Return to WhimSea's Home Port. Bucephalus' log - August 25-30, 2002 -- Isle Royale

Post details: August 25-30, 2002 -- Isle Royale

08/25/02

Permalink 11:00:12 pm, Categories: Adventures, 1323 words   English (US)

August 25-30, 2002 -- Isle Royale

Posted by Karen A. Brown


We arrived early Sunday morning in Grand Portage to a harbor shrouded in mist and fog. There was a light breeze blowing, the sun was starting to break out, the air held the scent of anticipation. This would be our longest vacation on our sailboat yet.


The destination, Isle Royale, is said to be somewhat wild and considerably more secluded than any of our previous destinations. Both Troy and I were looking forward to the quiet majesty of the area. We hoisted our sails and headed for the island.

As we exited the harbor at Grand Portage, the mist that had been hanging about closed in on us, obscuring from view the land we had just left, refusing to disclose our destination, some fifteen miles out in the lake. We could only set our compass course and allow the GPS to track us across the lake and hope the mist would lift. What we didn't know was this was a precursor to the week to come.

Eventually, the mist lifted and we found ourselves with clear sailing to Isle Royale and into the Washington Harbor to the National Park Service dock at Windigo where we were to check in and provide our anticipated itinerary. For those unfamiliar with Lake Superior, the map on the right (courtesy of the National Park Service) provides a reference. Grand Portage is on the Canadian border in Minnesota.

As it had been a long day already we decided to spend our first night at the Windigo dock and were rewarded for this decision by a visit from the local wildlife in the form of a moose. She was eating and swimming in the bay not far from where we were docked, completely at ease with her surroundings, uncaring that we were watching.

The next morning we would awake early eager to be on with our circumnavigation of Isle Royale. We had set up an aggressive schedule hoping to round the island and return to Windigo on September 1 prior to checking out. We had a lot of water to cover and wanted to be underway quickly. As Troy was readying things above decks he called to me to come up as there were two cows having their morning breakfast in the bay with us. Watching these huge beasts eat was amazing. As we were watching the sunlight shone across the bay and the forest opened up to reveal a large bull moose, intent on breakfast, and hoping for a little more from the cows. His calls could be heard quite distinctly as he questioned the cows about their availability. (The moose, we would come to learn, were entering their rutting period). We watched until all but one cow had left before heading out for that days sail. Destination Hay Bay some thirty miles away (across water).

We raised sails in Grace Harbor putting a reef in the main and lifting the Genoa and headed out. The weather forecast was for a nice wind that would allow us to reach our destination (Hay Bay) with time to spare. As we rounded Cumberland Point the wind and the waves began to pick up. By the time we reached halfway across Rainbow Cove some of the waves were reaching the twelve foot high mark. We had dropped the Genoa and were riding the reefed main alone. The waves were lifting us up one side, slowing our progress to near zero before shooting us down the other side. We soon realized we were heading nowhere in a hurry. With the current wind we would have to tack back and forth along long point (which reaches from The Head to Houghton Ridge) and at our current speed it would take about 60 hours to accomplish unless we decided to drop the sail completely and motor. Even if we motored, the wind direction provided for few shelters once we would arrive. The best course of action seemed to be to turn around and head for the shelter of Grace Harbor.


As it would turn out we would spend the next couple of days in Grace Harbor resting and relaxing. The anchorage was secure for the winds that would pick up after we arrived. We were visited by a number of ducks, including one that was determined to make sure (up close and personal) that we had no food to provide her.

We spent the rest of Monday and all of Tuesday in this harbor. Tuesday night was especially spectacular as that evening the sky was clear of any cloud cover and the number of stars was phenomenal. Ours was the only man made light within miles. The only sounds you could hear were those of feeding moose and the waves lapping the shore. It completely took our breath away.

Wednesday morning we were determined to try and tackle the route once again. Though there was little wind and some mist it appeared that the mist would burn off and the forecast indicated the wind would pick up, if at least marginally.

Once again we rounded Cumberland Point with sails aloft. This time we also had the motor going as the wind wasn't light enough to even fill our canvas. The waves were moderate, though confused, coming at us from multiple directions making it difficult to keep a steady course. This attempt would find us rounding the head before determining that the fog was not lifting, the wind was not increasing and once again we were forced to choose to turn back or press on. As our destination would include a somewhat tricky passage near Houghton Point we forced to turn back once again, this time heading for the Windigo dock for an overnight stay.

We passed the time Wednesday visiting the Windigo park service area, joining in a moose talk and enjoying a much needed shower. We watched the fog roll in around Beaver Island and wondered what Thursday would bring.


Thursday morning dawned, once again, with mist hanging in the air. Feeling restless at dock, we decided that with a fair wind blowing, the efforts of the sun, and the wonders of modern technology, we would make it to Hay Bay if we had to motor the whole way and use the GPS for guidance. We headed out of Grace Harbor past Grace and Washington Islands towards Cumberland Point. The fog was beginning to come in again, but we had the GPs to guide our way.


Just past the Cumberland Point buoy the GPs lost us the fog had become so thick. We were now blind and lost in the fog. We had to turn back and make our way using the compass only and hope we didn't miss the entrance to the cove. We found the Cumberland Point marker and turned in to the Harbor. The fog lifted enough for us to anchor in Grace.


The picture above shows the fog closing in by Grace island and obscuring the sun. We spent the rest of the day with the fog closing in and receding periodically. It would take only 10 minutes and the visibility would close to a block around the boat. As the picture to the right shows, the whole world would become blurry.

When the sun went down it looked as though the whole sky was on fire. The way the sun lit on the fog was impressive.

We spent the night Thursday in Grace Harbor, again, waking to a freshening wind and light fog again. Weather forecasts indicated that the fog would only lift when the wind picked up dramatically creating waves of up to seven feet. Knowing the crossing back to the mainland would only get harder with stronger winds we decided to cross then as the opportunity might not present itself in the near future.

We crossed without a problem, the GPS holding out the entire way. Pulled her from the water and headed home.

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