Grand Traverse Bay

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Grand Traverse Bay is located off Lake Michigan in Northern Michigan. The bay is 32 miles (51 km) long, 10 miles (16 km) wide, and up to 600 ft 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.

The East Arm of Grand Traverse Bay from the east, with the Old Mission Peninsula in the background. Hills of the Leelanau Peninsula are faintly visible on the horizon.
The East Arm of Grand Traverse Bay from the east, with the Old Mission Peninsula in the background. Hills of the Leelanau Peninsula are faintly visible on the horizon.

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 long and 4 miles 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 2-chimneys. The island is also home to a stone/metal/mirror sculpture.

The Village of Northport operates a public marina. There is a public beach on the South side of the marina. The rest of the Bay is privately owned. 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 (3.5 to 4 feet high x 5 feet 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.[1][2][3]

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ Flesher, John. "Possible mastodon carving found on rock", Associated Press, 2007-09-04. Retrieved on 2007-09-05. 
  2. ^ Flesher, John. "Possible mastodon carving found on rock", Associated Press, 2007-09-04. Retrieved on 2008-05-25. 
  3. ^ Flesher, John. "Rock brings history to surface (pictures)", Associated Press, 2007-09-05. Retrieved on 2008-05-25. 


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