We'll miss you by a couple weeks--wish I was able to hand you some water as you ran by! Good luck and can't wait to read your report.
BTW, when I read your web site, all I can think of is the line from The Princess Bride, "Inconceivable!" Beyond impressed, whatever the outcome.

Amazing pics of the seiche!

... If you want to cook meals (say fry the fish that you caught), then you will need a stove that you can control the heat with (ie. simmer). An example of this would be a MSR Dragonfly stove. While canister stoves have a historic reputation for poor simmering and heat control, I recently had great...

Mike, we rented a Quetico 17 for an I.R. trip and LOVED it! I've also taken a couple of different Wenonah kevlar canoes, and this beat them hands down in handling and build. If I ever buy a kevlar myself, this will be it. For a tripping canoe, has a great balance of tracking, maneuverability, stabil...

Rock of Ages lighthouse recorded continuous wind speeds up to 39 mph and a 61 mph gust Weds am. Data isn't available for Passage Island.

Am I correct in reading other previous posts that only canoes are offered at Windigo and Rock Harbor? Correct. Am I also correct in my readings that they are offered by the concession stands? If I am correct, then is it safe to assume that you can only rent canoes between Memorial Day and Labor Day...

This reads about the same, but has just a little more detail.
http://www.mtu.edu/news/stories/2012/ju ... 70266.html

Some folks will bring their food in their tents. We go to other areas and the chance of having food odors in my tent from previous trips to draw a bear's keen nose, keeps me from doing that. I used to keep food in the tent, but have started hanging when not in a shelter, for John's reason. (when no...

Also through the lodge, catch a ride on the sightseeing cruise on Tues/Thurs to Hidden Lake for $16.
http://www.isleroyaleresort.com/sights (at bottom of page)

Good insights! Glad you were able to adjust and have a good trip. I would say No cotton clothing, without exception, however. I have and will continue to carry my Nikon DSLR, however, but that is important to me and one of the reasons I go (I only carry 1 lens though, 28-200mm). My spreadsheet has m...

The links are awsome and the pictures have me chomping on the bit to stop planning and leave already. Just to add fuel to the fire :D, here's some more pics from a McCargoe to R.H. paddling trip that includes Belle Isle and the Five Fingers area. http://moskeybasin.com/Isle_Royale/IR_Pics_2009.html

Ahhh, my dream is to sail Isle Royale some day, but not sure it will ever happen. Been thinking about your desire to "camp out in the wild". I'm not sure about leaving unattended boats overnight at a dock or anchored out (both from the NPS policy and weather points of view), but if that wo...

Personally I enjoy boats (pretty much any kind), and taking the Voyageur II around the island and seeing the island from the water perspective. Took the seaplane last year for the first time and loved that too--would have loved a longer trip the length of the island :). There's also day hiking and o...

No, you won't get there in time to make the Queen. The Voyageur II gets in around 3:00 CDT (4 EDT), and Queen leaves at 2:45 EDT. But yes, there is a campground at Rock Harbor, so no problem there.

I don't think one can say that Royale Air Service is unreliable, but rather that weather is! And yes, the plane is more susceptible to weather than the boats. As with all things I.R., be flexible and the folks who get you there and back will do whatever they safely can given the situation.