TR 7/7-7/13/2014 [Belle Isle-Malone Bay]

[Ingo]

Sat 7/5: Met my brother Karl at our Dad's near Madison--I drove up from NC with the canoe and he flew in from AZ.

Sun 7/6: Drove the 500 miles up to Grand Portage. Stayed at Ryden's, still the best deal in town. No cell service, but wifi if you sit outside the store.

Mon 7/7: Quiet ride on the Voyageur II, stopping at Windigo (of course) and then on to Belle Isle. In Windigo, I told Karl to stand at the back for the LNT talk if he didn't want to be called on--the ranger overheard me and explicitly gave him a card. The boat wasn't very full, and we by-passed McCargo. This was the first stop of the season at Belle Isle, so apparently there hasn't been too many paddlers out yet this year. The volunteer rangers at Belle Isle met us on arrival and are a very helpful and friendly couple. Good to know they are there with the closure of the Amygdaloid station.

Paddled around to the campground which we had to ourselves. Got a little settled and did some fishing off of Johnson Island. I caught a laker on a blue/silver Little Cleo (thanks JohnH) on our first pass, but we were skunked after that. Not real big but great for supper! Later Karl enjoyed a dip in the cove. We went to bed with the sun (repeat every night).

Tues 7/8: Up with the sun (repeat every morning). Too cloudy to repeat the spectacular sunrise I had a few yrs ago. No fish for breakfast. Decided to portage through Lane/Stockely/Duncan, although we could have gone around on the lake. It's a beautiful paddle. Fished most of the way to Duncan Narrows--Karl had a big strike off the island in Duncan Bay, but no fish.

Wind was NNW and not too strong, so headed cautiously towards Blake Pt. Waves were 12-18" once we lost protection, with some reflection off the Palisades, but not too bad. About the limit of what I'd be comfortable with there in a canoe. Once around Blake Pt it was immediately calm. Beached on the rocks and explored. Pretty cool just to be there. Karl took a dip.

Got to Merrit Lane and a boat motored by shortly after we unloaded, obviously looking for the shelter, so we felt lucky with our timing. Sun came out, Karl took the canoe out fishing, and I settled in. Later I had a very nice lake trout on at the dock, but lost it bringing it up on the rocks (blue/purple/silver dimpled Daredevel). No fish dinner tonight. Karl took a dip.

Weds 7/9: Sunny, light SW breeze on our nose. Fished to Scoville Pt with deep divers and spoons--nothing. Stopped at Scoville Pt where yes, Karl took another dip. A ranger heard his screams and came to check on us, but she got more than she was looking for as she looked over the edge as he pulled himself up on the rocks--we didn't get a chance to apologize. Up until then we hadn't seen anyone else except the one boat going by.

Stopped at R.H. and grabbed a sandwich and a couple beers. Just not right, but oh very good! Paddled to Tookers were Karl rigged his video camera to the bow. Paddled between Inner and Outer Islands, outside of Mott Island, then under the bridge and to Caribou. Group of 6 kayakers there. Karl went out fishing and exploring Middle Island Passage--I relaxed and rested. Karl took a dip.

Thurs 7/10: Sunny, light SW breeze on our nose. Waves 12-18" on the lake. Paddled around Saginaw Pt and stopped near Epidote Mines for lunch. Hmmm, can't remember if Karl took a dip here or not. It was pretty cold on the lake and some good paddling gloves would have been nice. Some cool rock formations in this area and a small sea arch. No one at Chippewa Harbor when we got there, but the shelters filled up with canoeists and a boat at the dock. Quiet though. Hiked to Mason Lake and saw a bull moose in the water, but he didn't stick around much. Later we both took a dip off the dock--I saved mine for the warmest water! Checked out the "school house" in the evening.

Fri 7/11: Cloudy and a rainy day forecasted. Paddled up the shore to check out an egg and embryo that Karl had found in the water--loon or duck, not sure. Paddled up the creek to the portage to Richie and caught about half dozen northerns on original floating Rapalas. Headed up the long arm towards the Whittlesey portage and the rain came in. Paddled/portaged through Whittlesey and Wood Lakes in the rain. Beautiful though, despite the rain, fog, and wind. Fished Whittlesey and Wood a little, but nothing more.

We had considered a night at Whittlesey or Wood Lake, but the shelter at Malone Bay was calling, so we headed the last 4 miles or so up Siskiwit, wind not terrible, but still on the nose. Left the canoe at Siskiwit and grabbed the last shelter at Malone Bay. Karl immediately heads out to fish the river and a neighbor comes by and offers us some fish if we wanted to wait a little, as they were going to Wright Island first. It was already evening, so ended up eating our M.H. dinners and then had fish for dessert around sunset. Karl took a dip. We slept really good that night!

Sat 7/12: We hadn't used our weather day, so just fished Siskiwit and Malone and relaxed. At least the boat that came back that night hadn't caught any either. Karl took a dip.

Sun 7/13: VII picks us up around 10:00. Wind is building from the SW so it's a rocky, although sunny, ride to Windigo. We seem to be loving it more than some folks though. After leaving Windigo we get out on the lake and the captain decides to turn around and wait a couple hrs back at the dock. Waves have been 4-6 ft. Leave Windigo the second time at 4:00 and arrive in G.P. a little after 6. Waves were probably as big, but had flattened out some and were not quite as steep.

When we were docked at Windigo there was a distress call involving 3 kayakers. We could only hear the Coast Guard side. Apparently they were paddling from G.P. to Lucille Island. As we were leaving G.P. a Coast Guard truck dropped them off in the parking lot, so they were rescued and safe.
[edit: here's the link to the Coast Guard news http://coastguardnews.com/coast-guard-s ... 014/07/14/]

Thoughts: A great trip, with 2 bucket list items accomplished (Blake and Saginaw Pts). Loved Malone Bay and Merrit Lane (new for me). Karl is a great paddling partner. Temp got as low as 40 at night, never above 70. We don't know how to catch fish (much). Skeeters moderate along the lake, Picaridin keeps them off, although it doesn't seem to last quite as long as DEET. Flies not an issue, except for the stop on Blake Pt where they were thick.

[Midwest Ed]

Karl is a great paddling partner.

And dare I presume. . . a very clean and fresh smelling partner.

I'm extremely envious. Of your trip, not Karl. Paddling has to be my favorite and most memorable method for experiencing the Island. Favorable seas shortened your portaging to almost nothing (avoided the two big ones anyway).

Thanks for your report. Pictures and video to follow?

[Ingo]

Forgot to say I've just started going through 1300 pics and still on the road, so it may be a few days.

[Ingo]

Karl is a great paddling partner.

And dare I presume. . . a very clean and fresh smelling partner.

Always best to be the smelliest, I think . Although I did have clean clothes for the boat ride home.

I'm extremely envious. Of your trip, not Karl. Paddling has to be my favorite and most memorable method for experiencing the Island. Favorable seas shortened your portaging to almost nothing (avoided the two big ones anyway).

I'm already envious of my own trip! It was one of the best (along with the other 8 ).

[Ingo]

PICTURES: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... 611194113d
(note you do not need a FB account to view them)

[NancyT]

Loved your trip report! Merrit is one of my favorites as well.
How did you like your new canoe? (it looks good on you)

[Midwest Ed]

Always best to be the smelliest, I think .

So who did the bugs like better?

Great pictures. I can't remember, do you have the 17' Souris? I think a spotted a few dings in it. I'm still looking for the right used Souris.

[Ingo]

How did you like your new canoe?

Love the canoe Nancy. Handles the lake swells nicely. This was it's first big trip and we both found the seats very comfortable, even paddling all day. Something I knew from day paddling, but hadn't fully appreciated before.

Yes Ed it's a Quetico 17. And we did put a few scratches and dings in it, almost unavoidable in some spots we were. And "No" it's not for sale . But I'll keep my eye out--haven't seen too many in N.C. though, ironically just the one my neighbor bought a few months after me, completely independently.

[Lucky Chicken]

nice pictures and great report! I can't believe some people tried to do the 20+ mile paddle in open water from grand portage to windigo...

[moss13]

See any bears? Very nice John. That is a dream route for me. Good choice on your canoe. So you camped on Caribou with all the kayakers? I read awhile back there is some sort of small cemetery on or near Caribou. Are you familiar with it?

Glad you had safe enough waters to make it happen. I have always wanted to paddle through the keyhole. Great pics and thanks for sharing!

[Ingo]

See any bears? Very nice John. That is a dream route for me. Good choice on your canoe. So you camped on Caribou with all the kayakers? I read awhile back there is some sort of small cemetery on or near Caribou. Are you familiar with it?

Glad you had safe enough waters to make it happen. I have always wanted to paddle through the keyhole. Great pics and thanks for sharing!

No bears, except in the sky . Cemetery Island is right next to Caribou, but we didn't stop. There is a small dock there. Frankly, my shoulders were too wore out to do much exploring (or even fishing) by the time we made camp--at least by water. The keyhole is cool!

I'm still pretty amazed we had cooperative wind/weather and were able to do our route as planned--the route from C.H. to M.B. was up in the air anyways and that was the only nasty weather (and still not what it could have been).

[honouredamongfoxes]

One of the best trip reports ever! Thanks for sharing this!
Fred