8 August 2024
Once again, I’m so thankful to have had a shelter. It rained pretty hard last night, and while there was a short break around the time I was packing up, by the time I was ready to head down to the boat, it had started back up again, which meant I finally got to use my poncho!
Despite the hole in the pouch, my permit managed to stay dry:
After turning in my permit (just in a box, nothing official), I checked out the moody coastal views:
and watched my boat load gear:
They loaded our bags by site (some of the passengers are getting off at stops along the south shore or at Windigo) so I tried to time my place in line so that my bag wouldn’t be sandwiched under a bunch of wet bags:
No luck, a bunch of stragglers showed up after me. All my gear is inside my bag, which is theoretically water resistant (though I haven’t really put that to the test yet) and all my gear is in either plastic or dry bags, so hopefully that keeps the water out!
On my boat ride over, there was coffee, so I brought my mug along so I’d have something to drink with my scone:
(they do have styrofoam cups, but I figured my mug is reusable)
Rock Harbor lighthouse:
It’s a bit hard to see, but there’s a visual marker on the top of that bluff:
it doesn’t light up, but if conditions are clear, it helps identify this harbor.
Menagerie Island lighthouse:
Partway around the island, the rain lifted and the blue skies started peeking through!
Waves definitely started picking up a bit as we rounded the island:
5-8′ waves are predicted, with occasional 10′ waves. We’re definitely not that bad yet, but I have a feeling it’ll get worse when we leave the protection of the island and start crossing back to the mainland:
Rock of Ages lighthouse:
When we came into Washington Harbor last week, there was so much fog, we could barely see the coasts, but now:
look at the colors!!!
Large merganser family:
Welcome (back) to Windigo:
We dropped off some people, picked up others, then headed back out to sea all within about 10 minutes. My ship really is quite efficient. I was still at the back of the ship, so I waved goodbye to the rangers as we pulled away:
You can’t see it well in this picture, but apparently they don’t stop waving until you do, or until the ship is out of view, so they’re still waving!
Farewell, Windigo!
Farewell, Isle Royale!
…unfortunately, the return trip got a bit dicey:
We definitely had 10′ waves- the boat was pitching up and down, and side to side- the spray was coming up and over and soaking the back of the boat, so I retreated inside:
But while I had taken my sea sickness meds when we left Rock Harbor, I left my redose in my backpack, which was stowed. I lasted about an hour before the motion of the ocean (well, lake) got to me and I went from ok-ish, to nope, gonna be sick right now, and didn’t have time to run to the back of the boat. Fortunately, the boat does have 2 heads, so I holed up in one of them and spent the last hour of the trip in there throwing up- every time I tried to get up and leave, a new round started. Ugh. So unpleasant. But, as far as boat bathrooms go, this one wasn’t terrible- there was actually a bit of a breeze so it stayed cool and it didn’t smell too bad,
Still, I was so glad when the boat finally pulled into the harbor and I was able to get off:
I laid down on the dock until my bag was unloaded, then tried to drive home, but only made it a little ways down the road before having to pull over and rest. It was a solid hour before I felt ok enough to drive.
Final boat ride aside, this was an amazing trip! It was hard, but I did it! Go me!
I learned I’m not a long distance hiker. Shorter trips with lighter food carries so I can pack a few more of those comforts I ditched in favor of keeping my pack weight down would make this a much more pleasant experience. Also, I need to find something more to do during downtime at camp (hiking more miles doesn’t sound like fun). And it wasn’t nearly as lonely as I thought it might be- there were always people on trail or at camp to chat with, though shelters are definitely more solitary than tents.
I will definitely be back, but for 3-4 nights instead. There are several shorter loops to explore and I’d love to see another moose.
Can’t wait to put some more miles on these shoes!