A Helicopter Ride Over The Straits of Mackinac

DaViking, (Chuck) my husband, casually mentioned, “How about a helicopter ride over The Straits of Mackinac?” “Wait? What?” I was thrilled to get a chance to see these landmarks from a new perspective!

Surprise! We’re going on a helicopter excursion!

Take Off!

After a quick debriefing, Andrew, the pilot, invited us to the helicopter. Chuck took the backseat, allowing me to soak in the views from the ‘bubble windows.’ We put on our headsets so communication would be possible during the flight.

Andrew was confident in his preflight checks.

I had so many words flitting around in my head, but knew I had to be quiet during take off and landing. Chuck is a pilot, so I’ve had the opportunity to practice this skill. It’s sooo challenging for me to be silent, but I managed.

The view was stunning from the ‘bubble window’ in the front seat!

I felt the seat push against me as we ascended over the water. As we jostled sideways I was thankful that I’d experienced flights with Chuck, so I wasn’t nervous. I was looking forward to seeing the islands: Mackinac, Round and Bois Blanc.

The Islands Came Into View

We could see the curvature of the Earth!

Mackinac Island, shaped like a turtle, was easy to recognize with the airport’s runway. Round Island sat quietly in the water and Bois Blanc rested easily in the distance.

Approaching Mackinac I was impressed with how large the island looked from above. I had biked around the land before, but this was a whole new viewpoint.

The rocky shoreline hugged Mackinac’s five mile perimeter.
The Queen Anne style “Grand Hotel” was built by railroad companies and had opened in 1887.
Round Island (foreground) is 378 acres of wilderness overseen by the U.S. Forest Service.
Bois Blanc (background) is 34 square miles.

Bois Blanc Island, named for the white beech trees, has supplied wood for the Fort on Mackinac Island. Currently sixty-three year round individuals call Bois Blanc “home.” There is a two room school serving students in grades Kindergarten through eighth. High schoolers attend classes in Cheboygan, on the mainland, or on line.

The Mackinac Bridge

Andrew moved the controls and we leaned to the west. The five mile suspension bridge connecting Michigan’s landmasses spread proudly between the Straits. Seeing this structure from the high vantage point permitted me to take in this marvel of engineering. Due to the high winds in the Straits, the Mackinac Bridge was constructed to sway up to 35 feet in the center.

The Mackinac Bridge opened in 1957 connecting the lower and upper peninsulas of Michigan.
I have always been in awe of the engineering marvel of the Mackinac Bridge!
Photo Credit: Addicted to Mackinac Facebook Page
Previous to the Mackinac Bridge being built, people took a car ferry to the upper peninsula.
The cars reminded me of ants marching on a mission.

Landing

Andrew turned us toward the St. Ignace airport. I couldn’t believe we were already landing! I had been so captivated by the perspective that I hadn’t said a word the whole trip. Can you believe it?

Andrew coaxed the helicopter toward the landing pad. Some wind caught us and we swooped sideways.

I had been made speechless! I couldn’t believe it! Maybe that had been Chuck’s intent all along? (Smile) As we descended I hoped that someday soon Chuck and I would be able to fly into the Mackinac Island airport and be immersed in this vista again!

Related Links

“Cupcake,” Chuck’s friend, had gone on a trip to Round Island. They’d started with a helicopter ride! Here’s their video!

Check out our video as we explored Bois Blanc Island!

Join us for the Christmas Tree lighting on Mackinac Island in this video!

Restless Viking merchandise is now available here!

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