Isle Royale Forums

Hello all!

I've been to IR once. I organized a trip for a group of 10 who visited the island in August '02. So, it's been a while since I've been to the island. We backpacked and were on the island for 5 or 6 days. It was an amazing trip!

I have wanted to go back ever since! This time I am planning a solo trip, leaving Copper Harbor on Memorial Day and taking the return ferry on the following Friday or Saturday. I've always thought it would be nice to canoe or kayak the inland lakes of the island, but I don't own either a kayak or a canoe. I am in pretty good shape, but am not very experienced in kayaking. I have kayaked, but I would not consider myself an intermediate-level kayaker. I have been canoeing many times. I was leaning towards kayaking because I thought a kayak would be easier to portage, since I'll be alone.

So I'm looking for some general advice, and I have a few specific questions. I'd like to portage and spend a bit of time fishing on different lakes. I have no plans to get out on big lake, unless I'm hugging the coastline or in a sheltered bay. Would you recommend a kayak or a canoe? Any of course, the big question is: are either available for rent on the island? Am I biting off too much to chew for a first time solo trip? If so, I could just make this a backpacking trip.

I am at the early planning stages of my trip right now. So I'm very much open to advice, tips, & recommendations!

Thanks!
Ron

P.S. If I wanted to get from point A to point B in a kayak or a canoe (solo), what do you think the average speed would be? I'm just trying to figure out how long it would take me to get from, say, Rock Harbor to the Moskey Basin campground.

Hey Ron,
Canoe vs Kayak: I've always canoed, so am biased. In either case you need to be confident in your ability to self-rescue, since you'll be alone. Water temps are going to be very cold and hypothermia is a real risk if you go in. I've always portaged a canoe solo, so that isn't a big deal to me, and have a hard time imagining portaging a kayak, which just seems awkward. But others do it, so I guess it's pretty much what you're used to. Certainly paddling a kayak solo is a heck of lot easier than solo in a canoe (unless you do it all the time).

Renting: They do rent aluminum canoes on the island http://foreverlodging.com/foreverinfo.c ... ntKey=2610. Haven't used them, but from what I've observed they looked pretty variable in terms of good yokes, important to portaging. Also going to be heavier. Not sure what they have for kayaks. I've rented from http://www.sylvaniaoutfitters.com/ before in Watersmeet, MI. Not that convenient, but the closest place in the U.P. that I found that had something I'd consider appropriate--and kevlar at <45 lbs. But you do have to pay to transport the canoe out to the island.

Speed: I use 2 mph for planning purposes with 2 paddlers, but almost always avg more without pushing. Obviously a lot of factors to consider, esp. the solo part. Kayaking is probably twice as fast.

Route: R.H. to Moskey Basin is approx 10 miles. Solo canoeing, I'd give myself a whole day. It's protected enough from the big lake swells, but unfortunately lines up SW to NE which are also the most common wind directions. So it can get onerous in a headwind, and can kick up waves like on a 10 mi wide lake. The portage from Moskey to Lake Richie is 2+ miles, so I wouldn't ever want to do that paddle and portage in the same day.

Too Much?: Maybe. For 4-5 days you probably just get to Lake Richie, be so worn out after the long paddle and long portage that you stay an extra day, and then do it again the other direction. Being solo your first time I'd probably skip the inland lakes and take a couple days to get to Moskey, day hike out of Daisey Farm, visit the lighthouse, etc. and allow for bad weather. We spent 9 days paddling Rock Harbor (unintentionally due to a sprained ankle) and enjoyed it much more than I expected.

Other options: Take the water taxi to Chippewa Harbor and paddle back through Richie to R.H. Or go across Tobin Harbor to Duncan Bay to Lane Cove. The Tobin/Duncan portage is tough, up and over the ridge, on par with the Moskey/Richie in terms of effort. But the bays on that side are one of my favorite areas. Mostly protected with a couple places to be cautious.

I would say, if you don't have experience doing self rescue in cold (I mean just above freezing) waters, IR may not be the place to get your experience. Even the inland lakes are still going to be cold.
A canoe is generally easier to portage particularly if the center thwart is set up for such. I made a portage yoke for my kayaks but try to avoid portaging them as much as possible.

You will suffer portaging the rental canoes and the rental kayaks cannot be portaged by one person (even if concessions would let you).

I would advise renting a kevlar canoe and if possible, rent it locally where you live so you can practice with it a time or 2 before the trip.

Bob

Thank you to everyone who replied!

I think I'm going to err on the side of caution and stick to backpacking this trip. Being alone and not terribly experienced could make for a dangerous situation when the waters are just above freezing.

Maybe next time!

Ron