RE: [Paddlewise] Isle Royale National Park

I haven't *kayaked* around Isle Royale, but last summer some friends and I
took canoes around the northeastern third of the island; for what it's
worth, here are my observations.

When you disembark from the ferry, one of the first things you'll need to do
after your "orientation" lecture is check in with the Park office at Rock
Harbor (if you take the Copper Harbor ferry).  They'll ask you to list which
camping areas you'll be occupying on each night, but you do *not* have to
follow your itinerary.  However, you should consider your campsites
carefully, since lake conditions and the number of park visitors on the
island when you're there will have a big impact on the availability of
campsites.  On our first night there, we intended to camp at Moskey Basin,
but we arrived late and were forced to camp at Lake Richie instead.  The
type of campsites you'll encounter are variable, some will have a lot of
room (relatively speaking) and have enclosed shelters (which are very nice
if you can get them).  Others will have only a couple of primitive
campsites.  Remote campsites are often fairly small and may be occupied by
powerboaters.  My personal experience, and others may have different advice,
is that you should try to reach your intended site early and claim it, then
spend the remainder of the day paddling and/or exploring on foot.  "Isle
Royale National Park: Foot Trails and Water Routes" by Jim DuFresne was a
big help in setting our trip up; it's worth tracking down a copy.

When at a campsite with enclosed shelters, you may end up sharing it with
folks you meet on the trip.  No big deal; we did it and it was kind of fun.

There are also several side attractions you can visit, like the Rock Harbor
light, the Minong mine, etc., which are worth the time.

Do some research on general Lake Superior paddling info; you'll be getting
into exposed areas, although the NE end of the island offers some sheltered
areas to paddle in.  Since I only paddled the northeastern third, I can't
give you any advice or info for the rest of the island, although I'm told
that the north shore in general has few landings and little shelter.  Park
rangers are *somewhat* helpful in providing current weather info, but you
can't count on seeing one when you're away from Rock Harbor or any other of
their stations.  So bring a weather radio along.  I personally would say
that the most important part of our weather awareness was making sure we
knew which direction the winds were coming from.

Try to get some hiking in; while the water routes are excellent, the inland
trails have a lot to offer too, and you might get to see some moose.  We saw
several on the inland lakes, and almost literally ran into one paddling into
McCargoe Cove.  If you're on the NE end of the island, you can pick some
thimbleberries as you hike; it's quite a treat.  You will not see any wolves
though, and you probably won't hear any either, unfortunately.  If you're
going in the summer, you'll have sunlight until late.  Try to arrange a hike
up to the summit of one of the high points along the Greenstone Ridge.  We
climbed up Mt. Franklin and had a spectacular view.  Finally-- be ready for
the mosquitos, they're vicious.  If I remember correctly, you do not need a
fishing license to fish on the inland lakes, but to fish Lake Superior you
need a Michigan fishing license.  I'm not a fisherman- if I have that wrong,
perhaps someone can correct me.

I hope you enjoy your trip!  I loved Isle Royale and am considering a
boatless trip up there again this summer to do some backpacking.  Sitting on
a quiet cove at sunset up there is an incredible experience...

>I'm THINKING about a kayak camping trip around Isle Royale NP sometime
after
>19 July, my daughter is getting married on that date, and I'm looking for
any
>information from anyone that has kayaked that area.  ANY little bit of
>information paddlers might be able to provide would be greatly appreciated.
>I do NOT intend to paddle to the island.  I'll probably take the ferry from
>Copper Harbor, MI, since I live in Michigan.  I'll be taking this trip
solo.
>I believe the island is around 50 miles around the perimeter so I'm
>considering a circumnavigation of the island, though this certainly isn't
>cast in iron.  Thanks         Russell

------------------
"At that moment a black vessel
sailing on a cloud appeared
and carried off the man's spirit."

-Horace Beck, "Folklore and the Sea"
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