We fashioned an anchor from a milk jug and rocks on Sleeping Bear Bay. We paddled out a couple of hundred feet from shore and drop the make-shift anchor to take in the scenery. So often our travels take us to remote areas with few people nearby and we live the solitude. Sleeping Bear Bay did not have a traditional dock or boat launch, so we had to complete our first portage to the lakeshore.
Originally we posted up on a pristine spot on the sandy shore. The sand was fine and light in color while the water was a Caribbean blue. This water is uber clear in Lake Michigan. It’s really incredible!
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is a a true testament to the importance of the National Park System. Being such a desired destination, it was only a matter of time before people would camp out in our area. I am not sure why, but some folks don’t have much spatial awareness. One family with about 10-12 people in tow set right next to us. RIGHT next to us. On a busy day at the beach, this isn’t a big of a deal, but the beach is completely empty and they’re right on top of us. After a few minutes of missed football catches hurdling in our direction and kids 4 through 20-something clamoring for juice boxes, we decide to cast ourselves onto the lake.
Bay with a View
It’s funny how things work out. We wouldn’t have been able to enjoy the natural environment as much if we hadn’t paddled out. The water was great to look at, but the perspective of the water was magnificent. These huge dunes rolled away from the lake forming sandy mountains. These peeks are steeper and taller than some of the mountains used for skiing back East. The lake is massive, creating an almost 180-degree horizon of crystal blue water met by white sandy dunes and shoreline. This was one of those occasions where we didn’t use a dock or boat launch, so we were going off the beaten trail in terms of paddling. It was a responsible risk that paid off in spades. Bobbing in Sleeping Bear Bay for hours isn’t a bad way to spend the day. Trust us!
Find Your Park
It seems like each time we paddle a state or national park we are more than pleasantly surprised. In the Northeast, where we are based, there is declining access to unadulterated natural environs for both humans and habitat. Our parks and nature reserves were formed to act as a cathedral allowing us to connect with nature in a spiritual or metaphysical way. An alter to the physical geography if you will. As we paddled back to shore, I felt refreshed. We were grounded in the fact that we could be so small when the challenges of life at home feel so great.
That’s why these excursions are the big rocks in our life. This is also why protecting our national treasures is a big rock as well.
Check out more experiences in Michigan and Traverse City
