Kayaking around Lake Superior: sand bay

Monday, July 2, 2012

Across Keweenaw Bay & through Keweenaw Peninsula

I was eager to cross Keweenaw Bay so got up and started to heat water for coffee and oatmeal. Next thing you know down comes Phyllis with a cup of coffee for me and an invite to breakfast.. : ) Thanks again!!
Well needless to say the morning glass like calm was gone by the time I set out.. But a light headwind is good on a crossing. The night before it was said it was about 7 miles across from Sand Bay but considering how long it took I doubted that. Looking at the map it looks more like 10 or at least 9. It was nice to finally head into the Portage Lake canal waterway. It was hot and I reveled in the moments a breeze came up. Lots of boat traffic, pontoon boats, power boats pulling inflatable thingies and PWC's seemed the most numerous. Houghton..Hancock seemed nice from the water. I saw the Ranger III at dock...then a lift bridge with the same colors. I had lunch..my only out of boat break for the day, at a City Park with a big playground slide. Then I pushed on .. Eventually deciding to camp at the North Canal Park as I already mentioned.. Yes, I'm writing this days later as I never did one on the through he Peninsula day. I'll date it as it occurred..

Just starting out on the crossing .. Almost to the canal entrance!

Cool old masonry barn converted to a big home .. The route

Approaching the downtown areas .. A ski area on the Hancock side

The Ranger III .. Isle Royale Ferry

City Park I stopped for lunch .. Note the lift-bridge is the same color of Ranger III

On and on.....

Finally... The other side!

First I stopped to check out McLain State Park .. Then I went out and around to North Canal Park only to find out..no more campground .. So I decided to dry stuff and hang out ... Setting my tent up down near the water ? Hard to believe a night of continuous storms were about to develop.

Next morning.. Wind is picking up.. Note how the storm cases waves were passed the vestibule.

Sunday, July 1, 2012

The longest day

I woke up with the shoulder feeling ok.. Ibuprofen works good. I had planned a day of 22 miles so leaving at 9:30 am seemed ok. The conditions were perfect. Getting through the property of the Huron Mountain Club seemed a breeze. I got to where I was going to camp but it just seemed so early..like 2:15 or so. I looked at the map and contemplated trying to go all the way to Second Sand Park in Sand Bay down always on the Keweenaw Bay side of Point Abbaye. It would put me a day ahead and there was enough light left in the day. Off I went across to the end of Point Abbaye. Oh.. forgot to mention my skeg drop cord broke as i launched this morning so I tied i up and had only partial skeg drop which had been fine for the day's conditions but a pretty strong tail wind came up on the crossing and I had my work cut out staying on course in quartering 2 foot seas. Right at the end of the point it was all confused and 3 feet but soon I was in the calm of the lee side. Now I had only the nearly 20 miles left to go to sand bay. I was quite exhausted and was really going slow due to my lame shoulder. Wondering where the Park was I paddled toward a group of people thinking maybe it was the park? As I got closer I saw that it was a gathering of family etc.. I asked where is the Park and he said over there but why? .. Do you need a place to stay? I said sure and next thing you know I'm meeting the rest of the extended family of Phyllis and Dick and a few neighbors.. Dinner was over but they heated up left overs for me and showed me where..inside I could sleep. Come morning I was heating up water for coffee and oatmeal and Phyllis came out with a cup of coffee for me and invited me inside for breakfast! Thank You So Much!!
... I'll start with photos from the end of my long day ...