Roussain Island Beach
Ontario
Find: Feldspar/calcite, unakite, zeolites, colorful granites, hematite
GPS: 46.992643, -84.787725
Nearest city: Sault Ste. Marie, ON
Recommended Vehicle: Any
Summary:
This is a spot just North of Sawpit Bay, which is one of the more popular spots on the seldom-visited Eastern shore of Lake Superior. The coordinates for this beach don’t have a listed name or any signage, so I called it Roussain Island Beach for now. The island itself is nearby just to the South by 1km or so.
If you venture out here in waders, be very careful of your footing. In the video, I walked around extensively out there but it was slippery and there were jagged edges everywhere you step. Nonetheless, there are beautiful volcanic intrusions that create orange stripes that you can see through the water. They extend far under the landscape and even further into the depths of Superior.
There is a well-worn footpath to come down here if you head South on the Trans Canada Highway and park your car off the shoulder of the road.
Video
Check out the video to best see what can be found when exploring this spot. This is the third spot that I visited in the video.
3 Helpful Tools
Chest Waders
Chest waders were the single best investment I made for exploring the shores of Lake Superior.
Agate Scoop
An agate scoop is helpful for both keeping dry and picking up rocks faster. You don’t need a fancy one. Mine is a golf club welded to a kitchen scoop.
Classifier
A classifier is helpful if you’re a fan of small agates and stones. One with a larger, 1-inch mesh would be what I’d pick.