groups are calling for a halt to all mining operations due to environmental concerns. Over-mining may actually cause excessive erosion of a beach front. This could create an environment where irreparable long term damage to the shoreline may occur.

04:30 -05:30 p.m.

Dinner at a local restaurant.

05:30 - 08:30 p.m.

Return to our hotel in Green Bay. Review of day's activities. Fill out course critiques. Prepare for departures back to our homes.

I hope you enjoyed your time in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The stops that we made during the week only begin to touch on the many treasures this beautiful part of the country has to offer. Hope to see you again sometime......Mike Marsicek

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