I headed up to The Presque Isle Peninsula and arrived about 11:30. Presque Isle is interesting on a number of counts, naturally and historically. It is really the only significant feature on an otherwise featureless south shore of Lake Erie between Sandusky Bay, on the western basin, and Niagara Falls, on the east end. Because of that distinction, it is a natural magnet for migratory birds. It also has a bay which shelters the critters from the fierce storms out on the Lake. Lake Erie is like the Sea of Cortez: it can go from calm to tumult in a jiffy. The last time I was there, I guess that was 1977, a huge storm hung over the Lake and pumped moisture from it. Ice mounds on shore approached 12 feet in height. The snow was over foot deep and people were cross-country skiing. Historically, Native Americans harvested fish and shellfish from the then-bountiful waters of Lake Erie. In 1813, during the War of 1812, Oliver Hazard Perry wintered his fleet here before engaging the British in the Battle of Lake Erie over in the western basin, near Put-In-Bay. Here's a plaque for ya.
The first stop I made was to check out some birds. These Mallards were hanging close to shore. Some Bonaparte's Gulls and Ring-billed Gulls kept them company. These Mallards were smart. Their brethren out on the bay were subject to buckshot from the numerous shotgunners who peacefully co-existed with the bicyclists and joggers. Pennsylvania is the greatest hunting state in the US. Most Pennsylvania State Parks allow hunting in designated parts. Irresponsible hunters and shooters are dealt with severely.
A look back shows the edge of the Bay.
A little further down the loop road is a monument to Perry.
The plaque on it commemorates his victory in the Battle of Lake Erie.
This plaque describes the Battle.
Borrowing a line made famous by Pogo the Possum, "we have met the enemy and they are us," Perry adapted it in his summation of the Battle.
Too bad I didn't have the time to visit wonderful downtown Erie: I'd have liked to have seen the ship. Here's wonderful downtown Erie from across the Bay.
A stretch up the road, you could see the Perry Victory monument out on Crystal Point.
The road soon looped around and headed back along the lakeshore. This area is the southernmost extension of the Paperbark Birch range. This tree is very common, in fact a distinctive feature, of the Northwoods and Boreal Forest all the way north to the edge of the tundra. It even grows in a stunted form in sheltered locations on the tundra all the way to the shore of the Arctic Ocean. Because of this year's mild autumn here in the Mideast, the birches on the peninsula maintained their color all the way to Thanksgiving.
You'll encounter a scattered Paperbark Birch in the woods down by Y-town, but these stands look just like the ones on the north shore of Lake Superior, where I visited a few months back. Here's another stand.
Out on the shore, this is the first lighthouse you'll see.
The beach here is quite nice. The sand is constantly on the move, so the breakwaters help control erosion. This seems unnatural to me.
Here's another view. I liked swimming here when I was a kid.
This lighthouse is better developed. A lighthouse keeper lived here historically, before there were roads.
He needed to wheel-in his supplies from the bay side. To make things easier during sloppy times of the year, this narrow sidewalk was built early in the century.
Here's another view of the lighthouse from the beach.
The rollers roll in.
Surf's up!! Surf on back 
