The cup-shaped leaves of the northern pitcher plant, Sarracenia purpurea, wait for insects to fall into their trap. North Point Nature Preserve is home to a coastal fen on its northern shore where unique plants—including carnivorous ones—can be found.

The opportunity to see something new, even for lifelong residents of Northern Michigan, is the best feature of North Point Exploration Day.

We welcomed two dozen visitors Aug. 22 to the remote preserve on the northern rim of Thunder Bay in Alpena. Guests enjoyed a couple hours of free time or guided tours of some of its unique natural habitats including a rare coastal fen landscape, protected dune ecosystems and a cobblestone shoreline where century-old shipwreck driftwood can be found alongside puddingstones and Petoskey stones. Kayla Wikaryasz, a reporter from The Alpena News, published this account from her trip to North Point that day (a subscription may be needed to read the story).

*Participants take in the view of Lake Huron during North Point Exploration Day.*

It was the second visit to the preserve for Macomb resident Laura Kraydich, whose summers vacationing in the area with her family inspired her to pursue a degree and a career in environmental protection.

“Any chance I can get to come up here I take it,” Kraydich said before being interrupted by a fluorescent green praying mantis landing on her white tee.

*A praying mantis crawls across the hand of Laura Kraydich after landing on her during North Point Exploration Day.*

Thank you to everyone who came to this month’s North Point Exploration Day, and to Friends of Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary for helping host the event. Your next opportunity to visit and explore North Point is coming up Oct. 18. You can register here.

Have a look at more scenes from North Point Exploration Day in the gallery below.