Family Fun - Part 4

Warning! Lots of photos ahead! Tuesday, August 13th was the day for the Copper Harbor Lighthouse Tour with Carrie and Grace. The lighthouse is accessible by land, but it's located at the end of a private, very narrow unpaved road, so people are discouraged from using it. The boat ride to the lighthouse is so nice that it would be a shame to miss it anyway. We boarded the boat at the Copper Harbor State Harbor - located on the west end of Copper Harbor.

Captain Tim guided the boat away from the marina. . .

and we took the beautiful 15-minute ride over to the lighthouse. If you look at a map, the lighthouse is located northeast of the town of Copper Harbor - at the tip of the backward "C."

As we stepped off the boat, we were given a few moments to enjoy the scenery. . .

and we looked back at the land surrounding Copper Harbor.

Captain Tim was our tour guide on land as well. He told us about the many shipwrecks that had occurred in the area.

This is what remains of one of those ships.

Captain Tim also explained the purpose of the range lights and how important they were in helping the ships make it through the narrow gap in the reefs and safely into Copper Harbor.

The first building we came upon was the old light keeper's dwelling.

The interior is set up with displays and artifacts from the period. I thought this quote on one of the interior walls was interesting.

It was obviously a little chilly in there during the winter months.

Here's the original fireplace the marker in the last photo was speaking about. You can see the changes that were made to it.

I snapped this photo of the light keeper's dwelling from up by the lighthouse.

As we walked up the hill toward the lighthouse, we noticed the outhouse.

Pretty fancy, huh? It was a 2-holer.

The tour of the 1866 lighthouse was next. (The skeleton tower on the left was constructed in 1933 and now functions as the actual Copper Harbor light - an important navigational aid for ships on Lake Superior.)

It was interesting to tour this old lighthouse and think about the daily life of the keeper and his family.

Of course, this trip wouldn't have been complete without information about the copper in the area.

Can you see the copper in the next 3 photos?

Captain Tim allowed us some time to enjoy the scenery here.

I got a quick shot of Grace, Carrie and Steve.

Sigh. It was almost time to leave. I took a few more photos of the coastline before we boarded the boat, and I think this one successfully captured the beauty of the day.

Back on the boat, I snapped a few shots of the lighthouse as we headed back to the marina. I really love how this one turned out. The sky looks like a painting.

Mom and daughter enjoying the boat ride:

There's that face I love so much!

As we left the boat, most everyone thanked the captain for the tour. I thanked him for helping us make memories. It was a day we'll always remember.

If you would like to read more about the tour or the history of the lighthouse, click on the following link and explore their site:

Copper Harbor Lighthouse Tours

Stay tuned for Family Fun - Part 5.

All is well in the Keweenaw.