Some Yooper Beach

Mouth of the Huron River

This beach… this beach… Oh, how to begin? It is difficult for me to compare this beach with others. I realize (really, I do) there are many outstanding beaches along the great Lake Superior and the Yoop, but this one is really special to me. I have so many memories there. I’ve spent more nights camped at the Mouth of the Huron than I’ve spent camped in any other place. I feel like that statement helps to say something about the beach. It’s good. It is unquestionably the best beach so far.

Suddenly I feel as though I need a poem, because I miss summer already and the snow hasn’t even started to stick to the ground. I wrote this poem last March, waiting for summer to arrive…

Summer oh Summer,
how I wish you were here.
Yet I look to my calendar,
and you’re no place near.

Most winters I love them,
I do like the snow.
But the thought of summer,
makes my heart glow.

Cold days and nights,
they bother me not.
But oft’ in my dreams,
the weather is hot.

I dream not for the warmth,
but the fun it entails.
My love to play sports,
or tell campfire tales.

Now I count down the days,
til’ we can go on a whim;
to play some beach volleyball,
or go for a swim.

Summer oh Summer,
I hunt fish & camp.
Please hurry quicky,
I love lamp?

Probably could’ve done better with the poem. It is true – I miss summer, and writing about beaches does not help. But I sure had a good one this year. One of the best, despite my hand surgery & consequent rehab time. I wrote this second poem in mid-July.

Summer oh Summer,
It seems you are here.
I wish you would stay,
for maybe a year.

So much to do,
so many plans to have fun;
the time goes too quickly,
and too much goes undone.

My hand is all healed,
its stronger than before;
I’m done with summer classes,
But research is still a chore.

I’m thankful for sports,
and the leagues where we play;
I’m thankful for the pickup games,
we arrange day by day.

I’m thankful for beaches,
and all the rivers and lakes;
for waterfalls & mountains,
and the views that they make.

I’m thankful for campfires,
that burn late in the night;
for hot summer saunas,
and the dew drops at first light.

I’m thankful for the good times,
spent with friends and fam;
I’m thankful for my honey bees,
and assorted berries for making Jam.

I’m thankful for Jilbert’s ice cream,
and the mashed strawberries my mom likes to make;
for freshly made pound cake or sweet biscuits,
these make some amazing strawberry shortcake.

I’m thankful to be a yooper,
and to know what that really means;
I’m thankful to canoe and fish,
the UP’s many lakes and streams.

Summer oh Summer,
please stay a while;
These are some good times,
& I can’t help but smile.

And now I’m feeling better again. The Mouth of the Huron is called such because it is where the Huron River flows into Lake Superior. I want to say so much about this place that I’m beside myself for finding words. I may end up posting a lot of photos…

This beach is located northeast of L’Anse. Take the Skanee Road about 19 miles NE of L’Anse until a T – intersection. Left (North) for 2 miles up Portice Road, then right (East) just over 3 miles down the Huron Road will bring you to the beach. Some good blueberry picking along the way. The beach has no formal camping – that is to say, there’s no need to pay. Nonetheless, you’ll be hardpressed to find a better place to camp. The campsites are more or less parking sites along the trail paralleling the beach. Good for pitching tents, pop-up campers, or even full length camper-trailers. And once you’ve set up your site, it is literally on the beach. The trail and campsites are huddled below a tall stand of pine trees whispering in the breeze.

The beach is beautiful beach sand that stretches over 2 miles. Walk or canoe East around the point and you’ll come to another mile-long beach at the mouth of the Little Huron River. But don’t plan on driving there. The water is fantastic for swimming. There is a nice sandy bottom, the depth drops above waist after 50 feet, and above head by 50 yards. Temperatures are mild (quite tolerable) and the water is clean. The river is also a bit warmer and another great place to swim. The water is deep right off the bank, so you can jump/dive as you like. Canoeing up the river and along the shore is also really fun… And once you are camped at the Mouth of the Huron, I can think of a dozen cool things to do/see within a short drive (waterfalls, mountains, etc…). There is simply too much for me to say about this beach at the moment. I will post this now, and later create a separate page dedicated to this beach.

But check out the shoreline viewer.

And some photos from Bald Mountain, which overlooks the bay. I’ll post some later from another (even better) mountain.

And history bufffs should see some photos of the Peshekee Railroad, and the Ore Dock at Huron Bay. Also this one of a passenger ship at the ore dock.