Exploration of Beach East of Grand Marais--Post 1

Yesterday my friends (Jamey and Lois) and I decided to explore the beach east of town, which used to be one of my favorite agate hunting locations.  As I have posted during the last year or so, this beach has been eroded away over the last couple of years.  It seems that Lake Superior has been eating it up and not spitting it back out.

The good news is that with the movement and dredging of shore ice, there is a bit of beach this year.  The bad news is that it is difficult if not almost impossible to get down.  We checked a couple of locations and then parked and walked east along the bluff.  In most cases the bluff is a vertical escarpment of sand.  The height varies from 40 to around 80 feet.  We walked for around a mile before we found a spot that allowed us to get down -- and back up.

When I drove into town to pick up Jamey and Lois, I spotted this porcupine.  By the time I pulled over and grabbed my camera, I was only able to get a picture of him walking into the woods.

Primrose....

It is nice to see flowers coming up....

Walking the bluff looking for a way down that would allow us to get back up...

Lots of driftwood due to the erosion...

We found this structure in the middle of nowhere.  We think it is an outhouse that some camper must have built.

 
Tiny forest floor flowers....

Just playing (Lois was only posing)...

Looking down from that spot...

Still looking for a place down, walking the North Country Trail east....