Isle Royale Forums

A friend and I will be heading to the island in the late spring early summer of 2009. We are planning on taking the Queen out of Copper Harbor to Rock Harbor, we would then like to catch a ride to Windigo and work our way back to Rock Harbor. Can anybody tell me when the earliest we can plan on being able to ride the Voyageur II from Rock Harbor to Windigo is? We would like to get out to the island as early as possible after it opens for the season.

I haven't been to Isle Royale for about 7 years and before then I lead 2 trips to the island with 6 middle school aged youth. I'm looking forward to being on the island with a friend and my thoughts.

I'm sure I'll have more questions about routes as I continue to work on the planning.

Thanks in advance

Here's the 2008 schedule; they don't have the 2009 schedule up yet:

# Saturday/Sunday trips begin May 10, 2008 and continue through October 11, 2008.
# Wed/Thurs trips begin May 14, 2008 and continue through October 9, 2008.
# Monday/Tuesday trips begin on May 26, 2008 and continue through September 15, 2008.

So, after the end of May they leave Rock harbor Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday for Windigo.

Web site is http://www.isleroyaleboats.com/schedule.asp

Bob

Hey kvanorsdel, and welcome to the site.

I usually head out to the island about the same time every year, so I'm sure we'll see you out there!

Thanks Keweenaw for chiming in. I have looked at both boats websites before and was trying mainly to figure out if they tend to run the same schedule year after year. Obviously I have time to figure our our plans but transportation to the island does seem to be one of the bigger components to the plan.

I used to live in Houghton/Hancock and haven't been back for 6 years so I'm excited to get to stop by some of my old favorite spots to eat and visit on my way to the island

You should be fine in the late spring. VII usually runs by the end of the first week in May (once they get their permit from NPS). I've been able to catch them at the dock and see if they have room and have been very lucky. Your best bet would be to book the rides in advance, though.

Hi, here is the best guess I can give you for 2009. We plan to start running the first Sat in May, this would give us around the island trips twice weekly until we start Monday trips, generally memorial day. Now, depending on the winter, there can be a great deal of ice in some of the places we need to go in early May. Such was the case this year and that was the reason for scheduling a week later start. In any case we typically have the earliest and latest schedules for getting to and from the island and the only one that goes around the island. If getting there early is of importance to you, you may want to consider being part of our "first boat" crew, leaving from Grand Portage.

Capt Don wrote:Hi, here is the best guess I can give you for 2009. We plan to start running the first Sat in May....

Would this mean you'd be trying for May 2nd, 2009? If so then I could make another trip to the island. I have weddings the 14th and 15th so May 9th wouldn't work... I'll be watching closely.

Capt Don's post about the boats leaving in 2009 just got me really excited again to head out to IR

Hi,
Last June 20th 2008 was my first trip to Isle Royal. I took the boat from Copper Harbor to Rock Harbor. We did about 80 miles in 6 days and had a blast. I never made it to windago yet. Where are some great spots to go on the island. I feel inlove with little Todd! Also, I missed the black fly season by a few days and had a lot of mosquito in the inner lakes. Is there a better time than when I went to go? If so when?

I can't wait to hear back from you guys.

Ryan

wolffry wrote:Hi,
Last June 20th 2008 was my first trip to Isle Royal. I took the boat from Copper Harbor to Rock Harbor. We did about 80 miles in 6 days and had a blast. I never made it to windago yet. Where are some great spots to go on the island. I feel inlove with little Todd! Also, I missed the black fly season by a few days and had a lot of mosquito in the inner lakes. Is there a better time than when I went to go? If so when?

I can't wait to hear back from you guys.

Ryan

Ryan,
May is a good time to go, not a lot of people and the bugs are usually not bad.
September is also good. It depends on the weather, a warm rainy Spring will bring out the bugs earlier as extend the bug season if August is warm and wet.
I was there the same time as you. The mosquitoes were terrible!!!!

I hiked from little todd to tood to cut over to the ridge line and all I could hear was the dam buggs. My lips turned numb from all the deet I think I had sprayed and it was hard to breath through the neting but little todd was well worth it! Have any of you ever taken the plane to the island? I was looking into it. It didn't seem to pricey and it got you there quicker and back to the mainland a lot quicker as well.

R.W.

Flying to the island is a great experience and a huge time saver. If you are prone to seasickness, it a great option.
I flew a few times with the previous concesionaire. If you have never flown in a seaplane, it is a great expereince and what a view of the Island!!!

Sooo ... If I was to do a trip on the Feldtman loop leaving Saturday May 9th, would I be able to return on Thursday the 14th? That'd give 5 days on the island, with enough time to complete the loop at a leisurely pace. Just depends on the boats running.