About: Canatara

Some have asked the origin of the title: Canatara. Here’s some background.

Canatara Chronicles draws its name from our summer place, Canatara.  We adopted the name from the Huron people’s ancient word for the great waters of Lake Huron. Here we enjoy a nostalgic little cabin built in the late 40s on the quiet, sunrise side of northern Michigan. The locals refer to the area as Greater Northeast Upper-Lower Michigan.

Now in our eleventh year as summer residents, we have gradually fixed up the lake place from near condemnation status to its present day comfortable quarters. The list of improvements seems endless with the biggest changes being the addition of a large screened porch and cozy guest rooms in the nearby bunk house, The Bunkie.

The site, situated on a large bay near the west bound shipping lanes of Lake Huron, affords relatively quieter waters and a view of the massive freighters including the thousand footers that silently pass on the horizon. The destination for many ships is the world’s largest calcite mine twenty miles further along the coast. There the ships are conveyor belt loaded for their return trip through the Sault Locks to the steel mills of northwest Indiana.

Summer evenings at Canatara are often spent at the fire deck overlooking the Lake Huron waters. The Bonnie Belle Dune Deck named in honor of my mother features a fire pit with outdoor cooking accessories and Adirondack chairs. In recent years the cyclical water levels have risen causing a shortening of our beach width. However, even with the uncertainty of width, the clean waters and sandy shores still provide plenty of area for the grandchildren to enjoy the beach. They often come to breakfast wearing their swim suits and ready for the day.

Part of the mid summer ritual is the annual measuring of the children. Here Norah takes her turn at making her mark on the back of the closet door. Jumps of 3 and 4 inches from the previous summer have been recorded. There are competitions for guessing the most growth in inches and percentages. Fortunately for the adults we only measure heights.

The surrounding area is a playground for outdoor lovers with hiking and biking trails on nearby Black Mountain. Lake or river kayaking is just minutes away. Off Road Vehicle trails start at the end of the lane and crisscross thousands of woodland acres. Championship golf is 15 minutes away and shoppers will enjoy the unique boutiques of our adopted hometown of Rogers City or for bigger stores, Petoskey and Harbor Springs are a little over an hour of scenic driving from here. A trip to a century ago is just an hour away at Mackinac Island.

Summer or Fall Canatara is a peaceful place with a gentle pace. It’s called the quiet side for a reason. The nearest grocery store is twenty miles to the south. The remoteness meter reveals the nearest Wal-Mart is 23 miles to the northwest. Neighborhood friends, however, who also appreciate the natural harmony of northern Michigan are only a coffee cup away.

One of our favorite times is the Fall.  Northern Michigan puts on a dazzling show of colors. We’ve traveled New England in October but find northern Michigan can match the foliage turn after turn. The apples and cider and wood fired pizzas add to the senses of this beautiful display of nature.

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There’s enough to keep you busy and active or simply trade the hours for afternoon breezes captured in a hammock or a lake side Adirondack with a good book. Look up and the graceful tall red pines will rock you to slumber. The pace is always in sync with your plans for the day here at Canatara on the quiet shores of Lake Huron at Hammond Bay.