Isle Royale

And the Vagaries of Lake Superior Weather

When the gales of November came early!

Really! Many visitors over the weekend did not arrive or leave per their original plans! We did, but barely. We departed Copper Harbor, Keweenaw Peninsula on the Isle Royale Queen IV last Tuesday, 8:00 am, for the 54 miles, ~3.5-4 hour trip. An hour out, the captain slowed down, as we rode out 6-8 foot swells (some 9 footers) for most of the remainder of the trip. When we finally docked at Rock Harbor on Isle Royale, ~ 4:15, the captain came on the loudspeaker and said, “Well that certainly sucked!” If they’d gotten an accurate forecast, our boat might have been canceled!

But we made it and have had the most Lovely Vacation, staying 7 nights in a cabin at Rock Harbor Lodge near the northeast end of the island….

Visiting 1 new National Park!

Isle Royale National Park (#257), in the northwestern portion of Lake Superior is a unique, rugged, remote island archipelago, preserving 132,018 acres of land, federally designated as wilderness on October 20, 1976. The park consists of one large island (Isle Royale) surrounded by over 450 smaller islands; it encompasses a total area of 850 square miles including submerged land, which extends 4 1/2 miles out into the largest fresh water lake in the world. Isle Royale’s unique ecosystem led to it being designated an International Biosphere Reserve in 1980. There is also an ecological study of wolves on Isle Royale, that is the longest running large mammal predator-prey study on earth. The park celebrated the study’s 50th anniversary in 2008.

Isle Royale offers adventures for backpackers, hikers, boaters, paddlers, and divers. So…what did we do for 7 days in this very special place? (no paddling, as the days we had time, it was too windy and they weren’t renting them out.)

Hanging out, reading, watching the weather, checking the ferry statuses for the day!
Watching boats load/unload, watching float planes take off in Tobin Harbor, checking out the night sky at the New Moon (saw Jupiter)
Hiking every day…just 2 miles yesterday, after 10+ miles on Sunday (including up Mount Franklin), and 4-5 miles/day the 1st 4 days. Saw a bit of the rugged coastline up close. Walked on nice trail,, rocky coast, through wetlands on planks. Saw lots of wildflowers.
Taking 3 boat tours: in Rock Harbor to a lighthouse, around Colville Point into Tobin Harbor for a hike, and lastly out to Passage Island (Northeastern most point of the National Park) to a lighthouse
Visiting 2 lighthouses, 1 historic fishery, and the site of Wolf/Moose Studies
Seeing no wolves, but talking to Back-Packers who did (one lost a shoe!) Seeing no moose, but plenty of moose droppings. Seeing many squirrels, including on our table outside at Greenstone Grille. And Mark saw 2 Red Fox.

Isle Royale Queen IV in Rock Harbor
Loading 2nd of 3 small craft onto the Ranger III
2 Float planes loading up on Tobin Harbor (more protected, smoother water)
Boarding Sandy for our 1st of 3 boat tours (2 others were canceled for high winds)
Rock Harbor Lodge Rooms & Guest House from the water
at Scoville Point…turn-around for a 4.5 mile loop we did twice
Snug Harbor (where lodge is in Rock Harbor) at dusk on a calmer day
Hidden Lake…off trail to/from Lookout Louise
View (to Canada) from Lookout Louise
Rock Harbor Lighthouse (with maritime museum inside)
Passage Island Lighthouse from the boat…hiked to it…in disrepair
At Suzys Cave on a 4 mile loop day
Approaching Edison Fishery on the Sandy
Last look at Edison Fishery
Just SOME of the display regarding the ongoing Wolf/Moose Study done on Isle Royale
View of Sleeping Giant, in Canada, from Passage Island
View of Tobin Harbor on Tobin Harbor Trail
Heading up to Mount Franklin through wetlands
View from Mount Franklin
View from Mount Franklin
Heading back on Rock Harbor Trail, the rocky part
View of Rock Harbor on Rock Harbor Trail
Starry Sky, New Moon, 6:00 am this morning…Jupiter in the middle