Isle Royale Forums

Even with the new boat running out of Grand Portage, the Wenonah still exists, waiting to serve a purpose. Someone else snapped these pictures last week. It's currently sitting in a marina in Washburn, WI:
Anyone have some fond memories of this tug? I've been on quite a few boats and never got sea sick, but this one almost got me to yak. But my best memory was probably the microwaveable chili cheese dogs I had after getting on this tub after a 7-day hike. They were probably horrible-tasting any other day, but after a week on the island, they tasted delicious!

What's your fondest memory of the Wenonah?

The day it sells! By the way, who shot the photos, and why? I may want to use them if I list the boat with a broker to assist in the sale if it would be OK.

I've never been on the Wenonah, but "tub" isn't a very kind word.

I think it's sad to see a boat like that up on stands.

Good luck with the sale, Capt. Don. I hope she finds something cool to do.

ETA: BTW Capt. Don, shouldn't those stands be chained?

Oh, that's awesome. And I was thinking of heading over to Washburn on the 4th of July, and thought of stopping by to see her, too.. (Maybe I still will - Let me know if you need specific photos, Don!)

Favorite Memory: Those awesome bow benches, that if you laid down, you were out of the wind. Took more than one return-trip nap basking in the sun as she chugged back to the mainland..

Going back to Grand Portage during some pretty rough waves is what I remember from '06. The deck hand was washing down the walk ways on each side with a cig hanging out of his mouth. I don't know why I was okay, but the folks I was with were suffering. A young lady from Japan was with us and she too turned an unusual color.

Referring to a boat as a "tub," especially one that is a bit short and stubby of shape, may be a term of endearment used by those who know her well. Referring to a ship, like a destroyer or an aircraft carrier, as a "boat" may also be a term of endearment, traditionally reserved for only its crew, who may vigorously defend the exclusivity of that right in various refreshment depots while in port.

Just a word of caution, this philosophy does not extend to wives, where terms of endearment should be selected very, very judiciously.

In the Navy, only submarines are referred to as "boats;" anything else is always a ship.

Calling a destroyer or aircraft carrier a boat is likely to get you called a boot.

Tub is what you call your buddy's ship when you want to insult him and his ship.

My fondest memory is the return trip back to Grand Portage when my 12 year old daughter, on her first backpacking trip ever, was asked if she would like to "blow the horn" as we entered the harbor.
That was 10 years ago and she still has the certificate signed by our captain!

We just cruised down from Bayfield on our boats to Washburn to check out the marina. We saw the Wenonah up on blocks from a far off and verified what we saw using the binoc's. My parents went to Isle Royale on the Wenonah back in 1968 and I went to Isle Royale my first time in the summer of 1975 being only 18 months old and I still remember the trip. Captain Don, how much are you asking for her?

I remember the Wenonah as the first boat that took me to Isle Royale back in the 80s. Smooth voyage that morning.

I came to the forum to learn more about the island. This thread prompted me to actually register. The first trip on the boat was in the late '60's as a child on a family vacation, when they still had the hotel on the west side of the island. We stayed several days. Many decades later, my husband and I headed over on (sadly) a day trip. We dream of spending days hiking and I was saddened to see these dry dock photos. I know change can be good, but it seemed so unreal to get on the boat as an oldster and have those childhood memories of her.

While driving around the other day surveying flood damage, look what I found:
Apparently it was sold to some individuals in Superior who plan on using it at their new marina they are building. It will supposedly act as a floating convenience store.