[Paddlewise] Paddling to Isle Royale

I haven't paddled either to Isle Royale or around  it  or through it but I stopped at a port that the ferries and other boats leave from and bought the chart.  I also got the guide book somewhere around there, Isle Royale National Park, Foot Trails and Water Routes by Jim DuFresne.  The Publisher is The Mountainers. Seattle.

The guy running the place where I bought the chart was adamant about NOT paddling to the island because of the quick thick fog that often appears and the heavy ship traffic through the area.  He said there would be no way for us to get out if the way of a large ship and no way for them to know we were in their path.  He said to just catch a ferry to the Island.

Even if this is not true, one would still have to know exactly where they were at all times using dead reckoning or would have to be able to use a GPS in order not to stray into shipping lanes or miss the island altogether.  So I would think lots of research and skill testing would be advisable before starting out.

I was just coming off a 8 day solo trip in Quetico where I could use piloting skills and the skill of shooting a bearing and following it to portages a couple of times across big lakes.  But I would not feel skilled enough to paddle in a fog and in shipping lanes although I have done a fog crossing in a bay without shipping to contend with.

So please be careful and give me back a report of your trip, the research you did, the successes you had, the route you did, etc.

Marilyn Kircus




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