Michigan’s Magical Upper Peninsula

Recalling a solo getaway where I experience the “Yooper” lifestyle

Dec 08, 2023

Dear Friends,

Welcome back to Found by Felicity! It has been to long since we last connected. I will do my best, though, to fill you in from where I last left off.

During the later part of July, I secured Felicity into her slip on Lake Macatawa with no less than 16 lines in anticipation of 60 knot winds and 4-6 foot swell out on Lake Michigan. The morning of the predicted oncoming storm, I drove 7 hours North from Holland, across the mighty Mackinaw Bridge, and into Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. There was an immediate difference in the species of trees and foliage, the geological landscape, and the human versus wildlife population density. I drove all the way up to Lake Superior’s southern shore, West past Munising, and down to the parking lot of the Grand Island Ferry Service. At that point, the predicted winds for Holland had made their way up north. The 10 minute ferry ride to Grand Island upon a glorified pontoon boat was rough and rugged, but the captain maneuvered with care and assurance. I had everything I needed to survive on my back for the next four days, and I was ready for the proclaimed self-enlightenment that accompanies solo backpacking.

It misted through the rest of the afternoon, and I rested in my tent with no cell signal. I was so bored that I actually read a book for a bit, which promptly put me to sleep for the next 10 hours. I realized that I really needed a moment of solitude and peace so that I could achieve the rest that my mind and body so badly needed.

The next morning I awoke to an overwhelming amount of bird song and rays of sun streaming into the tent. After a Pop Tart, I decided I was rested and ready to move. I began to follow the 20 mile trail around Grand Island clockwise, and I was soon greeted with views of crystal clear, teal blue Lake Superior from the top painted rock cliffs that rose above hundreds of feet from the crashing waves below. I stopped for snacks about every hour, and I continued on until I couldn’t continue any more. That was one of the most beautiful hikes of my life. I made it 18 miles, and I realized I might have overdone it with my 4 days of supplies. I stealth camped in the brush near a beautiful overlook on the Southeast region of the island. Unfortunately it was a hazy night, otherwise the stars would have been phenomenal.

I woke with the sun, broke down camp, ate my Pop Tart, and hiked the last 2 miles to the ferry launch in time to catch the 0800 ferry ride back to mainland. I reunited with my trusty Prius, and continued my Yooper adventure! I drove back through Munusing and continued West into Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore where I visited some iconic lookout points over Lake Superior, and then I followed a dirt road down the shore to a secret spot a local guy at an outdoor gear shop in Munising told me about. After 20 minutes of off-roading, Prius style, I found a crowded parking lot and a single trail head. I followed the trail winding through luscious northern forests, lawns of lichen, and finally down to the sandy shore sprinkled with millions of amazing multicolored pebbles, smoothed by the tumbling of mighty Superior. I sat on the beach, bathed in the clear, cool water and collected pictures of the gemstones sprinkled all around me. I hiked back to the car knowing I wanted to retrace my track up the dirt road before sunset.

The local guy from the gear shop had also recommended an off-grid car camping spot in the nearby state forrest, and for the second time that day I found myself off-roading down snowmobile trails in the Prius. After 45 minutes of careful driving, I came across the most picturesque campground on the bank of a peaceful pond. I set up in the last available spot, and I walked around to spy on my neighbors. It was evident that some of the campers resided there indefinitely, and I was inspired by their ability to survive so far from regular amenities. It seemed like a fuss-free lifestyle tucked away from the hustle and bustle of our modern ways.

Instead of being overwhelmed by boredom due to absolutely no cell signal, I sat and journaled, wrote numerous post cards to friends and family, practiced yoga, and played my mandolin. While I was strumming, I sensed the presence of onlookers. When I finished the song, I looked up and was met by applause from a mother-daughter duo. Heather and Natalie thanked me for serenading the campground and asked what on earth was I doing in the UP. I explained that I was transitioning from living on my sailboat in Holland to working on Athina, the sailing catamaran, in Mackinaw City and I took a few days to explore the UP and get some land time before getting back to sailing. Natalie quickly commented that sailing across the Atlantic was on her bucket list, and I immediately knew I had found like-minded a friend. We chatted for a bit longer, exchanged contact information, and I tucked in for the night with gratitude for the amazing people placed along my path. Soon, a cacophony of engine revving filled the soundscape as the midnight four-wheelers began their dances. I put in earplugs and prayed for sleep to come. It didn’t until around 0400 when the four wheelers went to sleep for the night too.

The next morning I broke down camp, drove about an hour and a half into Munising to send my postcards and get a coffee (I ran into Natalie and Heather at the coffee shop… remember how I mentioned the difference in population density in the UP), and drove West to Marquette where I planned to meet Brian and Kristin- are mutual friends of Captain Mark - who own U.P. Sailing Company, an American Sailing Association school and sailboat charter business aboard a beautiful dark teak hulled sailboat called Tsuru. I heard that Kristin loved blueberry pie, so I greeted them with a Bowerman’s Blueberries Blueberry Pie. (If you’re ever in Holland, MI, check out Bowerman’s!) Superior was getting a bit too “sporty” for comfortable sailing, so Kristin and Brian treated me to lunch at a Mexican restaurant. For Michigan, the Mexican food was surprisingly good, and we sat on a second story balcony that overlooked the coal docks in the Marquette harbor. The company was even more impressive than the food and the view, and again I felt overwhelming gratitude for the people placed along my path. Kristin and Brian were a fountain of knowledge and experience, and within two hours I felt like I had known them for a lifetime. Thank you, Kristin and Brian. I spent the night on Tsuru and I had a deep craving for ice cream before bed. Amazingly, there was a hole-in the wall ice cream shop just across the street from the marina. All the stars were aligned!

The next day, I drove East across the midsection of the UP. Every hour or so, I would see a single-pump gas station selling Pasties, a Yooper hand pie-adjacent delicacy. I arrived in Sault Ste. Marie (the U.S. side) mid morning, and I went to viewing platform of the Soo Locks. I was the youngest viewer by about 50 years; the security personnel checked my bag and asked, “What are your intentions, ma’am.” I responded with honesty, “I think seeing a huge boat pass through the huge lock would be really cool.” I bet they didn’t get that answer a lot from 18 year olds, BUT IT WAS SO COOL! I watched the boat traffic for about two hours passing through one of the most amazing engineering feats ever build. The ability to transfer millions of tons from the upper Lake Superior into the lower North Channel leading to Lake Huron is crazy, especially while keeping boats and their crews safe and on schedule. The Great Lakes Merchant Marine Academy training ship passed through the locks, and the cadets stood by the railings grinning and waving at all their eager onlookers. After I got my Soo Locks fix, I went to the Valley Camp Maritime Museum which is aboard a retired freighter. Forget the Soo Locks, this museum was breathtaking. It documented the history of the maritime industry on the Great Lakes, in addition to an aquarium filled with all the local aquatic species and models of all the lighthouses that line the shores. The helm and crew quarters were all set up to display life onboard a freighter in the early 1900’s. My favorite part was an art gallery and theater in one of the cargo holds. While I was visiting, there was a production of the account of a shipwreck (I don’t recall which one, there have been thousands in the Great Lakes) being played which featured local U.P. actors. It was a chilling story.

That evening I drove south across the Mackinaw Bridge into Mackinaw City where I moved aboard Athina. Natalie and Heather stopped by that evening on their way back to their home and they swiftly became a part of my Michigan family. I got my fill of land time and it was composed of truly amazing experiences. It boosted me up and filled me with confidence and hope for my capabilities. I regained a huge sense of gratitude for the beauty of the natural world, the awe of the human built world, the kindness of strangers-turned-friends.

Up next: the last adventures before hauling out Felicity for the winter, a solo-trip through Canada went wrong, Backpacking through the UK and Europe with Mom, and getting my Captain’s License in Fort Lauderdale.

Where am I now: Currently taking my final exams to become a Captain at Maritime Professional Training in Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

With gratitude and love,

Maddie