Isle Royale

[Great Lakes]

 

[Ericinmich]

I when there twice by boat from Copper Harbor with my parents in the late 70s... 24ft Sundancer, single I/O, VHF radio, compass and a chart. Now we have boats with GPS, radar, chartplotters, etc... and heck, some barely go 50 miles from their home dock!

 

[Maggieiscrazy]

I when there twice by boat from Copper Harbor with my parents in the late 70s... 24ft Sundancer, single I/O, VHF radio, compass and a chart. Now we have boats with GPS, radar, chartplotters, etc... and heck, some barely go 50 miles from their home dock!

That’s a heck of a haul across open water in that size boat. I’ve been thinking about trailering up to Grand Portage and crossing over.

 

[Stee6043]

Visiting that place via my own boat is a true bucket list item for me. I simply need to retire, with money, to make it happen

 

[Maggieiscrazy]

Mine too. I’m just intimidated by that lake.

 

[Gofirstclass]

Just don't go while the "gales of November" are blowing.

 

[Ericinmich]

That’s a heck of a haul across open water in that size boat. I’ve been thinking about trailering up to Grand Portage and crossing over.

Both trips we followed the ferry but I do remember one time coming back the fog was so heavy we stayed very tight in it's wake. And you had to learn to use the mafor (sp?) weather system, a series of numbers that would give you info on weather and winds around the great lakes. Before bed start listening and writing them down and then decoding to make sense of what the lake would be like the next day.

The second trip we hit a dead head, a log under water, and it blew out the hydrulic rams but the lower using held. Changing the prop in 50deg water was nippy! We finished the trip, but you couldn't use reverse as the lower unit would just tilt up.

I've thought about doing it again with my boat but from what I've read they have removed many of the small docks that they use to have around the island. I caught my biggest pike on the north side, there was a tiny dock for the boat, it was in a rocky bay only a few feet deep and we could see the fish swimming around us. Great memories.

I feel a bit guilty boating around the great lakes now in a 48DA, all the nav electronics, genny, A/C, etc. I do have a bit of envy and admiration for those in the smaller and older boats, seeing a family packed in one but having fun and getting out... to me that is what is important.

 

[Maggieiscrazy]

Just don't go while the "gales of November" are blowing.

What about the gales of September?

 

[Maggieiscrazy]

Both trips we followed the ferry but I do remember one time coming back the fog was so heavy we stayed very tight in it's wake. And you had to learn to use the mafor (sp?) weather system, a series of numbers that would give you info on weather and winds around the great lakes. Before bed start listening and writing them down and then decoding to make sense of what the lake would be like the next day.

The second trip we hit a dead head, a log under water, and it blew out the hydrulic rams but the lower using held. Changing the prop in 50deg water was nippy! We finished the trip, but you couldn't use reverse as the lower unit would just tilt up.

I've thought about doing it again with my boat but from what I've read they have removed many of the small docks that they use to have around the island. I caught my biggest pike on the north side, there was a tiny dock for the boat, it was in a rocky bay only a few feet deep and we could see the fish swimming around us. Great memories.

I feel a bit guilty boating around the great lakes now in a 48DA, all the nav electronics, genny, A/C, etc. I do have a bit of envy and admiration for those in the smaller and older boats, seeing a family packed in one but having fun and getting out... to me that is what is important.

Been wanting to make the trip for several years. I think next summer I’m going to say the hell with it and do it.

 

[Maggieiscrazy]

Both trips we followed the ferry but I do remember one time coming back the fog was so heavy we stayed very tight in it's wake. And you had to learn to use the mafor (sp?) weather system, a series of numbers that would give you info on weather and winds around the great lakes. Before bed start listening and writing them down and then decoding to make sense of what the lake would be like the next day.

The second trip we hit a dead head, a log under water, and it blew out the hydrulic rams but the lower using held. Changing the prop in 50deg water was nippy! We finished the trip, but you couldn't use reverse as the lower unit would just tilt up.

I've thought about doing it again with my boat but from what I've read they have removed many of the small docks that they use to have around the island. I caught my biggest pike on the north side, there was a tiny dock for the boat, it was in a rocky bay only a few feet deep and we could see the fish swimming around us. Great memories.

I feel a bit guilty boating around the great lakes now in a 48DA, all the nav electronics, genny, A/C, etc. I do have a bit of envy and admiration for those in the smaller and older boats, seeing a family packed in one but having fun and getting out... to me that is what is important.

So are there any sandy beaches or is the whole island solid rock?

 

[Ericinmich]

So are there any sandy beaches or is the whole island solid rock?

I don't remember any sand beaches, but likely there are some small ones around the island somewhere.