CHYC Newsletter

Hey Der! Whah, can you believe the 2007 season is here already? Seems like just yesterday we were closing up for the winter. And what a strange winter it was. Seemed like the snow would melt as fast as it fell. Despite the frequent melt offs and temperatures above normal, we ended up with a total of 227” (pasty.com). Once again, Mother Nature played a cruel trick on us. At the end of March we had a week or so of beautiful weather and all of our snow melted. Ha, like we really thought spring was here. Yeah, right. We should have known better. This year’s spring storm showed up the first week of April dropping an outrageous 41.5” in Keweenaw County and 59” (yeah, that’s right, just about 5 feet!) in Houghton County. Talk about a slap in the face! Heck, we we even made the news inEurope! Oh well, it’s all gone now and we have had some pretty awesome days in the month of May. We’ve even hit 80 already! And yes, the blackflies have been out in full force, just in case you were wondering.

Our wacky winter weather has taken a toll on beautiful Lake Superior. The water level is down by 12.6”(International Lake Superior Board of Controll) from last year. In fact, the lake level has been below average for almost 9 years and hasn’t been lower than it is now since 1926! There are a couple of reasons why this has happened. One, is that Gitche Gumme didn’t freeze over. With out an ice cover, more water is lost to evaporation over the course of the winter. The second reason is lack of precipitation which causes less run off in the spring. With the water level being so low, you can now walk across to Porter’s Island from Hunter’s Point. This is disappointing to the men of the Harbor because now the girls don’t even have to lift their skirts to avoid getting them wet!

Those of you who spend a lot of time out there on Superior, keep in mind that there may be new obstacles for you to avoid. Also, when heading into the marina, be sure to check the entry water level to the Harbor and the marina itself. After you’ve docked and settled in, give us a call because there is a possibility we could come down and pick you up. Now, that’s not a guarantee, but if time and staff allow, we would be happy to do so. When you come to the yacht club, ask about the boater’s special of the day. Chef Ron Waara will fix you up a wonderful treat.

We have a bit of exciting news to pass along. The Harbor Haus received one of Sante Magazine’s Restaurant Awards for 2006! We won the Culinary Hospitality, Traditional Cuisine category for our region - the Midwest. Owners Ron and Christine made the trip out to Napa Valley, California to accept the award in person. You can find pictures and info in the January 2007 issue of Sante Magazine or online at:
http://www.isantemagazine.com/awards/2006photos/index.html.

If you want to see this award winning crew in action, take a peek at our kitchen cam. Included this year in the CHYC newsletter is a picture of the crew on deck welcoming the Isle Royale Queen IV and her passengers back from their voyage. This has been a tradition at the Harbor Haus since 1974. If you want to witness this yourself, the Queen passes by the restaurant between 6:00 and 6:30pm, but you might want to check the sailing schedule to be sure you see it. Bring your camera.
Eh, life in da UP is good!

From our crew to yours: Have a good boating year!

Greetings from Michigan's northernmost restaurant!

It's hard to believe that another season has already begun. Seems like the snow just melted yesterday and now the black flies are out in full force. Lake Superior kept us busy shoveling all winter with a total of 219.5 inches (not bad, eh?). Right around St. Patrick's day, after almost a week of spring-like weather with temperatures in the 50's, Mother Nature slapped us with a whopping 32" of snow. Just goes to show ya, winter ain't over till it's over (usually around June)! Being the hearty souls that we are, we dug ourselves out went on with business as usual.

It's shaping up to be a great summer here in the Keweenaw. It's been in the 60's for the most part, with the exception of Memorial Day weekend when temperatures sky rocketed up into the 80's. Most of us were walking around scratching our heads and trying to figure out what happened to the month of June because those were definitely July days. Take 'em when you can get 'em, I guess.

The Copper Harbor Marina is looking great and is in prime condition. The depth is about 8' and there are 11 -15 slips available, depending on what size boats are docked. Keep in mind that the marina isn't just a place to dock your boat, but also the the trail head to Hunter's Point and Agate Beach and the spot to catch the tour boat out to the lighthouse (about a 20 minute ride each way). The tour boat also does a nightly sunset cruise.

If you travel by boat and would like to dine at the Harbor Haus, give us a call and we might be able to come and pick you up. That's not a garantee, but if time and staff allow, we'll be more than happy to help you out. Owners Ron and Christine Waara and their knowledgeable staff will provide you with a great meal, wonderful atmosphere and an all around memorable dining experience. Oh yeah, don't forget to stop in the Copper Harbor Yacht Club - aka the Harbor Haus Lounge - and say "Hi" to Mr. Berry.

There are plenty of activities to keep your days and nights filled while you are visiting Copper Harbor. If you are interested in biking or kayaking, stop in at the Keweenaw Adventure Company. Sam and his crew will be more than happy to set you up with a bike or kayak and some trails to check out ranging from beginner to expert. Sam also offers a sunset paddle in the harbor by kayak.

The Isle Royale Queen IV is offering discounted prices on all day trip fairs for the summer. What a great opportunity to check out one of our great National Parks. It's about a 3 hour ride each way with 3 hours to spend enjoying the beauty of the Island. The boat leaves at 8 am and returns between 6 and 6:30 pm. If you haven't had enough of ol' Gitche Gumee, The Queen heads out for an hour and a half sunset cruise nightly beginning July 4th thru Labor Day and also on the weekends in June.

For those more comfortable with their feet firmly on the ground, there are plenty of activities on land. Fort Wilkins State Park, the Estivant Pines and Clark Mine are all self guided walking tours. Also, the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge offers a challenging 9 hole golf course. Don't forget to take a ride up Brockway Mountain where you can see for miles around. Brockway Mountain is another great place to catch a Keweenaw sunset, and, if your lucky, late at night you may even get to see the Northern Lights.

For the shopper in your group, there are many gift shops around town where you may find the perfect item to commemorate your trip to the Keweenaw Peninsula. Each shop has it's own unique style, so if you don't find what you are looking for in one shop, try another.

If you are having trouble finding things to do or just finding things in general, stop up at the newly remodeled community center. There should be someone there to help point you in the right direction. Have a great summer!

Hey Dare! How's it goin'? It's been a while since we posted a news letter, so there's a lot to cover. Have to start out by saying that we're all very happy to be back here in the beautiful Keweenaw! Mother Nature has been smiling on us so far - probably trying to make up for the winter - with blue skies and sunshine. Lately, it's been so warm that even our built-in air conditioner (aka Lake Superior) hasn't been able to keep up. Heck, the black flies weren't even too bad (yeah, right).

Our first boat to dock and fill up at the marina this season was a 70 footer that took 700 gallons of diesel fuel. The next morning, none of the logging trucks would start! Come to find out, the marina's gas tanks only hold 500 gallons of fuel. Speaking of the Marina, it's looking great! The depth is at 8 feet and there are 11 to 15 slips available, depending on what size boats are docked there.

If you are traveling by boat and would like dine at the Harbor Haus, give us a call, there's a chance we may be able to pick you up. Now, that's not a guarantee, but if staff and time allow, we will send someone for you. Owners Ron and Christine Waara and their knowledgeable staff will provide you with a delicious meal, great service and a relaxing atmosphere. After dinner, head over to the Copper Harbor Yacht Club (aka the Harbor Haus Lounge) for an after dinner drink and good conversation with Mr. Berry.

The Yacht Club is well stocked with Mount Gay and Grey Goose. Mr. Berry (the best bartender in the UP) has finally found his way back from Hawaii. It took him a bit - we think he got lost in transit and won't admit it- but he's here waiting to mix up some of the best drinks around! Stop in and say hello, have a cocktail, a Keweenaw Brewing Company Pick Axe Blonde (yep, we finally have a local micro-brew available!) or one of our many German beers, enjoy the view and relax in the air conditioned Yacht Club. Ahhh.... Life is good!

Grove - the founding member of the Copper Harbor Yacht Club - is very busy this summer campaigning the shores of the Great Lakes, so we won't be seeing much of him. He did stop in to check up on the Yacht Club and make sure the bar was fully stocked and he said to pass on a "how do ya do" to all the Yacht Club members. Grove says that the fishing has been great so far. If you're interested in heading out for some fishing on Lake Superior, give Fred Funkey (of Fred's Charters) a call. With over 20 years of experience, he's prepared for just about anything. He'll take you out for a half day, full day or an extended trip on The Equinox, which is a 41 foot boat w/heated cabins, a full galley and bathroom facilities.

If you're looking for activities other than fishing to fill your time in beautiful Copper Harbor, you can head out to Hunter's Point and Agate Beach. Thanks to all the donations and fundraisers, Grant Township was able to raise the money needed to keep Hunter's Point open to the public, so please take advantage of it. It's approximately a mile walk in from the trail head at the marina. For those who don't mind getting wet, you could also walk across to Porter's Island, which is where a potion of the Harbor Haus once stood as the Government House. Or, since you're already at the marina, you could take a short boat ride over to the Copper Harbor Lighthouse. While there, you will see one of Michigan's oldest lighthouse's, the first mine site of the 1848 Copper rush and the spot that Douglas Houghton "discovered" Keweenaw Copper. Another way to enjoy the lake would be to take a day trip over to Isle Royale on the Isle Royale Queen IV. The 3 hour ride each way is well worth it to be able to truly appreciate the vastness of Gitche Gumee and enjoy the secluded beauty of the Island. If you're lucky, you may even see a moose or wolf while you're there (just remember to stay a safe distance away, they are wild animals).

Don't forget about Fort Wilkins, the Estivant Pines and the Clark Mine site, too. All are walking self-guided tours. If you want to hit the trails on a mountain bike or paddle around Copper Harbor, stop in at the Keweenaw Adventure Company. Sam and his staff will set you up with the right equipment and the best trails ranging from beginner to expert. The Adventure company also handles bike repairs and tune-ups. For the golfer in your group, the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge offers a challenging 9 hole course. And for the shopper, there are many gift shops to wander through and find unique and beautiful items to commemorate your trip to the Keweenaw Peninsula.

After a long day of playing around in town, you may want to enjoy one of the sunset cruises on Lake Superior. Both the Isle Royale Queen IV and the Lighthouse Tour boat set sail to enjoy the sunset out on the open water. If you'd rather be a little closer to the water and more in control, the Keweenaw Adventure company does a sunset tour by kayak. Brockway Mountain is also a great place to watch the sunset for those of you who don't care for being out on the Lake. What a perfect way to end your day in Copper Harbor.

That should about cover it. Can't wait to see you all again and don't forget to bring your best stories and jokes with ya!