Good Times aboard the "GoodTime I"

Our first event at the Midwest Birding Symposium was a sunset cruise on Lake Erie. We walked through the picturesque entryway to the Lakeside dock to board our cruise boat, the "GoodTime I."

I don't think we could have had a better time if we were aboard the "GoodTime II."

Boating birders (birding boaters?) ready themselves for the ride.

Cruise organizer and all-around party girl Cheryl Harner, taking pictures as the boat gets underway. That's photog Ernie Cornelius in the orange hat in the background, doing the same thing.

Ben Warner's job was to chum for gulls, using popcorn as bait to draw the birds in for their close-ups. Ethan Kistler's job was to supervise Ben.

Liam tried chumming for gulls with a carrot stick. I don't think he had much success.

The popcorn worked a treat, allowing us many good photo-ops of gulls, mostly Ring-billed, in action.

(click to enlarge)

A view of one of the small islands we passed.

[I forget the name of this one.]

As promised, a sunset ended our cruise as we returned to the dock.
Ssshhh. Listen closely. Can you hear the sun sizzle as it hits the water?