Kayaking through the Channel, photo by smiles7.

The lighthouse is the Charlevoix South Pier Light, and it marks the mouth of the Pine River channel that extends from Lake Charlevoix to Lake Michigan. Terry Pepper’s Seeing the Light explains:

The Pine River Channel is believed to be unique in the entire world inasmuch as it has a two-way current. After severe westerly windstorms, waters pushed high into Lake Charlevoix will swiftly flow back out to meet other inbound currents. Small whirlpools and eddies at the harbor mouth are not uncommon, and whitecaps can frequently be observed within the channel on the calmest days.

You can get a lot more information about the history of Charlevoix’s Pier Lights from Terry Pepper and see historical photos including a cool postcard of the Charlevoix North Pier Light in 1909. If you want to visit Charlevoix, the Charlevoix Area Convention and Visitors Bureau is a good place to start.