by Anisha and Jayna; July 2020
In July we went to Michigan to help our mom with a project on Piping Plovers, which are an endangered species of birds. We have to drive nine hours to get there. We stopped at a handful of historic markers and at the Gitche Gumee Agate Museum in Grand Marais on the way. We drove along the upper part of Michigan to a place where three of Great Lakes meet – Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron. We are excited to help release the Piping Plovers into the wild. We will also go swimming.
We selected five highlights from our trip:
Listening to audiobooks
On our way to Paradise [Michigan], we listened to “The Westing Game” by Ellen Raskin. It’s a mystery novel. I read it in March but my mother and Jayna wanted to read it too. It’s about sixteen tenants who are chosen to take part in solving a mystery. We really enjoyed it through the long ride. On our way back, we listened to “A Wrinkle in Time” by Madeline L’Engle. It’s about a girl and her brother who are transported to other worlds to find their father. Both were interesting books and good for our long road trip.
Freeing the Piping Plovers
On the second day, we went to the Shipwreck Museum and beach at Whitefish Point. After a while Francie, Stephanie, and their team arrived. They brought 3 Piping Plovers to release. We walked down a path and then along the beach. Soon we went under a string held up by metal poles [the enclosure to keep people away from the birds] and we walked a little more. Finally, we stopped and held the box the Piping Plovers were in. My mom and Francie took out their cameras to take photos. We opened and the lid and the Piping Plovers launched themselves out! Then Francie and the others left but Anisha, Mommy, and I stayed a little longer to play on the beach.
A newly released Piping Plover chick.
Looking for agates
We went early to the beach at Whitefish Point and got free time to go to the beach. My mom went straight to looking for agates, but Anisha and I started playing in the sand. Then we went to the car and ate some sandwiches. When Francie came, we freed some Piping Plovers. We started walking around the beach. And I started to look for agates too, but I only found one. Then we started driving to Francie’s and we got some food. We set up camp and had dinner.
Driving the boat
On the third day, we got in Francie’s and Dave’s car to take the boat into the lake. When we stopped, we started taking the boat off some thing holding the boat – “what is that?” I thought. Then I noticed a dead fish that had washed ashore, then I saw some shells and started to look for more. When the boat was ready, we all got on except for Francie – she stayed and went back with the car. Dave pulled out of the dock and going into the lake he said I could drive the boat so I came up and he told me where to point the boat. Then we drove boat all the way to the cabin. It was pretty cool. On Friday we went at night and Anisha drove the boat. We also went on Saturday morning to the bio station and saw Piping Plovers in their outdoor enclosure. It was really cute.
Going to Lake Michigan
On Friday, we went to Lake Michigan. It was a very sunny day and the water was calm. It was perfect for swimming. The water was slightly chilly, but we swam anyway. When we weren’t in the water, we made cities out of sand. We stayed for a couple of hours, in and out of the water.
On the last day, we had breakfast, packed up the car, and then helped to collect samples from a few chicks. We opened and closed the vials for Mom and Francie as they swabbed the insides of the birds’ mouths for DNA samples. Then we said goodbye and drove home.
We are looking forward to going back next year so we can take the boat with Dave to an island in Lake Michigan.
Anisha and Jayna's Adventures 