At the beginning of the month Cynthia and I drove to Muskegon State Park and spent a beautiful Sunday afternoon wandering the dunes, looking at the lake and chasing birds.

The WWII submarine USS Silversides is moored to the south bank of the channel which connects Muskegon Lake to Lake Michigan.

The right place at the right time: I just happened to snap a photo of some terrists infiltrating our defenses. Let this be a demonstration that a patriotic American Citizen, armed only with a semi-obsolete digital camera, can be a buffer between the Axles of Evil and the Free World!

The clear sky and late fall sun made the dunes bright enough that they were hard to look at.

The lee side of the dunes had a little more variety. In particular, lots of plants covered with tiny burrs.

This is the Muskegon-to-Milwaukee ferry, sitting undefended at the edge of Muskegon Lake. If those terrists capture the Silversides, they could cause untold damage to our Freedom (© 2006 USA) — No! Our God Given Right (© 2006 USA) — to cross the Big Lake on a boat! I will immediately propose a bill to extend the Terrists Dressed Like Ducks season to the entire year!

The knife-edge of a dune. This photo does a good job of demonstrating how bright and contrast-ey everything looked.

A view from the big lake, looking back along the channel to the east.

Cynthia and I decided that this is a snow bunting.

Facing north from the breakwater. State park, as far as the eye can see.

Cynthia walking along the dunes on our way back to the car.