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North Manitou Light Keepers to host annual rally, crib cruise, July 28

From staff reports
The North Manitou Light Keepers (NMLK) will host its annual Lightkeeper Rally and Crib Cruise in Leland on July 28. This fun and engaging event is open to all and gathers people to share community, learn about restoration efforts and plans for the North Manitou Shoal Light (also called “the Crib”), and take an evening cruise on board the Mishe-Mokwa to see and learn more about the lighthouse.
“People really enjoy getting together and imagining the fun things we can do with the lighthouse while also honoring its history and those who have worked there,” said Daniel Oginsky, NMLK president. “The Crib Cruise is a great time, taking an evening boat ride out into one of America’s most beautiful places and telling fun and interesting stories, people have loved it,” he added.
The Lightkeeper Rally will be from 4-6 p.m. at Main Street Gallery (307 South Main Street in Leland). Light food and drinks will be served by the Leland River, while attendees mingle and NMLK members discuss the status of restoration efforts and plans for the Crib. There is no registration or cost to attend the Lightkeeper Rally.
The Crib Cruise will depart on board the Mishe-Mokwa, operated by Manitou Island Transit, at 6:30 p.m. from Historic Fishtown in Leland. The Mishe-Mokwa will cruise out to the lighthouse, which is eight miles from Leland Harbor and near the Manitou Islands. It will then gently circle the lighthouse while NMLK members tell stories about the Crib, its history, and its future. The cost of the Crib Cruise is $45 per person, with any net proceeds going to support the restoration of the Crib. To attend the Crib Cruise, visit www.northmanitoulightkeepers.org/cribcruise.
The North Manitou Light Keepers is a nonprofit organization founded in 2016. Its mission is to restore the North Manitou Shoal Light Station, make it and its history available to the public for education and appreciation, and cultivate an active community of stewardship for this piece of Michigan maritime history that stands amidst one of America’s most beautiful locations.

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Glen Arbor Arts Center’s Manitou Music poster features Crib lighthouse

Maple City, Michigan artist Paul Olsen’s oil-on-canvas painting The North Manitou Shoal Light is the Glen Arbor Arts Center’s (GAAC) 2022 Manitou Music poster image. “The North Manitou Shoal Light (affectionately known as ‘The Crib’) has been part of the Manitou Passage’s unique horizon since 1935 and holds a special place in my memories of Pyramid Point,” Olsen said.

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The North Manitou “Crib” Lighthouse gets a makeover

Dan Oginsky remembers the first night he spent on the North Manitou Shoal Light Station, commonly known in Leelanau County as “the Crib.” It was July 2019, and he and fellow Light Keeper Dave McWilliam were rustic camping while sleeping on cots inside the lighthouse. Their companions were cobwebs, spiders, and a layer of “guano” bird poop left on the outside deck by the passing cormorant birds.

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Tours to North Manitou lighthouse crib begin

Five years ago, when the North Manitou Light Keepers won the bid to acquire the North Manitou Shoal Lighthouse— commonly referred to as “the crib”—they set an ambitious goal to restore the lighthouse and begin to offer tours by July 4 of this year. The group accomplished their goal with two weeks to spare.

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North Manitou Light Keepers receives important grant to restore Manitou Passage “Crib”

The North Manitou Light Keepers announced today that they have been awarded a Michigan Lighthouse Assistance Program grant from the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) to help restore the North Manitou Shoal Light Station between the Manitou Islands and mainland Leelanau County—otherwise known as the “Crib”.

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North Manitou Light Keepers completes acquisition, starts restoration work

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North Manitou Light Keepers (NMLK), a Michigan nonprofit organization, announces that its acquisition of the North Manitou Shoal Light (also known in its local area as “The Crib”) is complete and its restoration of the lighthouse starts now. NMLK plans to fully restore the lighthouse and make it available to the public for tours and appreciation by July 4, 2021. The organization also invites fellow enthusiasts to become members of the NMLK team and help restore the lighthouse by contributing to the “Campaign for the Crib!”

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