Getting Home

The Badger car ferry is a marvelous way to travel. Being somewhat neurotic and queasy on trips, I admit I was anxious about traveling at all, but aside from having to take dramamine, it was great. Leaving Michigan we were able to get on the ship and cross over in mostly daylight. Approaching Wisconsin, as the sky darkened, our first glimpse of land appeared as a strobing white light which turned out to be the beacon on the top of the outer breakwall marker in Manitowac. Much to our surprise, in the middle of harbor, the Badger did an amazing 180 degree turn in order to back into the berth.
Unloading was also surprising. The cargo deck is like a highway with a sharp hairpin turn at the far end. First the driving crew puts in the passenger vehicles. The campers, motor homes, and semis go in last. Because they are too long to make the turn, they have to be backed in. When the Badger was moored and the sea gate lifted, the semis just rolled out of the belly of the boast as if continuing down a highway. But the cars being unloaded was actually funny. A driver would manuver the car out of the ship, park it, jump out, and run like the hounds of hell to get his or her next car. When several of them would be running back to the ship at the same time, it was like a foot race. The passengers were standing behind a barrier waiting for their cars, and since there were a great many, having the runners to watch made a long wait entertaining.
Going over, we had the recent bereavement on our minds and although it was a good trip, I will tell about the trip back because it was more enjoyable. After saying a reluctant goodbye to our family, we left Whitewater, Wisconsin plenty early, and picked a different route which would involve fewer transitions. It was a sunny evening after days of variable rain and sun. The farms we passed seemed to be thriving, with lush fields of wheat, corn, hay, and other crops. It wasn't warm, but the coolness was the pleasant kind. What amazed me was the beauty of the farms and country homes. Their yards were so well-kept, they had the appearance of golf courses. Even in places where the houses were far apart, that beautiful green lawn was neatly mowed between each, and far to the back of the property whether it bordered crops or woods. Much of this area was once under a glacier, and the deposits it left made it perfect for farming. But even so, it was some of the loveliest country I have seen, partly because the owners take such good care of what they have.
We arrived in Manitowac early and spent some time at the docks in the terminal, enjoying the model ships and informational displays on the history of the Badger and the car ferries on the Great Lakes. We finally boarded, and went straight to the stern on the middle deck so we could look down and observe the loading of the vehicles. No less than five huge semis were loaded at the very last, although one of the pamphlets we read said that the car ferry was built to carry many railroad freight cars, fully loaded with cargo. So even though it looked heavy laden, the Badger was lightly loaded. We watched the crew remove the metal walkways, take off the mooring cables, chain the fronts of the semi's, and unlock the docking mechanism. With no more than a slight jar, the Badger moved out of the berth, and a widening swath of water boiled up between the cargo deck and the dock. The sea gate didn't come down until we were fully underway.
The lights of Manitowac faded, but, very very slowly. We enjoyed sitting on chairs in the stern that were fastened down along the guardrail, watching the wake and lights behind us. On a trip to the bow, which is open and contains many more lounges and chairs, we could see little but misty darkness ahead, although we could see stars in the black sky above us. Most of the passengers must have headed to the staterooms to sleep, although a few wandered about on the decks. Some ate at tables near the snack bar, some got drinks from a tiny bar, others lounged in theater chairs and watched tv until they fell asleep. I even saw a few stretched out on cafeteria benches and outdoor benches. The truck drivers found various places to loll their heads back, fold their hands on their potbellies, and snore their way across. The night trip was quiet, none of the Bingo games and kids activities that keeps things bustling on the day trips.
A large computerized screen amidships showed a graphic of Lake Michigan, with the Badger as cursor slowly edging its way east at 15 knots. We enjoyed checking on our progress from time to time.
Fritz visited the onboard museum, although going down the narrow hallway to a small, very warm room with no windows wasn't my cup of tea. I read a Reader's Digest kindly given me by cousin Pam in the tv area while he did a little exploring. On the lower passenger deck, we could step out onto a covered promenade and open any of a number of windows to get some fresh air and see out onto the lake. If we wanted to visit the bow, we had to climb a stairs and walk a long way down an uncovered promenade to an observation deck on the bow. Exposed to the wind, this higher deck has a higher guardrail, but is a great place to be when the ship approaches port. While on this deck, we could see tiny lights far off in the east. We thought it might be a ship worth seeing, so we stayed and watched. Soon, we began to see other tiny lights. We wondered if what we were actually seeing was lights from land. So we trudged back to the stern to see if we could still see the strobing light of Manitowac, and sure enough, even though it was weak and very faint, we could still see it. Back in the bow, the tiny lights to the east became stronger and soon it became apparent that we were seeing Ludington. So, 30 miles out, in the middle of the big lake at one if it's narrower breadths, we could see lights at both Manitowac and Ludington! Having said this, it still took two more hours to get to port, so seeing the lights certainly doesn't mean you are close to land.
Dawn broke as we were docking, and this time we were ready for the 180 turnaround, which took place with much squealing, thumping, and shuddering. As it backed into the berth, you would swear it was going to crash into the pilings, or scrunch into the wall. But the few feet of deck that butted up to and then locked into the dock mated like a hand in a glove, so gently you would think the ship was made of paper. It sure was impressive, and it gives you a lot of respect for the wheel man. All of the crew did their jobs well. It was a great trip. Once we claimed the car, we just drove away, and got a McDonald's breakfast in Ludington. We drove across Oceana county as dawn turned into day, and got home in Muskegon county about seven in the morning. It's good to be home. After several hours of sleep in my own bed, I just want to say, it was a wonderful visit in many ways, but home is home. Hope you enjoy the pictures!