The Lake Michigan Shoreline | James Cook Fine Art Photography

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Michigan's Lake Michigan Coastal Area: Land Beyond the Dunes and Lake
Not the Dunes, Not the Lake: The Other Stuff™

A large white steamship named SS Keewatin with a yellow and red funnel is being towed by a red and black tugboat along the Kalamazoo River in Saugatuck, Michigan, surrounded by green trees, in drizzling rain. In the foreground, a person in a small inflatable boat with an umbrella photographs the scene as the ship navigates its last curve toward Lake Michigan.

Departure of the Keewatin In a drizzling rain and with tugboats at each end, the SS Keewatin is backed around the last curve of the Kalamazoo River and out to Lake Michigan. After 45 years as a local museum and landmark, the Edwardian steamship was returning to her original home port, Port McNicoll, Ontario. Some were compelled to follow, however they could, for a last possible look.

A green and red tugboat named Reiss sits frozen in the ice on Lake Kalamazoo in Saugatuck, Michigan, with a snowy shoreline featuring houses and a forested hill in the background. A radar dome sits atop the hill under a cloudy sky. Tall, dry reeds line the foreground.

Frozen in Time Powered by an 1880, one-of-a-kind, two cylinder steam engine, the single screw tug, Reiss, was built in 1913. It was brough to Saugatuck in 1969. After running aground during an attempt to move it, the Reiss spent a decade sitting on a sand bar as a curiosity and tourist attraction on Lake Kalamazoo. In 2015 it was finally pulled free.

A close-up of a classic 1955 Cadillac's side mirror and antenna silhouetted against a gradient sunset sky fading from purple to orange. Oval Beach, Saugatuck, Michigan

Classic Sunset at Oval Beach A classic 1955 Cadillac is silhouetted against the vibrant sunset at Oval Beach, its surface reflecting the warm hues of purple and orange.

A serene beach at sunset with gentle waves reflecting golden sunlight, creating a shimmering effect on the water. Oval Beach, Saugatuck, Michigan

Rhythm and Blues As waves wash across a low berm, the water left behind momentarily takes on the texture of the sand before seeping away and back to the lake. The sand of Oval Beach has been deposited over the eons by the action of wind and water.

A sandy beach featuring various footprints, tire tracks, and small animal tracks scattered across the surface. Oval Beach, Saugatuck, Michigan

Conflicts of Interest Much like an Etcha-Sketch, an afternoon rain reset the canvas of sand at Oval Beach, reputed to be among the world's finest sands. Hours later the sand bore testimony of the afternoon's activity and an illustration about the conflicts of interest about the lakeshore's future.

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A row of mature cedar trees with thick trunks and lush green foliage, native to West Michigan, stands in a forested area, showcasing their conical shape and potential use for lining driveways, roads, and boundaries. Pieces of wood nailed to the trunk of one form a ladder disappearing into the tree.

Stairway to Heaven Cedars, which are native to West Michigan, are common in many of the region’s landscapes. These trees can live for hundreds of years and are among some of the longest living plant species in the area. A mature cedar can grow up to 40 or 50 feet in height with trunk diameters up to two or three feet. Its thick conical shape makes it popular in landscapes for lining driveways, roads and boundaries.

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Snow-covered ground with multiple sets of goose tracks, including a circular pattern and straight lines, set against a bright, snowy landscape and an ice covered surface.

Walks Like a Duck, Petersen Preserve If it walks like a duck, it might be a goose. Either way, the tracks reveal recent weather trends between freezing and thawing on the bank and surface of Peterson's Pond in Saugatuck, Michigan.

Signature with Copyright is superimposed on digital images only, and does not appear on purchased, personally signed prints.

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