Black River Harbor to Joe Rose's camping

I had been concerned about how to or where to camp in the Bad River Indian Reservation. Dave and Amy had told me about a guy they ran into back when they paddled around Superior in 2006. Bad River Band of the Superior Chippewa member, Joe Rose has some campsites and is also a professor at Northland college. I never met Joe but did meet his neighbors Steve and Melinda...and kids. It was kind of amazing I paddled up to this group who turned out to be right at the nice camping option.. The kids insisted I land where they were and what do you know.. It's the right place.

A few more shots from the night camped at Black River Harbor.

You could see the sunset and sunrise from this campsite. The sunsets will no longer fall into the horizon of 'The Lake'.

Leaving the Black River Harbor it was about 15 miles to Little Girl's Point...where I had lunch.

Then it was off across Oronto Bay to Marble Point...about 9 miles. Then I just picked a spot a bit this side of the Bad River and figured I'd go talk to someone from the reservation about camping...

As luck would have it I paddled right to the place Joe Rose has some campsites and was invited by his neighbors Steve and Melinda and the kids who really liked when my kayak hit the beach!

My campsite .. View back from where I came...and toward the Bayfield Peninsula

No more sunset into the horizon .. Steve, the kids and a neighbor.

Union Bay Porky's Campground to Black River

The rain finally ended sometime during the night. Winds were to be 5 knots variable. As I left the boat ramp area I could see it was pretty windy out around the corner. I pushed on as perhaps it was just a gusty session or about to let up. I'd say 15 knots at times. I was only wearing a light wool top so did my best to not have waves splash of the stuff on my bow deck.. I got wet and figured eventually I'd get cold if the headwind continued. Finally I saw a little spot I could pull into like a mini harbor. I put on my dry top for the first time since in Canada. Within an hour the wind did die down to more like 5. As you can see photos along the way have water on the lens. I had lunch at the mouth of the Presque Isle River. Made me think of the time a couple of us paddled the final rapid into the lake one spring. Made me think of my friend Jim Rada who died paddling the Presque Isle in 2003.
It took me 5 hours and 15 minutes from when I left Union Bay to get to the River. Then I went another 5 or so to the Black River facility. I asked the nice woman running the little store about camping at the dock.. She first said there is a campground, showing me on a map. I said if I could be considered a boater and just stay here I'd rather not haul all my stuff up there and leave my kayak down here. She thought that made sense and called her boss.. Had me talk to him and explain and I got a sweet deal. $10 .. I'm sure the campground would have been $20 or more. I just went to the smallest boat length and cheapest dockage.. The floating dock and went behind it and found a place I could pull my loaded boat right up to the grassy picnic area. I have some stuff drying and moved to a picnic table in the shade on the dock. I also found out I paddled into the Central Time Zone today! It's a good feeling. Sounds like a couple light wind days so I should be to Bayfield for camping Monday night.

Just leaving the boat ramp area.

Paddling the Porky's shoreline .. Finally the mouth of the Presque Isle

The river mouth lunch stop

The Black River facility where I got to camp with the big boats!

I like that they let me be a boater even though I'm in a tent...which I haven't set up yet

I like that the sunsets an hour sooner