Grand Island off Munising, MI, Upper Peninsula
My husband, Barry, had his one month post-surgery second knee replacement appointment in Marquette on Tuesday afternoon. He’s healing so nicely we decided to play!
We drove an hour further east to Munising and boarded a sunset shipwreck tour headed toward Grand Island. (That’s Upper Peninsula, Michigan, for any of you new readers.)
I could show you a dozen shipwreck photos but wanted to share these magnificent photos of the sandstone cliffs off the western and northern sides of Grand Island.
Cove
Clouds dotted the sky as we cruised on the 63-foot boat through Munising Bay. I snapped lots of pictures, but the colors looked a bit–well, washed out–and blah. Darn clouds, I thought, go away, come again some other day.
Grand Island is a four by seven mile island which features, the tour guide informed us, the largest beaver dam in North America. (Not that we saw it from the boat.)
Here is your Quick Guide to Sandstone in these cliffs, you wanna-be geologists:
1. The white layer is limestone.
2. The green layer is oxidizing copper.
3. The orange layer is–c’mon you can guess–rusting iron ore, and
4. The brown layer is tannin from trees.
Some of the cliffs at the west end of Grand Island are 200 feet tall, no kiddin’, you wouldn’t want to fall off one of these.
We cruised north when suddenly, is it so?, the sun shone through the clouds, illuminating the sandstone cliffs.
The sun turned the cliffs to fiery orange and red–gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous!
Lots of folks visit the Pictured Rocks east of Munising, but readers, I swear these cliffs at sunset were just as beautiful. Don’t you agree?
Please come aboard our sunset cruise and enjoy looking at these photos. You can sit atop the boat for a panoramic view (although you may get windblown) or you can come inside for a soda or water and look through the glass-bottomed partitions at shipwrecks as we pass.
You may be so glad we chose the sunset cruise.
The sun reflected deep hues of red and orange off the cliffs as it dove into Lake Superior whispering, “Good night, sandstone cliffs.”
I swear I heard the cliffs reply, “Goodnight, sun. Thanks for making us shine.”
Tendrils of roots
Do you see the face? The teeth?
Close-up creature of sandstone & sea
Peaceful waters
Boat moors
Sunset reflects against sandstone
Your photographer for the evening (with windblown hair)
Beauty
Evening rocks
Stunning outcrop
Man, dog, boat
Rivers of red rock
Bald eagle dries wings in tree above rocks
Where rock meets lake
Panorama
Wow, you might say. Wow…
You might just keep snapping 355 photos.
Cracked stone
Nature’s pictographs in sandstone at sunset
What a lovely ride on the Munising Shipwreck tour boat!
Through boat window
Wouldn’t it be lovely to kayak beneath these cliffs?
Lighthouse on north Grand Island
Barry admires the rocks on our evening cruise
Oh aren’t we glad we went on a sunset cruise?
Exquisite!
What a lovely 2 1/2 hour cruise
Good night, sweethearts…time to return to shore (I only have 20 other sunset pics I could show you!)
Lake Superior Spirit 
Lovely indeed!
Fountainpen
Love it there…we took that exact cruise, but next time I want to take the actual pictured rocks one instead because it gets closer to the cliffs! Love it there!
Retired One, we THOUGHT we were going to be taking the Pictured Rock cruise, but realized it was a different one when there. We got a TV 6 deal, with 1/2 price tickets. When the sun came out at sunrise, I decided this must be as good as Pictured Rocks!
You would like it, Fountainpen.
How stunning, what a gift to end the day.
It was a gift, indeed, Dawn…
These are stunning photographs of such illuminating and attention grabbing cliffs, you have composed them well, good post!
Why thank you, Cogtography. I tried to compose them well…guess I got lucky! 🙂
Awesome…especially when the Sun was setting. Really set off the colors in the cliffs. Notice when the sky was blah…your best shots came from eliminating the sky in the frame. The photo just above yourself (nice to see you!) is my favorite.
There is a reason they call them the Great Lakes and it is not always because of their size.
Good point, Scott. I still have trouble “thinking” photographically. I can “feel” photographically and take pics, but it’s hard for me to think that way. Barry said that pic was his favorite, too. I LOVE the Great Lakes–all of them. 🙂
I saw the title and was hoping for photos. You don’t disappoint. Love the sunset cruise!
It was a photo kind of evening, Lisa. I am glad you were not disappointed!
So pretty. Looks like a relaxing ride – lovely way to wind up a day of play.
BTW, try changing your white balance on the Rebel to cloudy when the colors look blah – it warms them up a bit (push the butter that says WB, then select the picture of the cloud 🙂 )
Ms. Karma, wow, why would I never even remember that “white balance” exists? As I was just telling Scott (up above) it is hard for me to think like a photographer. Some lady on the cruise started assuming I knew about photography when she viewed Ms. Rebel and started asking me questions. My befuddled look must have shut her up. 🙂
ooooopsss!! Button, button, I meant button, not butter! LOL!
Ooooo, I KNEW what you meant! You were still thinking about buttered corn on the cob!
Mmmmmm, corn on the cob! 🙂 Do you still want me to send you that corn chowder recipe? It has bacon in it, but I’m sure you could skip that ingredient and still have it come out tasty!
Thank you kindly!
We did this tour on a very windy afternoon, and it was spectacular then, too. I always tell people headed that way not to miss the cruise.
Oh how fun that you were able to take this cruise, too, Pamela. I will surely recommend it as well.
Lovely pictures as ever.
Kerry, just think of all the beautiful sights between the Upper Peninsula and France! We live in a magnificent world.
I want to see as many pages of this magnificent book we call the world as possible. I am still on the first chapter.
I saw your title and thought of “Good night moon”. Was that your inspiration for it ?
Sorry I missed the boat. Did you see me standing on the wharf waving for you to come back and pick me up ?
I just love the cliff shots, the layers and your explanation of what the layers are.
Ms. Sybil, you are oh-so-perceptive! Of course it was the inspiration. 🙂 I DID see you waving on the wharf, but the captain refused to come back, darn him. You may also thank Barry for taking such good notes about the sandstone layers. I was too busy taking pics to take notes, pardon moi.
I also thought of Good night Moon! Love your photos Kathy – such incredible geological renderings.
I thought of Good night Moon this morning, Tammy, and had to find a way to make it fit! Thank you so much.
Awesome, Kathy! It’s on my list of adventures for up north!
Hugs
SuZen
Yes, indeed, SuZen, those sandstone cliffs are calling your name…
What beautiful scenery, and you captured it perfectly in your photos! I hope the cruise was as relaxing as you made it appear.
Sara, it was very relaxing. OK, I’ll tell you a secret. It wasn’t 100% relaxing because I have an infection in my eyelid that hurts like h***. Other than that minor agony, it was a breeze.
Yikes! I hope it clears up soon.
Thank you. Me, too.
Oh so beautiful. Thank you Kathy. Fantastic pictures. ‘Wow” scenery. Even though I haven’t been to the upper peninsula since childhood, looking at the pictures made me think of my Gran and Gramps, who took us there. Thanks again.
Bonnie, glad to show the *wow* scenery. I am glad it reminded you of Gran and Gramps. We traveled here as children, too, back in 1968 or 69. Did you see the cliffs off Munising during your trip? We didn’t. It takes 30+ years of living here to see everything apparently!
What a wonderful evening! This is the perfect way to celebrate the good news in Marquette. Can’t wait to see the pictures of the ships.
John, I am not sure I am going to show pics of the ships. (Will you be mad?) Barry is going to write his newspaper column about it, but I am not sure that it intrigues me as much as him…
You are a most excellent cruise director! I’ve been to Pictured Rocks but have to agree with you, these are just as beautiful. Another item for the ‘must visit’ list-thanks!
AnnieR, my goodness, if I had heard your comment before I might have actually PRETENDED to be the cruise director! Ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats. Up to the left you will see… (You get the picture. May you someday visit the cliffs!)
Incredible scenery! 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing such beautiful pictures!
C.B, twas fun to show the pics to you guys. Glad you enjoyed!
Gorgeous, Kathy! My favorite is the photo that shows an area for boating beneath–the one with the tunnel, of sorts. How fun that would be. And good to hear that Barry continues to heal well!
Hugs,
Kathy
Wouldn’t that be a fun boat trip, Kathy? An even more fun kayak trip! To be up close to the cliffs… Thanks for your well-wishes for Barry’s healing.
The waters are so much calmer than last weekend. I’m glad I’m not the only one who snaps too many photos 😉
It’s pretty cool that Barry is well enough to be out and about in Munising. We’ll be back up there soon, and hopefully we’ll meet again!
It was one of the calmest eves in the last week or so, Heather. Did you guys stop at Munising, per chance? Did you ponder taking one of the cruises? Methinks you probably didn’t have time. and, yes. I would love to meet again.
We stayed in Wetmore and had pasties in Munising 🙂
We did not have time, and the waves were too fierce to be out on a boat, but I would like to cruise around Grand Island or the Pictured Rocks. Might even bring the kayaks next time…
That would be so much fun, Heather. Did I tell you one of my friends has offered me her used kayak? Yes, you read that sentence right!
Ohhhh! Very exciting. Kayaking is one of my favorite ways to relax, and we have such beautiful waters to explore.
These are BEAUTIFUL, Kathy! I really wish we could have taken a cruise (even if it wasn’t the sunset one), but unfortunately, with four people it gets a bit pricey.
Did I tell you, Michaela, we had a TV-6 deal? The tickets ordinarily cost $35 each, but they offered a 2-for-1 deal and we got both for $35. It would be cost prohibitive for four people. That’s why our poor children (or us) never went before. They were really beautiful…
That’s a great deal, Kathy! If we had known about a deal like that we may have gone on a cruise, too. Melissa usually counts as an adult now, and we would have bought two pairs of tickets, pretending we don’t know each other 😉
The tickets were all sold out within 18 hours! Guess people knew a deal when they saw one…
Yowza! – That’s gorgeous, and yes, I saw the face and teeth! How cool is that?! I love the “tendrils of roots” (not only the photo, but the title).
Great post, Kathy. I learned a LOT!
I LOVE that teeth/face photo, Laurie. I LOVE faces in nature. Spirits coming forth to share their earth-selves. And root tendrils are the best. You are so welcome. It’s not always easy to be a factual teacher, but Barry took good notes. lol!
Beautiful! We are going back in two weeks for our yearly trip to the area. Getting very excited after seeing these pics. Thank you . . . for sharing some sunshine!
Debby, I hope you have good weather when you come up. I recommend the sunset tour on a calm night. You will thoroughly enjoy!
Oh my goodness! Just … well .. just stunning!! Thank you! I could stare and stare at each photo, there is just so much “there” …
You are the bestest, my friend. Simply the bestest…
I loved your wind blown hair (and the rest of the photos are pretty darn good too)
aren’t you glad you are no longer writing 200 words?
YES! I am glad the words are all free now, thank goodness, LouAnn. I am glad you liked the windblown hair. My daughter said she did, too. I have way-too-wild hair and am sometimes embarrassed by it.
I like wild hair just slightly tamed – today I have helmut head – now that is something to be embarrassed about
Such gorgeous shots – sunset is the perfect time for taking photos, and when you add to the sunset the rocks and the water – priceless!
Thank you, Carol. I have renewed respect for sunset–especially around sandstone rocks.
Thank you for sharing this adventure with us! The pictures are wonderful and make me want to take a trip!! When we traveled to Munising (and later to Marquette) it rained and rained and rained. Good thing we were “camping” in one of those camper cabins instead of in the tent! We never did get to take the tour…and of course the day we left, the rain stopped and the sun came out. Sure was a beautiful area and I would go back in a minute! Glad to hear Barry is healing well and good to see both you and him in the pictures ♥
Oh those rainy travel days, Brenda. Darn them! Yep, if you’d been in a tent you would have been plenty wet. I hope you get to come back someday. We shall meet for tea, shan’t we?
Yes! Kathy, if I ever make it back that way we will definitely get together for tea, or coffee or whatever…just meeting you in person would be delightful! And by the way….the other campers (in tents) at the same campground…were washed out! Saw them the next day, trying to pack up their dripping sleeping bags and clothes…what a mess! But they didn’t seem too troubled as they were laughing and having a good time, even the young kids didn’t seem bothered. I thought that was amazing! 🙂
Love the way Barry is relaxing and enjoying the scenery while you are doing all the WORK, Kathy (wise man…). Those sunset cliffs are fabulous, and yes, I would enjoy kayaking there. Have you ever done that? You should!
Barb, I cannot tell a lie. He was taking notes! I wouldn’t have had all these sandstone facts without his note-taking skills. I have never kayaked there, but would love, love, love the opportunity. My friend is giving me her old kayak, hurray!
Absolutely beautiful. Happy to hear Barry is doing so well.
I am glad you enjoyed these, Karen. (And thank you for wishing Barry well. He’s recovering, but not as fast as he would wish…)
Kathy, I love these pictures! Makes me day dream and I seldom do that.
Honey Brown, very glad to have offered some sandstone day dreaming to you… Thank you.
There is something about sandstone and how it plays with the light. Lovely photos Kathy! Would love to see this one day.
Are there a lot of sunken ships in the area?
Colleen, you would surely enjoy this tour. There are at least two ships sunk in this area. We saw one very clearly. It was an iron ore ship and it lost most of its cargo. Fascinating to peer through the glass bottom boat partitions and view the ghostly hulk.
Everyone’s voiced my opinions about how lovely, beautiful and stunning these photos are. Such gorgeous land- and waterscapes! 🙂
Dear Withershins, I loved that you paused anyway to voice YOUR opinion. No matter how many people comment here, I always love to hear all the different individual voices. Kind of like sandstone–so many different variations of color and tone.
Stunning place and beautiful photos, Kathy. I saw the face with teeth! 🙂 Wish I’d be able to there and see them with my own eyes.
Shieram, I am going to remember that face/teeth photo and use it in another blog someday. Just you wait and see!
And I wish you could see them some day too. Perhaps you will!
I hope so too, someday. 🙂
Isn’t it just amazing up there? Thanks for sharing it with all of us. Makes my heart sing to see it again.
Dawn, have you ever done this shipwreck tour? Or visited Pictured Rocks. I was so happy to have seen these–after all these years.
How does one get to touch!?!?! Is it inhabited?? Full of boat docks and launches??
Elisa, one gets to touch if one has a kayak or boat and can explore close. Yes, the island is inhabited. You take a ferry across from Munising. It is mostly populated on the southern shore–they is actually a road and small bus tour. It is not FULL of boat docks and launches, but there are a few.
Gorgeous!!! Love the bald eagle and the wind-blown hair!
It was nice to see that bald eagle, karlapr. Not so sure about the wind-blown hair! But happy you thought it was cool.
I – late to read – can only echo what has already been said: Lovely photos of a beautiful area; thanks for taking us along, and sharing the beautiful views!
You weren’t too late to read, Cindy. Gosh, you were only a day behind. I am often a whole WEEK behind when I get to reading blogs. Glad you enjoyed the views. And glad you commented.
*SIGHHHH* eye candy of a post….thank you Kathy!
It was an eye candy trip, Munira. Glad you enjoyed it as much as we did!
Lovely photos…I disappeared into the cracked rock and will come out when the election is over too see….oh well…too see.
Oh man, Linda, I’m headed in that crack until the election is over, too, except, hey, wait a minute. I am RUNNING in the darn election. Will you vote for me for township treasurer if you get a job at our school?
Yes, I would come out for that and vote you right on in…the tourist job directing people to your office and the school is the one I want now…bribery, you know, gets you votes 🙂
Luckily, haven’t had to resort to bribery, yet, Linda. We have way too few people here. Can’t even afford a tourist director, although I am sure you would be a good one. 🙂
Aw Shucks…
stunning… I love this tour! It’s amazing you could get Mother Earth to pose in so many different positions : )
Kathy, Mother Nature can be so beautiful! I am thrilled that you enjoyed her colors in the sunset.
Those pictures are gorgeous. I think I cooled off about 10 degrees just looking at them. Thank you so much for sharing this with all of us.
Lucinda, is it hot where you are? It’s going to be 90 degrees here today. On the night of this cruise it was very cool and lovely. Sending you some cool breezes…
I loved all the pictures. Kathy, you are so lucky that you got a chance to cruise in those amazing islands. I love the golden brownish shades in all the pictures. The sunset looks lovely. Thank you so much for sharing the pictures, otherwise some of us would’nt have known that such nature’s creations exist. Truly amazing!
Your comment makes me glad I shared this with all of you, Sonali. So happy that you enjoyed and that you celebrated nature’s creations a little bit on this blog.
What a beautiful tour of an obviously beautiful place at a beautiful time by a beautiful photographer! How often does that combination come together so well? 🙂
I would really love to visit the UP again someday. M and I were there long ago, but I barely remember it since we had limited time and were trying to see all that would could on a driving/camping tour around Lake Michigan. We made it as far north as Sault Ste. Marie for a day, and then went back to Lake Michigan.
Wow, Robin, that’s quite a beautiful compliment by a beautiful reader. LOL–you forgot that itty bit. Without a reader such as you, the beautiful equation isn’t quite as beautiful. It is indeed a long trip through Michigan. Takes 12-15 hours to travel all the way through. Guess that’s why Michaela and her crew chose to visit over the course of two summers. C’mon again some other day, please.
Beautiful photos. This is someplace I’d like to visit. Thanks for sharing.
Christine, you would enjoy it. Please come & visit the UP some day!
So beautiful, Kathy! I hope Barry continues to recover well. 🙂
Dana, gosh, it WAS a beautiful evening! One of those magical ones beside the water…kind of like ALL your summer evenings, right? 😉
I missed this post during the time that I didn’t have an Internet connection, thanks for bringing it to my attention. I think that the next time I’m in the area, I’ll try the sunset boat ride, as your photos are stunning!
I thought you might like to see this, quietsolopursuits. We certainly had a nice time. It was really a miracle that we chose the sunset cruise, just because that light lit up the cliffs so much. Thanks for stopping by–and do try this cruise next time.