Isle Royale Forums

Hello paddlers!  I have a question that I'm hoping you can help me with.

My buddies and I leave this Friday for a paddling trip thru the southern lakes, and we will be portaging from Chippewa to Lake Whittlesey.  In the past I thought the requlations on travelling from Lake Superior to an inland lake called for boiling water (to remove water fleas), but I read in the 2012 Greenstone that we need to wipe things down so that they are free from aquatic invaders.

What do you do and what is required?  What gear should we bring (a couple sponges/rags in gallon ziplocs?)

srparr wrote:Hello paddlers!  I have a question that I'm hoping you can help me with.

My buddies and I leave this Friday for a paddling trip thru the southern lakes, and we will be portaging from Chippewa to Lake Whittlesey.  In the past I thought the requlations on travelling from Lake Superior to an inland lake called for boiling water (to remove water fleas), but I read in the 2012 Greenstone that we need to wipe things down so that they are free from aquatic invaders.

What do you do and what is required?  What gear should we bring (a couple sponges/rags in gallon ziplocs?)

From the park newspaper:

Canoeists and Kayakers

Remove weeds, algae, and other plant and
animal materials from your boat. Wash your boat
and equipment with either: a) Hot (greater than
104 degrees F) water, b) High pressure water, or
c) disinfectant OR
Clean and Dry your boat and equipment in the
sun for five days. Rainy days don’t count.

Keweenaw, as I read it, what you quoted applies BEFORE bringing your canoe or kayak to the island. And then wiping down between Superior and the inland lakes. But it's not as clear as it could be. Anyways, I'd bring some rags and ziplocs by my reading. I really don't think they want you to bring bleach .

Thanks for the input Keewenaw & Ingo!

I should have been clearer, we are renting 2 canoes at Rock Harbor and taking them via water taxi to Chippewa ... then thru Whittlesey, Wood, Siskiwit, Intermediate, Ritchie, and paddle/portage on north to stay at Birch Isle.

It looks like there is only one time we have to worry about cleaning up the boats: when we portage into Whittlesey. I just wanted to find out if "Wipe down your boat and associated gear before moving from Lake Superior to inland waters" is all we have to do. One of my buddies suggested bringing Clorox wipes! (I kid you not).

I thought in previous years the park recommended pouring boiling water over the canoes & paddles, but either I've remembered it wrong or they changed the recommendations.

Ingo wrote:Keweenaw, as I read it, what you quoted applies BEFORE bringing your canoe or kayak to the island. And then wiping down between Superior and the inland lakes. But it's not as clear as it could be. Anyways, I'd bring some rags and ziplocs by my reading. I really don't think they want you to bring bleach .

That makes more sense. Portaging a pressure washer would be tough!

I would just give the Park a call and ask what they recommend.

In late July 2011, 3 guys and 3 kayaks, came from Grand Portage, checked in at Windigo, put ashore at McCargoe Cove, portaged and paddled through 8 inland lakes to Chippewa Harbor. Our boats were clean coming to the island and we did not paddle Superior before hitting the inland lakes. Chippewa Harbor is open to Superior but was our last stop before heading home.

When we checked in with the rangers at Windigo, they issued us 3 small cotton towels with instructions to wipe our boats dry before going from Superior to any inland lakes. We never had to do this, but they were handy as camp towels, anyway. Again, these instructions were from 2011, and things can change.

FYI, we had a great trip, report can be found elsewhere on this forum.