Grand Haven North Pier
While staying in Grand Rapids, we had a bit of extra time, so we decided to head over to Grand Haven to check out Lake Michigan. It was the middle of winter, so we thought we might be able to get a unique view of the pierheads and lighthouse. We were in a rush and had not been before, so we just did a quick Google search, and off we went. The GPS took us to the north pier instead of the south pier, which was not our intention, but the view was pretty spectacular. The entire pier was iced over, and there were balls of ice all over the beach. Our boots crunched into the icy snow with every step, and we did not dare go out onto the pier past the beach. There were a handful of people on the south side of the Grand River, but we were alone on the north side. The south pier has two lighthouses, and it is better to view them, in my opinion, from the north pier. The south pier was completed to the length it maintains today in 1893. The outer light’s main purpose is as a fog signal, but it, alongside the inner light, has been guiding sailors by their light for over a century. The south pier also has a light, but I have not been able to pin an exact age on it. It appears to be identical to the light found in Pentwater, so I would imagine that it, too was built around 1987. I spent time in my younger years on the Grand Haven State Park beach, but at this point, I think it is safe to say you are more likely to find me admiring the lights from the north pier!
