Grand Traverse Bay

Grand Traverse Bay is located off Lake Michigan in Northern Michigan. The bay is convert|32|mi|km long, 10 miles (16 km) wide, and up to convert|600|ft|m| deep in spots. It is divided into two arms by the Old Mission Peninsula. Traverse City is situated at the south end of the bay where the Boardman River empties into the west arm. Cherry orchards line the bay region, giving rise to Traverse City's claim to be the "Cherry Capital of the World". Several nationally known companies offer cherry-based products made with Northern Michigan tart cherries including Traverse Bay Farms, Cherry Central, Fruit Advantage, American Spoon and Cherry Republic. The Grand Traverse Bay includes several important smaller bays: Northport Bay, Suttons Bay, Omena Bay, Bowers Harbor, and Old Mission Bay.

Northport Bay, located at the northwest corner of Grand Traverse Bay is about 10 miles (16 km) long and convert|4|mi|km wide. Northport Bay open to the east, except inside the arms at each end, with the Leelanau Peninsula on the West side. There are several shoals in Northport Bay marked by buoys. Bellows Island, located near the middle of Northport Bay, is owned by the Nature Conservancy and primarily a bird rookery] . Bellows Island, or Gull Island, is a low gravel island, covered by shrubs and marked by a stone structure with two chimneys. The island is also home to a stone/metal/mirror sculpture.

The Village of Northport, Michigan operates a public marina. There is a public beach on the south side of the marina. The bay is lined with homes. There are two boat yards north of town. There is a private marina on the southerly end of the bay.

Besides cherries, the surrounding countryside produces grapes and is one of the centers of the Michigan wine industry. Known for its shimmering blue water and golden sand beaches, the Grand Traverse Bay region is a popular vacation destination.

In September 2007, Mark Holley, an underwater archeologist with the Grand Traverse Bay Underwater Preserve Council who teaches at Northwestern Michigan College in Traverse City, said that they might have discovered a boulder convert|3.5|to|4|ft|m high x convert|5|ft|m long) with a prehistoric carving in the Grand Traverse Bay. The granite rock has markings that resemble a mastodon with a spear in its side. Confirmation that the markings are an ancient petroglyph will require more evidence. [cite news |last=Flesher |first=John |title=Possible mastodon carving found on rock |publisher=Associated Press |date=2007-09-04 |url=http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070904/ap_on_sc/mastodon_carving |accessdate =2007-09-05] [cite news |last=Flesher |first=John |title=Possible mastodon carving found on rock |publisher=Associated Press |date=2007-09-04 |url=http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=2146413265 |accessdate =2008-05-25] [cite news |last=Flesher |first=John |title=Rock brings history to surface (pictures)|publisher=Associated Press |date=2007-09-05 |url=http://www.record-eagle.com/local/local_story_248101751.html |accessdate =2008-05-25] . The stone is pictured on page 9 of New Scientist Magazine of 19 July 2008.

External links

* [http://www.michiganwines.com/ Michigan Wines Website]
* [http://www.wineriesofoldmission.com/ Wineries of Old Mission]
* [http://www.lpwines.com/ Leelanau Peninsula Vinters]
* [http://www.miwinetrail.com/ Southwest Michigan Wine Trail]
* [http://www.traversebaycherryfarms.com/ List of cherry farms located in the Traverse Bay Region]
* [http://www.michiganfreediving.com/ Underwater photographs of Grand Traverse Bay's West arm]

References