Isle Royale Forums

My ninth trip to ISRO will be my first paddling trip, partially due to wasting no time in preparing for a slightly harebrained scheme*.

For this first trip, it seems wise to stick to Rock Harbor, with a possible side trip to Merritt Lane, if time and weather permit. Or I might start with Merritt Lane before moving on to Tookers, Caribou, and Moskey Basin.

Am I right to be both really nervous and really excited about this? My intent is to stay away from the open water of Lake Superior because venturing out is a bad idea for me at this point. Or can I let go of some of the nervousness knowing that:

• I'll always be less (often a lot less) than a quarter mile from reasonably accessible land.

• I'll pay attention to the weather forecast and not venture out on the water when it is not favorable.

• I'll use a moose alarm to get up early for paddling rather than my usual waking up whenever while on the island.

*It turns out that none of my friends have any desire to learn how to wet exit a kayak**, so I'll be looking for company on the paddling over to Passage Island part of the trip in early summer of 2025.

**My husband says he might, but that's not a plan.

Hey Kelly, here's a trip report from a Sept canoe trip in Rock Harbor: viewtopic.php?p=21205.
It will give you a sense of what the weather can be like that time of year. Note that weather becomes more of a potential issue the later you go, and as we experienced, can blow for several days at a time. So be careful not to get stuck somewhere down the harbor. It's good to be a little nervous, I always am when on Superior, but hopefully helps you make better (safer) decisions.

Merritt Lane is really nice, but the section past Scollville Pt needs particular respect and caution. Best case is you have a good window to do it first.

In Rock Harbor you can still get large swells through the gaps in the islands. In general, sticking near the main island can be somewhat calmer as they can dissipate a bit across the harbor. So be prepared with 3 Mile and Daisy Farm as backups to the outer campgrounds.

For safety equipment, I would have an inReach or Spot, a VHF marine radio, and a couple of signal flares, especially if going solo (not clear, but sounds like it). Make sure the SOS device is attached to you, and the others at least attached to the boat.

Don't mean to add to any nervousness, but just want you to be safe! Prepare for the worst, hope for the best, be smart, be flexible, and have a great trip!

This is so helpful, and so was your trip report. The weather you described was not all that different from my previous September trips, but I wasn't on the water for either of them.

I am indeed going solo and will have a VHF marine radio and a Spot (renting one for the trip). Still have a few minor things to pick up (flares being one of them), and then I'll be prepared equipment-wise.

Given my skill and experience level, there's not a lot of margin for error, so if a week in Rock Harbor campground is in my future, so be it. It will be something other than the planned trip.

Thank you!