Chicago Air & Water Show 2012

This year rain did not ruin the 54th annual Chicago Air & Water Show.  Last year when Alan came up from Indiana to watch it, we rode our bikes along the lakefront trail to a spot near Fullerton Ave., but we ended up spending 2 hours crowded under a bridge breathing boat motor fumes trying to dodge the spray from a windy downpour before we ave up and went home.  This year Alan brought Joan and the four of us took the bus to North Ave.  We arrived early in order to get a good spot.  The weather was ideal -- sunny with a light breeze off the lake.  We were front and center, and the show was incredible. 

Some 2 million people attended the Air and Water Show, the largest free public event of its kind in the U.S.  It started with the Chicago Fire Department's spray display on the lake.  The CFD Air/Sea Rescue unit serves 37 miles of lakeshore, extensive riverways, and Chicago's harbor system, which is the largest in the U.S.

There were various stunt planes.  The Lima Lima Flight Crew is a group of local pilots based in Naperville, IL.  They performed a variety of formations from the six ship wedge and double arrowhead to the basic finger four and diamond formations.

Here they are performing.

The U.S. Coast Guard performed a water rescue with a helicopter.  I have been grateful for the advice and watchful eye of the Coast Guard when paddling on Lake Michigan during 25 mph winds and choppy waters.  Fortunately, I have not personally tested their rescue skills.

A variety of stunt pilots also performed, including Jack Knutson and Rob Holland, the Firebirds from Ohio. 

For many people, the stars of the show were the Blue Angels of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps.  The Blue Angels team is famous for the diamond formation and breathtaking daredevil stunts.

Their precision flying is also graceful.  In this video, you can even see the sun sparkling on the jets.

We had a great time.  As much as I love Lake Michigan, I usually avoid crowds, and I have never spent all day at the beach, but this show was worth it!  This year's show has special meaning because it marks the 200 anniversary of the War of 1812.  Here's a video postcard of the 2012 Chicago Air & Water Show. 

Lake Michigan Dunes 2012

During the drought and heatwave of July 2012, Jill and Joe and I visited the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore (IN) and Warren Dunes State Park (MI). 

A sturdy breeze brought welcome relief from the heat.

The high sand dunes are some of the most rugged and beautiful natural features along the shoreline of Lake Michigan.  Sand dunes in the Great Lakes region comprise the most extensive freshwater dunes in the world, so enormous that they can bee seen from space.  

At Warren Dunes we ascended 200 feet to the top of one of the sand dunes (above).  The shifting sand and blasting sun made the hike more difficult.  On our way up, we found a few rare Pitcher's Thistle plants, a federally threatend species endemic to the Great Lakes region (now extinct in Illinois except for a few reintroductions).  It was awesome to see these rare plants!

In Indiana and Michigan we hiked through oak-hickory woods.   At Indiana Dunes we walked through a virtual shrub forest of ripe wild blueberries. Small but flavor-packed fruit!   Eventually we made our way to the shore.

 

It was so much cooler by the lake.  What a beautiful, peaceful day!