Dispatch From the Dunes #8: The Wild Blue

Lake Michigan caresses the Leelanau Peninsula coastline and its alluring waters adjacent to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (SBDNL). Sleeping Bear Tour Co.'s Julie Den Uyl, who leads wilderness hikes in the park, shares an up-close look at what Lake Michigan reveals right now: 

Anglers destination: Sport anglers will soon be targeting river mouths as native and introduced fish return to their rearing sites. Steelhead, Coho, and Chinook are three non-native species introduced into the waters of Lake Michigan. Three commonly sought-after varieties provide a challenge and reward for the angler. Prior to dropping or casting a line, review the Michigan Fishing License Regulations.
One native species of Lake Michigan, the Lake Trout, still receives assistance from local fish hatcheries and restocking programs to maintain its numbers. One million lake trout are added to the waters each year, as the species has been unable to successfully maintain its own reproductive consistency.
If visiting the lakeshore mid-September, gaze out into the open waters near river mouths and you just may witness a spectacular event. Thousands of porpoising coho can be viewed awaiting temperature influxes conducive to their migration inland.

In bloom: The vivid red cardinal flower, yellow goldenrod, and smooth asters are currently in
bloom. Specimens can be found near water resources. With twenty-six inland lakes in SBDNL a multitude of viewing sites exist for these beauties.
Wild mint flourishes in the northern Michigan forest, especially along the water’s edge. Mint variants are on display and all share the common trait of square stems, opposing leaves, and the signature fresh scent. Mint is a vibrant addition to a Michigan fruit salad — local peaches are in season now — or steep a few leaves in your tea.

The sands hold knowledge: Visit any beach within the National Lakeshore and the sands provide a scripture of past travelers. The unmistakable heart hoof of a deer, five-finger like toes of a raccoon, varying sized birds from the goose to the piping plover, or the tail dragging turtle headed for a nesting site. View the sands as a chalkboard of history swiped clean daily. Lake levels due to wave action can disrupt your usual path or create new areas to explore. A sandy beach one day may be cobblestone lined the next. Caches of water collect and form “tidal pools” along the sandy shorelines. Look for deer, raccoon, blue heron, and turtles careening these areas. The shallow warm water creates steller habitat for newly developed tadpole and insect larvae.

An ancient coast, always in motion: The glacial debris displayed along the coasts of SBDNL were chiseled and sculpted by ancient glacial phenomena. Established as a protected landscape primarily for the unique natural features held within the lands, Lake Michigan is a key compound of the continual design. Weather, temperatures, and winds are continual forces in the naturalization of ecosystems and steered by this large body of water. Within hours a metamorphosis can occur as churning waters grow into angry swells of power.
The continuous winds and waves of Lake Michigan alter the outflow of one of the few remaining naturally flowing river mouths on Michigan’s west coast, the Platte River tributary. The Lake Michigan shoreline is in constant flux as the moving capacity of the river changes with relative rainfall and sediments are carried to varying collection zones. Once deemed a focal point for a major sport fishing marina and recreational area,  this pristine watershed area provides the modern visitor with intense displays of continual change.

Photo courtesy Sleeping Bear Tour Co.