Presque Isle (Superior)
I’ve never been so happy to get caught in a blizzard as the time it happened on Presque Isle in Marquette. My second time on the island was chilly but not miserable. It was the end of March, and we had been experiencing warmer than usual temperatures before it dipped back to average. We decided to take a hike around the island, and about 15 minutes into our hike, it began to snow. I could have sat there on the cliffs of Lake Superior, watching the snow escape from the clouds for ages, but we wanted to see more of the island while it was still snowing. My favorite part of the island was the rocky north shore, which was accessible by a dirt trail off the main paved route. The island had protected us from the wind until this point, and as soon as you passed one particularly large rock, it hit you like a freight train. The snow began whipping my face, and for the first time, I felt cold as I approached Fisherman Point. I couldn’t help but think of the scene from Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince when Harry and Dumbledore are on that huge rock in the middle of the sea with waves crashing everywhere. After hanging out in the brutal wind and snow for a few minutes taking some photographs and videos, I returned to the main path to head around the rest of the island with Kira. Past the rocky outcropping, there’s a cove suitable for lounging and swimming, and as you continue down the path, the landscape becomes less dramatic, but you are offered a beautiful view of Middle Bay, Middle Island, and Middle Island Point. I didn’t expect the island to be as beautiful as it was, and I’m quite happy to have seen it in the state that we did. Don’t get me wrong, in the summer, it’s perfect for swimming and warm weather fun, but there’s just something special about the solitude of the winter. The wind and waves were so thunderous and powerful you could feel it deep inside, and that isn’t a feeling I will forget any time soon. Presque Isle is just three miles outside of downtown, is quite unique, and I can imagine such a treat for those who call Marquette home. In the summer, visiting Black Rocks is a must!
