Celebrating Mother's Day at the Great Lakes

If you plan to take your mom on a trip for Mothers Day, the Great Lakes are a wonderful destination providing many outdoor opportunities to enjoy your time together.

The Great Lakes offer hiking, diving, kayaking ,boating, gorgeous hiking trails, silent forests, pristine waters, and a wide variety of wildlife.

If you prefer a more formal way to celebrate mom, you can visit some of the towns on our lighthouse-peppered islands, exploring cities like Chicago or Milwaukee, with their superb architecture, beaches, shopping, restaurants, dynamic museums (The Automotive Museum and the Henry Ford Museum are just a few examples) and a vibrant nightlife. And don’t forget to visit the many art galleries to find exceptional pieces of nautical artwork!

Awesome Spots and Sights You Need to See Around the Great Lakes

From cities to beaches and from islands to hiking trails that span for miles, the Great Lakes have just about everything you’d need for an entertaining and relaxing vacation. Some of the following spots will definitely dazzle you, while others will outright amaze you and make you want to plan all your vacations on the beaches of the Great Lakes: 

·       The beach on Lake Michigan will offer you one of the most incredible places in the world for viewing the sunset. Here you can visit with your spouse for a memorable and romantic time spent watching the sunset and enjoying the hospitality of the locals. You may also want to bring some water colors and try a hand in creating a piece of Lake Michigan themed nautical artwork.

·       The Sleeping Bear Natural Lakeshore is one of the best places to go to if you enjoy solitude and long walks. Here you can definitely lose yourself on the 65-mile long shoreline, and you can take some breathtaking photos as well.

·       Finally, the shallow waters of Copper Harbor are a great place for fishing. If you want to relax and avoid the world for a few days, this is just the right place to do it. Even though Lake Superior’s water is not the warmest in the world, you can’t really find a more pristine and eye-catching, naturally beautiful place in the entire area of the Great Lakes.

How Are Ships Named?

There are many artists and writers who have shared the beauty of nautical artwork through drawings, paintings, and books.

USS Enterprise, USS Nimitz, USS Utah – these are well-known names of famous US battleships that fought with honor and glory in the two world wars. But how exactly did they get their names? Who and how decides on the name of a new ship? 

A Clearly Regulated Process

The US Navy has strict procedures concerning the person in charge and the kind of name a ship can be given. Thus, the Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) has the responsibility and honor of naming a ship. The SECNAV acts under the direction of the President of the United States and in observance of rules set by the Congress.  

The rules for naming ships are set according to the class of each vessel. Thus: 

1. Aircraft Carriers Are Named after Past Presidents

The 14 aircraft carriers in the US Navy fleet bead the names of deceased US Presidents and two Members of Congress. 

2. Destroyers Honor Members of the Navy

Names of destroyer ships include members of the Marine Corps, of the Coast Guard and Secretaries of the Navy. 

3. Littoral Combat Ships Bear the Names of US Cities

Some of the best known ships of this class are USS Coronado, USS Forth Worth, USS Omaha and USS Indianapolis. 

4. Amphibious Assault Ships Pay Homage to Epic Battles

The exception to this rule is USS America. But you certainly heard of USS Iwo Jima, USS Tripoli and USS Nassau. 

5. San Antonio Class Amphibious Ships Are Named after Major US Cities

Some of these cities are the victims of the 9/11 attacks. Other names include USS Portland, USS Anchorage and USS San Diego.