>Will trying to paddle Isle Royal in May allow us to beat the >bugs or is it likely to get us blown off the planet? Has anybody tried or >have info on making the crossing to Isle Royal from Canada? Looks like it's less >than a 20-mile paddle at one point. I don't think the ferries run in May. The weather on Lake Superior in late May is variable ranging from perfect to miserable. The wind can be a problem any time of the year, but May usually isn't any windier than the summer months. The water temperature will likely be in the upper 30's. Fog may be more common than the summer months. The bugs shouldn't be much of a problem yet. The blackflies will be starting to come out but would only be a nusiance inland on the island. I think late May is a great time to visit Isle Royale, lot's of wildflowers, singing birds and frogs, and you beat the crowds. The Voyageur II Ferry does operate in May. It goes out to Isle Royale from Grand Portage, Minnesota on Wednesdays and Saturdays and returns from the Island on Thursdays and Sundays. After Memorial Day it also goes out on Mondays and returns on Tuesdays. The Voyageur II Ferry circles the Island so you can get dropped of and picked up at different locations which gives you a lot of paddling options. To make ferry reservations or to get more information on the ferry schedule and prices call 715-392-2100. As far as paddling to Isle Royale, it is nothing to be taken lightly, and you would want to be in top physical shape before paddling out there. From Canada there are some Islands that are about 12-15 miles from the Island, but most people kayak from Grand Portage Bay, Minnesota which is about a 20 mile paddle. You would want to wait for a clear, calm day and should bring along a VHF radio. The local power boaters and captains have started raising concerns about the number of people paddling out to Isle Royale especially in foggy and wavey conditions so you would want to make sure that you could contact boats and let them know that you are out there. If you choose to paddle to Isle Royale, you need to preplan and get camping permits from the Isle Royale Park Headquarters in Michigan before your trip, or you need to paddle to the end of Washington Harbor to get permits once you are on the island. There are several other areas on Superior that are great paddling destinations including several areas along Canada's shore, Pictured Rocks National Park and the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. Jennifer Stoltz Cascade Kayaks PO Box 215 Grand Marais, MN 55604 Phone/Fax: 218-387-2360 Toll-Free: 800-720-2809 E-mail: cascadekayaks_at_boreal.org Web: http://www.boreal.org/ckayaks *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
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