It's always Christmas in Michigan
- Anna Jo Noviello
- Sep 11, 2017
- 2 min read
Day 5
We have been in Christmas, Michigan for 4 days now. Our quest to not spend any money for a campsite, led us to a lovely spot in the far corner of the parking lot of Kewadin Casino. We were able to stay here for 4 days, so we will be heading to Mackinaw Island and hopefully we’ll be able to find another free spot.
Getting around and trying to find the locations that I've been dreaming of for the past 3 years has not been easy. Pictured Rocks National Seashore is gorgeous, but you have to hike at least 6 miles to see the beauty and the many waterfalls. One place in particular, that I have been dreaming of happened to be right across the street from where we are staying. It’s a fabulous Sea Cave that I discovered while researching our trip to Michigan. It is the sole reason we came to the U.P. We looked for 2 days and couldn’t believe it was right across the street from where we are staying. It’s called Paradise Point, and up till yesterday, I didn’t even know it had a name. It got to be that I was knocking on doors trying to find it! Finally we stopped a guy that was getting his mail, and he told us where it was and it still wasn’t easy to get to it. We had to drive for 20 minutes down a dirt and rocky road that lead us to an area of Lake Superior that isn’t too well known. It is a beautiful, untouched area that borders the Hiawatha National Forest. The waters, cliffs and caves are a photographers dream!
After hiking for about 1/2 hour we found the cave. It is surrounded by water without any land access and I knew if I was going to photograph it I would have to get in the frigid waters of Lake Superior. If you know me, I’m not one for cold temperatures of any kind, let alone cold water!!! If I wanted the photo, I would have to walk thru waist high, freezing water to get it. So I did…I took the plunge, hoping that I remembered extra batteries. I was so excited, I never felt the cold.
I knew I had to go back again to photograph it at sunset. This was why I’m came, so it had to be done again. This time, I came more prepared with waders to make the trek into the cold Superior waters. I didn’t realize when I was looking at that SeaCave for the past 3 years what it would take to get the shot, but the effort I took made it even more special.
The vistas of Lake Superior are quite superior! Some of the views of the cliffs with the blue green waters of the lake remind me of the Amalfi Coast in Italy. It is everything and more I thought it would be and the journey has just begun! Next stop Mackinac Island, another one of my dream locations ever since I saw the movie, Somewhere in Time about 30 years ago!
