Copper Harbor’s Lake Superior Day

 By staffer Emily Hinsa

On a recent Saturday afternoon, I was gifted the rare opportunity to spend a whole six hours doing vacation-esque things. Summer is the busy season for this particular local, and finding that many hours in a row to take a break came completely out of the blue! And I must say, I needed it perhaps more than I care to admit….

Friends invited me to tag along on a boating excursion along the Portage Canal (45-ish miles south of Copper Harbor along Lake Superior). Despite being here for six years now, I had never been out to the Lake Superior coast just south of the North Entry to the canal. The stunning red sandstone cliffs took my breath away. Growing up in Munising, along the shores of the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, I am no stranger to the sight of sandstone cliffs. But this particular spot here in the Keweenaw affected me in a way I hadn’t expected. I became suddenly a little homesick and at the same time also felt as though there was no where else I should be other than in our little boat off the coast. It was an indescribable feeling of belonging to this place as we took in the sights, sounds, and even smell of the Lake.

 

Today, back in the Harbor, the local community is celebrating Lake Superior Day (which is usually celebrated the 3rd Sunday of July every year). Upon reflection, I realize why we have a holiday for our big lake! It’s very much a part of who we are and why we love this region. It’s a part of our daily recreations, at Keweenaw Adventure Company its a part of our business, and its always awe-inspiring. Having always been a mere stone’s throw from the lake, I often forget to appreciate it for how special it really is.

I have to say, the best way to see the lake and shoreline is from just off the coast. Whether that’s in a big boat, or a little kayak- the most breathtaking parts of the Keweenaw Peninsula have always been the ones seen from the lake.