Passage Island (Michigan)
Encyclopedia
Passage Island is a small island
in the U.S. territory in western Lake Superior
. It is the northeastern-most island in Isle Royale National Park
. The island is uninhabited, but has a lighthouse (Passage Island Light) and a short hiking trail. The U.S. National Park Service conducts tours of the island which depart from Rock Harbor on Isle Royale.
The name "Passage Island" refers to the fact that ships out of and bound for Thunder Bay, Ontario
often pass through the gap between Passage Island and Blake Point on the northeastern end of Isle Royale. Although this gap is three and a half miles wide, this passage was often dangerous during late season (early winter) conditions on Lake Superior, especially before the development of modern navigational aids. Great Lakes sailors refer to passing through this gap as "threading the needle."
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
in the U.S. territory in western Lake Superior
Lake Superior
Lake Superior is the largest of the five traditionally-demarcated Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded to the north by the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Minnesota, and to the south by the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Michigan. It is the largest freshwater lake in the...
. It is the northeastern-most island in Isle Royale National Park
Isle Royale National Park
Isle Royale National Park is a U.S. National Park in the state of Michigan. Isle Royale, the largest island in Lake Superior, is over 45 miles in length and 9 miles wide at its widest point. The park is made of Isle Royale itself and approximately 400 smaller islands, along with any submerged...
. The island is uninhabited, but has a lighthouse (Passage Island Light) and a short hiking trail. The U.S. National Park Service conducts tours of the island which depart from Rock Harbor on Isle Royale.
The name "Passage Island" refers to the fact that ships out of and bound for Thunder Bay, Ontario
Thunder Bay, Ontario
Thunder Bay is a city in and the seat of Thunder Bay District, Ontario, Canada. It is the most populous municipality in Northwestern Ontario, and the second most populous in Northern Ontario after Greater Sudbury...
often pass through the gap between Passage Island and Blake Point on the northeastern end of Isle Royale. Although this gap is three and a half miles wide, this passage was often dangerous during late season (early winter) conditions on Lake Superior, especially before the development of modern navigational aids. Great Lakes sailors refer to passing through this gap as "threading the needle."