Isle Royale Forums

Kayak landings at Belle Isle, Lane Cove? I have been to Belle Isle only on the V-II ferry and I recall a high dock. Where would I land a kayak? And, does Lane Cove have any good landing spots at the campground?

I paddle a Feathercraft, which is very seaworthy but I am getting very protective of it since parts and repairs are no longer an option. And after a couple hours paddling I am not all that agile sliding out of a kayak either. Is there an information source for landing conditions at various sites, other than dock or no dock?

At Belle Isle the campground is on the cove at the east end, maybe 1/8 mile from the dock. It's a nice pebble beach, easy landing for a kayak or canoe. I've landed a canoe at Lane Cove a couple of times for day hikes up the ridge, and don't remember any issues. May depend on the campsite though, but can't give you any specific info on that.

Agreed. Lane cove is easy to get to, even if your tent site doesn't have a pull out there are a couple of spots along the trail to pull out. you might have to step into the one foot deep water.

Good info here. The beach at Belle is "steep". If the waves are on shore, be prepared to pop your cockpit cover and get out quickly to pull your boat up off the beach (as Ingo stated, a pebble beach). The same for launching. We pull our boats up off the beach so as not to have them pulled out if the waves get bigger. With Superior water levels higher, count on less beach. At Lane Cove, find an area you can get out of your 'yak while it is still "floating" and exit. If you look along the shore, you will find a good exit spot!!.

johnhens wrote: ↑Sun May 05, 2019 9:11 pm If the waves are on shore, be prepared to pop your cockpit cover and get out quickly to pull your boat up off the beach

It made me think, for all the times I've been there I've never had a significant NE wind with any sort of waves into the cove. But yeah, it is open to that direction.

johnhens wrote: ↑Sun May 05, 2019 9:11 pm With Superior water levels higher, count on less beach.

We definitely noticed that last year--which made the beach somewhat steeper too. And moved some bushes closer to the water .

If the waves are coming in at Belle Isle's camp, just keep paddling past the dock and there is a small bay (and remnants of a small dock) just around the bend to the north. It's a very easy entry point, and connected by trail to the rest of Belle.