I must stress that this cache is only accessible by a water craft via Lake Huron. If you are not comfortable navigating the waters of Lake Huron, do not attempt to do this cache. Lake Huron can be dangerous at times for small water craft such as kayaks or canoes. Before attempting this cache, use common sense and a few safety procedures, such as telling someone where and what you will be doing and wearing a life jacket. Choose a day when the winds are calm and out of the south (off shore). I did kayak to these spots on a day when the wind was 5 to 10 MPH out of the south. I started out by 9:00am so the waves didn't have a chance to build. Care should be taken, however you choose to access this earthcache as many rocks are in the waters. Some are visible above the water's surface, others are just lurking below the surface.
Since the land beyond the shore is privately owned, do not trespass on it. It has always been a private, gated resort since 1896. If you step on shore and you could be trespassing.
A business in the city of Port Austin offers tours by boat of Turnip Rock. Others rent kayaks or jet skies.
I am excited about the Point Aux Barques area. I find that when bedrock is exposed on the surface, I feel very connected with Mother Earth. Our planet has been described as “The third rock from the sun”. Living in south east Michigan all I can say is, “Where's the rock?”. I learned of this place in the early 1970's when I took part in a high school Earth Science field trip to the tip of the thumb. Back then, this area was not a gated community and we were able to drive up the the house that sits near by.
If you are able to find this earthcache, you will be rewarded with some of the prettiest views in southern Michigan. Everyone that received their grade school education in Michigan learned that glaciers pushed their way over Michigan several times. The result is glacial drift averaging 200 to 300 feet deep covering on top of the bedrock. The thickness of drift has measured over 1,000 feet in a few Michigan locations. Rarely can we see exposed bedrock that has been sculptured by non glacier forces. This is one of the locations in southern Michigan where the sandstone bedrock is exposed at the surface. The amount of shoreline that has exposed sandstone is about one mile, but a lot of beauty has been sculptured in the stone.
The locals call the main structure here "Turnip Rock", because of it's shape. Geologists call it a "Sea Stack". A definition of a sea stack is an isolated pillar-like rocky island or mass near a cliff shore, detached from a headland by wave erosion assisted by weathering. Waves force air and small pieces of rock into small cracks, future opening them. The cracks then gradually get larger and turn into a small cave. When the cave wears through the headland, an arch forms. Further erosion causes the arch to collapse. This causes a pillar of hard rock standing away from the coast. Generally occurring in sedimentary rocks, sea stacks can occur in any rock type.
The other feature is called "The Tip Of The Thumb". This is simply an overhanging cliff of sandstone that is rather thin for the distance it extends over the water.
Be sure to check out the other earthcaches I've placed in this area.
Point Aux Barques Sea Caves and Arches
Port Austin Sea Caves
To claim your find for this earthcache you will need to perform the following requirements:
- Estimate the height of Turnip Rock above the water.
- Estimate the shortest distance of the top of Turnip Rock to the top of the closest cliff.
Not required but always a pleasure to see, please post your photographs too.
Please email your answers to the cache's owner by clicking here. Which will open a new email with the questions in the body. Just add your answers.