Voyageur II and Queen IV schedule

[jsuh84]

I'm back again.

So I'll be hiking from Rock Harbor to Windigo via Minong. Once I reach Windigo, I plan on taking the 10:00 AM Voyageur II ferry that'll take me to Rock Harbor at ~3:00 PM. However, the Queen IV departs from Rock Harbor 15 minutes earlier at 2:45 PM to Copper Harbor. If these schedules are pretty on point, I'll have to stay overnight at Rock Harbor.

My question is, is it possible that the Voyageur II can take me to Rock Harbor early enough for me to catch the 2:45 PM Queen IV to take me back to Copper Harbor??

How fluid are these schedules? Would it be better to reserve a one-way Queen IV ticket to take me to Rock Harbor, and then purchase a ticket to take me back to Copper Harbor when it comes time? Or should I just buy the round-trip tickets?

[Tom]

You should plan to stay a night at Rock Harbor (or another nearby camp.) The Queen and Voyageur II are not normally scheduled to be in port at the same time, and thus don't hope for a miracle... There are many variables; mostly on how many stops the V-II might have (McCargoe Cove and Belle Isle) and what seas she will see. So arrival can be mixed.
I would recommend you book your tickets (both) in advance. The last thing you would want is to have a series of full boats that prevent you from departing. It's better to have a reserved seat. I can't speak for the Queen, but with the Voyageur II and Sea Hunter captains, if you arrive a day early and want to leave the island, if they have room on the boat they'll typically get you on. Therefore, reserve a ticket for the 'day after' and if by miracle the boats are in port at the same time, it's possible the Queen might have room for you.

[jsuh84]

You should plan to stay a night at Rock Harbor (or another nearby camp.) The Queen and Voyageur II are not normally scheduled to be in port at the same time, and thus don't hope for a miracle... There are many variables; mostly on how many stops the V-II might have (McCargoe Cove and Belle Isle) and what seas she will see. So arrival can be mixed.
I would recommend you book your tickets (both) in advance. The last thing you would want is to have a series of full boats that prevent you from departing. It's better to have a reserved seat. I can't speak for the Queen, but with the Voyageur II and Sea Hunter captains, if you arrive a day early and want to leave the island, if they have room on the boat they'll typically get you on. Therefore, reserve a ticket for the 'day after' and if by miracle the boats are in port at the same time, it's possible the Queen might have room for you.

Yeah, sounds about right. Thanks. The extra day/night will be good to explore the east part of the island, i.e. Lane Cove and Lookout Louise.

[Midwest Ed]

Yeah, sounds about right. Thanks. The extra day/night will be good to explore the east part of the island, i.e. Lane Cove and Lookout Louise.

A popular day hike out of Rock Harbor is the Stoll Trail loop out to Scoville Point. Very scenic. Or rent a canoe and paddle to Hidden Lake for a shortcut to Lookout Louise. And don't pass on a great dinner of very fresh Lake Trout or Whitefish at the restaurant.

When Tom mentions "if they have room", that's based on a very firm head count. The U.S. Coast Guard sets strict regulations for the number of persons allowed on board.

[jsuh84]

Yeah, sounds about right. Thanks. The extra day/night will be good to explore the east part of the island, i.e. Lane Cove and Lookout Louise.

And don't pass on a great dinner of very fresh Lake Trout or Whitefish at the restaurant.

This sounds wonderful. Thanks for the advice!!