Waxing Nostalgic
Just wanted to thank Lakeland Boating and Craig Ritchie for
covering Erie in the October 2014 issue (p.42) I moved away
to the cornfields in Indiana 40 years ago, but still think of Erie
as home. Loved the lighthouse
photos and the coverage of the
Tom Ridge Center, a truly
great facility.
Granddad Frank Huntington
joined the Lighthouse Service
around 1912 and was sent from
Buffalo, New York, where he
trained for and assisted at
the Erie “Lifesaving Service”
Station around 1917, where
the family lived and where he
tended the North Pier Light
for nine years. My father was born in
1921 at the former Lifesaving Station, which eventually
became the U.S. Coast Guard Station. Grandad was then
transferred to Fairport, Ohio around 1924, where he was
an assistant keeper at the breakwater light, served a season
at Marblehead tending the light, and then
returned to Erie in 1926, taking over the
Presque Isle (Pine Tree Beach) light until
his retirement in 1945. He was the last
government keeper of the light at Presque
Isle at his retirement; afterward, it was
taken over by the Coast Guard.
The article brought out the finer pointsof Erie, known as the “Gem City,” and made me long for
the easy high school days on the beach, paddling around
in the bay and sailing on the lake. Would have loved more
information on the current Coast Guard activity at Station
Erie. My Uncle, Stan Huntington — who, post WWII,
also kept the Kilauea Point Light on Kauai — was chief
there during the time granddad was tending the Presque
Isle Light. Earlier, Stan and Uncle Don ran the canoe
rental concession at the Lagoons, which you called the
Graveyard Pond area. That area, also known as Misery Bay,
is where Oliver Hazard Perry wintered around 1812-1813,
where several of his crew died during the harsh winter
(hence, Graveyard Pond) and where he built the ships,
including his substitute flagship, Niagara, that he took to
Put-in-Bay the following year to route the British from
the Great Lakes forever.
So Erie, Presque Isle, the lighthouses, the beach, and
the bay still feel like home and always will.
Thanks to Craig Ritchie for covering it so well and for
evincing the almost tearful nostalgia for those simpler days.
And thanks to you for this great boating magazine!
—Bruce Huntington, South Bend, INPHOTO COURTESY OFMAIL CALL/CANINE CREW
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Opinions expressed
in “Mail Call” are not
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Lakeland Boating.
Letters may be edited
for length and clarity.Calling all Furry Crewmembers! We want to learn more about
your pets on board! Send a short write-up, along with your
pet’s name, home city and state, as well as a high-resolution
photo (at least 1 MB) to: STAFF@ LAKELANDBOATING.COM. If we publish
your pet, you’ll receive a free gift pack of Mobile Clean & Go,
courtesy of our friends at DF Consumer Products.as home. Loved the lighthouse
photos and the coverage of the
Tom Ridge Center, a truly
great facility.joined the Lighthouse Service
around 1912 and was sent from
Buffalo, New York, where hefor nine years. My father was born inCR: Thanks very much for the kind words, Mr. Huntington, and I’m glad you
enjoyed the article. As someone with such a strong family connection to the area
and its maritime heritage, you better than anyone can appreciate how difficult it
was to try and give the city its due while staying within my allotted page count.
No doubt readers who do elect to visit Erie will be as delighted as I was to discover
just what a magical place it is. Thank you again for your kind comments — I
really do appreciate your thoughts.Murphy, Pauly & Spencer
Our two West Highland Terriers,
Murphy and Pauly, are helping
navigate the waters from Leeland
to Charlevoix, Michigan, while
11-year-old Spencer, also a Westie,
always is looking for the rest of the crew. Our new puppy, Bailey, is not pictured.
—Tim Thomas, Boyne City, MIBeauregard
This is our 2-year-old Yellow Lab, Beauregard. He
enjoys spending time on our boat, Nauti Dogg, at
Anchor Pointe Marina in Lake Erie. While at the
marina, he will visit all our neighbors who each keep
a bag of doggie treats on their deck especially for him.
After a long day of boating and socializing,
Beauregard will find a nice spot on the back of the boat to curl up for a
nap or just work on his suntan!
—Keith & Sherri Hudson, Sylvania Township, OHWIN A CUP COOLER!
Do you make a mean Bloody Mary?
Are you famous for shaking up a
classy margarita? Share your go-to
summer drink recipes with us
(alcoholic or non-alcoholic)
for your chance to win a
Dometic Cup Cooler! The
Cup Cooler keeps your
drinks refrigerator-cold while
underway. It’s a fabulous
addition to any boat.
Send us your drink recipe,
along with a high-res photo and
a short description of what you
enjoy most about it, to KBUSH@
LAKELANDBOATING.COM.
Check out a full description of the
Dometic Cup Cooler in our “Gearing
Up” department (p. 23).*Lakeland Boating reminds readers to
drink responsibly.6 APRIL 2015 | LAKELANDBOATING.COMCORRECTION
In the March 2015 issue,
we incorrectly listed the
phone number for Portage
Point Inn and Marina in our
“Marina Watch” department
(p. 54). The correct phone
number for harbormaster
Jeff Sternberger is 231-
889-7501. He also may be
reached via e-mail at JEFF@
PORTAGEPOINTRESORT.COM.
We regret the error.something
PORTAGEPOINTRESORT.COM. summer drink recipes with usMailCC_APR15.indd 6 3/2/15 12:22 PM