Kayaking - Silver Islet to Rossport Story
Finally completed my writeup for our Silver Islet to Rossport trip. The scenery was even more spectacular than I expected, and I continue to be amazed at the variety of landscapes we encountered.
Friday
We started the trip Friday afternoon. Jill and Matt met me at my house, where we proceeded to load up the kayak trailer with our three boats. We left right on time (according to my expectations, but 45 minutes late according to others) and headed north to Duluth. Between rush hour traffic and pulling a trailer (not being sure how fast I should go), we didn't make it up to Duluth until well past 7. Time for dinner.
The original intent was to drive all the way up to Grand Portage that evening and stay at the Casino. However, the winds were blowing hard causing large waves out on Superior. As such, there was little hope for getting out on the water Saturday. Why is this important? It's key because this allowed us to saunter into a restaurant I've always to check out up there: Hell's Kitchen. Turns out the manager/owner (Mark) is a good friend of Matt's. As if that is not enough, Mark has also done a lot of guiding in the Silver Islet / Rossport area. He was kind enough to share his expertise with us while we enjoyed some fine adult beverages and a meal that couldn't be beat.
By the time we got out of there, it was 10pm, and there was no way our little group was going to make it up to the border. So we opted to stay on my boat for the night, and proceeded onward the next morning.
Saturday
The trip up to the border was uneventful. This was the calm before the storm.
At the border, we had some excitement. Turns out that not everyone wanted to tell the customs officials what they had packed. Our confusion prompted them to search the truck, which was an impressive undertaking (there was a LOT of camping gear, and they made us unpack everything so they could run it thru their X-ray machine). After some time, they concluded that we were not dangerous terrorists or devious smugglers after all, but rather, just silly (and not too bright) kayakers. Once this became clear, I found myself liking the mystique of being potentially dangerous. But - too late. The label was cast and we were given a very stern verbal warning and told it would go on our permanent record.
Driving onward, we came around Thunder Bay and proceeded onward to the Sibley Peninsula. Eventually (why does it seem like the last few hours of a trip take the longest), we found our way to Marie Louise Provincial Park, where my troubles with the law continued. Seems that I was driving at 40 km/hr, but the speed limit was 20 km/hr. The ranger was much nicer about it than the customs officials, but I was now becoming quite wary of anyone in uniform. Or pretty much anyone in general. I was getting very eager to get out on the water.
Sunday
Listening to the wind conditions for Sunday on our weather radio, we opted for a late afternoon start. Turns out this was a bit conservative since the waves calmed down sooner than expected. In any case, by 3pm we were ready to go.
We paddled offshore to check out the famous Silver Islet mine. There was a cool model in the park visitor center - pretty much how it looked at its peak. The island today was a bit of a let down. Only a few large beams in the water give any indication that anything interesting ever happened here. This would explain the reaction of those I told about my intent to see the mine - "I suppose you could, but I'm not sure why you would want to".
Our brush with history complete, we set off on our trip. The trip was supposed to be (ideal case) about 75 miles. We expected it to be closer to 100 miles with side trips and explorations.
Crossing Black Bay was pretty uneventful. Turns out there are islands nicely spaced so that you don't really feel like you are doing a major crossing. At least, not as major as it would appear on a map. Completing the crossing, we made landfall at Pophery Point. There is a cool lighthouse there. The campsite was very buggy, and kind of freaked us out about how buggy it was going to be the rest of the week. As it turned out, this was the only place we encountered bugs. But, there were a *LOT* of them!
Jill really enjoys cooking, and finds it relaxing. We had agreed that Jill would be in charge of the cooking, since Matt and I felt it important to do anything we could to help Jill relax. Indeed, as she was busy getting dinner ready and relaxing, Matt and I hiked the trail through the woods to the lighthouse. The bugs attacked me with a viciousness I have rarely seen. I was very happy to finally get to the lighthouse and the breeze that the open fields provided. The area was quite picturesque, and we had fun exploring the grounds.
After dinner, Matt made a very nice campfire for us to enjoy.
Monday
Monday morning we departed Porphyry Point and headed north. Winding our way through the small islands, we were getting into the groove of paddling. Crossing between Magnet Island and Magnet point, we had been advised to watch our compasses carefully for wild swings, but didn't see much. I suppose we were still too enthralled with the scenery to really want to spend time staring at our compass. After Magnet Island, we came across a commercial fishing operation. This is the only one we saw on our trip.
Mark had told us that the lighthouse is Number 10 Island was really cool, so we headed there for lunch. Very picturesque for camping (with lots of space), but a bit exposed if conditions were rough. A great spot to check out for lunch. And a nap.
The afternoon paddling was pretty focused on getting to Swede Island. The sauna there is legendary - reported to be the best in the area. I have never been to a "volunteer run sauna", and so was eager to see what was in store for us. We arrived at an amazingly pictureseque bay, and easily found the sauna. There is also a building that serves as an "emergency cabin". This was built in the early 70's, and is maintained by volunteers. There is a visitor logbook, where I was pleased to see entries by other members of our kayaking club in the past couple of years.
But, about the sauna. Matt quickly got a fire going, and started heating the sauna. My experience with saunas was limited to what I remember from Michigan Tech - there was a sauna next to the locker room that I used to frequent. That was some time ago, and so I was eager to see how this would be. (In fairness to Timbu, I also had tried a sauna after hiking Snowbank Lake, but that was a bit toasty for me.) There was a thermometer hanging there, and once it reached 150, Matt declared it was time. We went in, and immediately my sinuses starting clearing up. It was great. The sauna is right next to the water, so we were able to run from there to the bay and jump in. A nice way to wind up the day.
Tuesday
Tuesday we awoke to incredible conditions. The high pressure system was still with us, and the morning was perfect. A lot of dew had settled overnight, and the day was warming up quickly.
We paddled north, going up to Loon Harbor. We saw the remains of an old sawmill there, and talked with some powerboaters who were anchored and busy enjoying their breakfast. Very picturesque. Continuing north, we were aiming for Loon Harbor, but soon realized we were making very good time. There was some discussion at lunch whether we should adjust our schedule to take advantage of the great weather, but the argument was made that the forecast for tomorrow was still good, and we should enjoy the nice weather and just relax.
We arrived at Otter Bay in mid afternoon. Otter Island stands guard at the mouth of the bay, and forms a very impressive cliff. We paddled in, and checked out the campsite near the mouth of the bay, then headed on to the north part of the bay to find the one that was supposed to be better. It was a bit rough, but workable. Lots of moose sign, so I felt sure that we would be seeing moose in that area.
That night Matt built a nice little custom fireplace, and we enjoyed a most relaxing fire. The stars were out in full force, with an especially impressive Milky Way. The moon was not rising until much later, so each night I was able to enjoy the stars without any light pollution. I recall being able to see the Milky Way in the city (Lansing, MI) when I was a child. There was a lot less pollution back then - both smog and light.
Wednesday
Wednesday morning Matt got out in his boat early to go check out the eastern end of the bay. Jill and I were packing and eating breakfast (Matt can munch on a breakfast bar and call it good.) Around 9, he came back, and we paddled out to Lake Superior. It was clear that a new front had come through, since the waves were now quite substantial. Big. Huge. We tried paddling in them for a few minutes, then concluded paddling with the waves hitting us broadside for at least an hour was not a good idea, especially with very limited opportunities to land. So, a quick U-turn and we headed back in to explore the bay some more.
It turns out that in the east sub-bay, there is a trail that goes to a substantial waterfall. At this point in the summer, there was only a small creek running over it, but I could see that in the spring this would be quite impressive. We spent a good chunk of the day relaxing there and exploring the trails that ran in the area. The trails were strange - they are in great shape, and marked with bits of orange plastic tied to the trees. But, the location makes me wonder who comes out here to maintain (and use) this network? I really have no idea.
In late afternoon, we headed back up to the smaller campsite at the mouth of the bay and set up camp there. It was actually nicer than our previous location. We could see (and hear) the surf crashing on Otter Island, reminding us that the Lake was still roaring. This was a bit strange, since we were so protected the water was glass-smooth in front of us.
Thursday
It rained during the night, and the sound of the surf was still unmistakable. So, no one was in a hurry to get moving. The weather radio indicated 1-2 meter waves, and our observations suggested 2 meter was about right. It was still raining (misting) during the morning, which made for a nice quiet environment. I really like that kind of thing. A friend of mine noted that there is no such thing as bad weather, only lousy gear. Our gear was good, and so we could enjoy the mist and how it changed the mood of our campsite with the fog and wet leaves.
In the early afternoon, we were beginning to go stir crazy. The surf was still there, but we decided to paddle out to take a look. Turns out that the wind had calmed a bit, so the waves were more like swells (the faces were not quite so steep). Thus encouraged, we returned to camp to get ready for departure.
We paddled up and around the point, and found the going was pretty good. This turned out to be an ideal situation, since the swells were crashing spectacularly on the shoals and rocky shoreline. Yet, were quite comfortable paddling along and just enjoying the show. It was clear to me that attempting this section yesterday would have been a mistake - very little safety margin for something going wrong.
We arrived at the gravel spit at the northwest tip of Spar Island, and noted that there was in fact an indication that camping was available there. None of us had noticed it before - otherwise we would have paddled to here instead of Otter Island. In any case, the camping there was quite nice. Jill prepared a very tasty dinner, and we discussed what needed to happen to finish up the trip on time. We concluded a longer day tomorrow would get us back on track, and targeted doing about 28 miles. With an early start, this should not be a problem.
This was also our first (and only) attempt to actually hang a bear bag. The problem was that we had a LOT of stuff to hang, and that the trees in the area were not ideally suited for the task. After a substantial amount of effort, we were close to a regulation bear-bag, but were also quite close to a "bear pinata" - that's what I call a bag that will likely provide more entertainment for the bear than actual deterrent. It was dark and late, we had been assured the odds of seeing a bear were minimal, so we called it done and went to sleep.
Friday
I awoke in the dark, and got my tent packed up using the headlight. It turns out that being sick was slowing me down a bit, and so I compensated by waking up earlier. We were on the water by 7, and started paddling north.
Our first goal was to make it to CPR slip, which we had heard was worth checking out. It was sort of a like a "super Swede Island" - two large buildings, extensive set of docks for use by sailboats and powerboats. This was maintained by a much larger group of volunteers, and supported through extensive donations. There was a sign asking those who were on guided trips to not use the facility. The sauna was large enough to fit a small crowd. Unfortunately, we did not have time to fire it up, and had to be content with simply noting it for future reference.
Paddling north from CPR slip after lunch, we saw some nasty thunderstorm clouds in front of us, and concluded they were going to stay in front. So we kept going, and made the crossing from Bowman Island over to Hope Island. The north side of Hope Island has a really nice gravel beach, and made for an ideal break location. Paddling into Armour Harbour was strange, because no exit could be seen until we were almost on top of it. We kept looking at the maps, making sure we were in the right location.
As we cleared Armour Island, I glanced behind us and saw that another thunderstorm was forming to the south. We opted to cut our day at 22 miles, and darted into McHab Harbor. We were able to get our tents set up, and Matt even got a little fire going before it started raining. And hailing. Matt's fire was in a depression, which soon filled with water and his fire was no more. After a hour or so, the rain let up, and Mother Nature treated us to a really nice sunset.
Saturday
Saturday was our last "real" day of paddling, and no one was in a hurry for this day to be over. We crossed Moffat Strait, and found the columnar basalt on the southwest tip of Simpson Island. This was really impressive, since it went on for a while.
The camping spot on the west side of Woodbine Harbor was nice, but we could only note it as a place to stay in the future.
Paddling on the McCay cove, we figured that would work for a lunch break. The marked campsite was already taken by some tandem kayakers. We considered paddling up to say hi, then noted that they were nude and hiding behind a bush, and decided to give them the privacy they were expecting. On the east end of McCay cove there was a nice spot for a lunchbreak, and an opportunity to get cleaned up in the water. I tried to climb up to Beetle Point, but found it to be more challenging than expected. With more time, I could solve the problem, but had to leave it for the next trip.
Leaving Simpson Island behind us, we paddled on towards the lighthouse on Battle Island. This was one of the more impressive lighthouses in the area, and made for a really nice target as we paddled towards the island. We headed north to Harry Island, where I was eager to check out the campsite noted as the "Harry Hilton". This was an interesting place - the sort of place you would expect to see in Deliverance. A bunkhouse and such, but limited options for tents. With such images in mind, we opted to find a better location, and were rewarded with an awesome spot on the northwest side of the island. Perfect view of the sunset, lots of space - what could be better? A perfect way to spend our last night of the trip.
Sunday
Conditions were expected to pick up Sunday, so we packed up and got moving. Truth be told, no one was going to be depressed if we had to spend another night out camping. But, there were some advantages to getting home Sunday night and so we stuck with the original game plan.
We crossed Wilson Channel without incident, and paddled towards Rossport. There was a lighthouse indicated at Whiskey Island that was disappointing. After the red/white picturesque lighthouses we were accustomed to seeing, this was a simple strobe on the edge of a rock outcropping.
Rounding Whisky Island, Rossport appeared. We quickly crossed Rossport Harbour, and just like that, the trip was over.
Full set of pictures here
Friday
We started the trip Friday afternoon. Jill and Matt met me at my house, where we proceeded to load up the kayak trailer with our three boats. We left right on time (according to my expectations, but 45 minutes late according to others) and headed north to Duluth. Between rush hour traffic and pulling a trailer (not being sure how fast I should go), we didn't make it up to Duluth until well past 7. Time for dinner.
The original intent was to drive all the way up to Grand Portage that evening and stay at the Casino. However, the winds were blowing hard causing large waves out on Superior. As such, there was little hope for getting out on the water Saturday. Why is this important? It's key because this allowed us to saunter into a restaurant I've always to check out up there: Hell's Kitchen. Turns out the manager/owner (Mark) is a good friend of Matt's. As if that is not enough, Mark has also done a lot of guiding in the Silver Islet / Rossport area. He was kind enough to share his expertise with us while we enjoyed some fine adult beverages and a meal that couldn't be beat.
By the time we got out of there, it was 10pm, and there was no way our little group was going to make it up to the border. So we opted to stay on my boat for the night, and proceeded onward the next morning.
Saturday
The trip up to the border was uneventful. This was the calm before the storm.
At the border, we had some excitement. Turns out that not everyone wanted to tell the customs officials what they had packed. Our confusion prompted them to search the truck, which was an impressive undertaking (there was a LOT of camping gear, and they made us unpack everything so they could run it thru their X-ray machine). After some time, they concluded that we were not dangerous terrorists or devious smugglers after all, but rather, just silly (and not too bright) kayakers. Once this became clear, I found myself liking the mystique of being potentially dangerous. But - too late. The label was cast and we were given a very stern verbal warning and told it would go on our permanent record.
Driving onward, we came around Thunder Bay and proceeded onward to the Sibley Peninsula. Eventually (why does it seem like the last few hours of a trip take the longest), we found our way to Marie Louise Provincial Park, where my troubles with the law continued. Seems that I was driving at 40 km/hr, but the speed limit was 20 km/hr. The ranger was much nicer about it than the customs officials, but I was now becoming quite wary of anyone in uniform. Or pretty much anyone in general. I was getting very eager to get out on the water.
Sunday
Listening to the wind conditions for Sunday on our weather radio, we opted for a late afternoon start. Turns out this was a bit conservative since the waves calmed down sooner than expected. In any case, by 3pm we were ready to go.
We paddled offshore to check out the famous Silver Islet mine. There was a cool model in the park visitor center - pretty much how it looked at its peak. The island today was a bit of a let down. Only a few large beams in the water give any indication that anything interesting ever happened here. This would explain the reaction of those I told about my intent to see the mine - "I suppose you could, but I'm not sure why you would want to".
Our brush with history complete, we set off on our trip. The trip was supposed to be (ideal case) about 75 miles. We expected it to be closer to 100 miles with side trips and explorations.
Crossing Black Bay was pretty uneventful. Turns out there are islands nicely spaced so that you don't really feel like you are doing a major crossing. At least, not as major as it would appear on a map. Completing the crossing, we made landfall at Pophery Point. There is a cool lighthouse there. The campsite was very buggy, and kind of freaked us out about how buggy it was going to be the rest of the week. As it turned out, this was the only place we encountered bugs. But, there were a *LOT* of them!
Jill really enjoys cooking, and finds it relaxing. We had agreed that Jill would be in charge of the cooking, since Matt and I felt it important to do anything we could to help Jill relax. Indeed, as she was busy getting dinner ready and relaxing, Matt and I hiked the trail through the woods to the lighthouse. The bugs attacked me with a viciousness I have rarely seen. I was very happy to finally get to the lighthouse and the breeze that the open fields provided. The area was quite picturesque, and we had fun exploring the grounds.
After dinner, Matt made a very nice campfire for us to enjoy.
Monday
Monday morning we departed Porphyry Point and headed north. Winding our way through the small islands, we were getting into the groove of paddling. Crossing between Magnet Island and Magnet point, we had been advised to watch our compasses carefully for wild swings, but didn't see much. I suppose we were still too enthralled with the scenery to really want to spend time staring at our compass. After Magnet Island, we came across a commercial fishing operation. This is the only one we saw on our trip.
Mark had told us that the lighthouse is Number 10 Island was really cool, so we headed there for lunch. Very picturesque for camping (with lots of space), but a bit exposed if conditions were rough. A great spot to check out for lunch. And a nap.
The afternoon paddling was pretty focused on getting to Swede Island. The sauna there is legendary - reported to be the best in the area. I have never been to a "volunteer run sauna", and so was eager to see what was in store for us. We arrived at an amazingly pictureseque bay, and easily found the sauna. There is also a building that serves as an "emergency cabin". This was built in the early 70's, and is maintained by volunteers. There is a visitor logbook, where I was pleased to see entries by other members of our kayaking club in the past couple of years.
But, about the sauna. Matt quickly got a fire going, and started heating the sauna. My experience with saunas was limited to what I remember from Michigan Tech - there was a sauna next to the locker room that I used to frequent. That was some time ago, and so I was eager to see how this would be. (In fairness to Timbu, I also had tried a sauna after hiking Snowbank Lake, but that was a bit toasty for me.) There was a thermometer hanging there, and once it reached 150, Matt declared it was time. We went in, and immediately my sinuses starting clearing up. It was great. The sauna is right next to the water, so we were able to run from there to the bay and jump in. A nice way to wind up the day.
Tuesday
Tuesday we awoke to incredible conditions. The high pressure system was still with us, and the morning was perfect. A lot of dew had settled overnight, and the day was warming up quickly.
We paddled north, going up to Loon Harbor. We saw the remains of an old sawmill there, and talked with some powerboaters who were anchored and busy enjoying their breakfast. Very picturesque. Continuing north, we were aiming for Loon Harbor, but soon realized we were making very good time. There was some discussion at lunch whether we should adjust our schedule to take advantage of the great weather, but the argument was made that the forecast for tomorrow was still good, and we should enjoy the nice weather and just relax.
We arrived at Otter Bay in mid afternoon. Otter Island stands guard at the mouth of the bay, and forms a very impressive cliff. We paddled in, and checked out the campsite near the mouth of the bay, then headed on to the north part of the bay to find the one that was supposed to be better. It was a bit rough, but workable. Lots of moose sign, so I felt sure that we would be seeing moose in that area.
That night Matt built a nice little custom fireplace, and we enjoyed a most relaxing fire. The stars were out in full force, with an especially impressive Milky Way. The moon was not rising until much later, so each night I was able to enjoy the stars without any light pollution. I recall being able to see the Milky Way in the city (Lansing, MI) when I was a child. There was a lot less pollution back then - both smog and light.
Wednesday
Wednesday morning Matt got out in his boat early to go check out the eastern end of the bay. Jill and I were packing and eating breakfast (Matt can munch on a breakfast bar and call it good.) Around 9, he came back, and we paddled out to Lake Superior. It was clear that a new front had come through, since the waves were now quite substantial. Big. Huge. We tried paddling in them for a few minutes, then concluded paddling with the waves hitting us broadside for at least an hour was not a good idea, especially with very limited opportunities to land. So, a quick U-turn and we headed back in to explore the bay some more.
It turns out that in the east sub-bay, there is a trail that goes to a substantial waterfall. At this point in the summer, there was only a small creek running over it, but I could see that in the spring this would be quite impressive. We spent a good chunk of the day relaxing there and exploring the trails that ran in the area. The trails were strange - they are in great shape, and marked with bits of orange plastic tied to the trees. But, the location makes me wonder who comes out here to maintain (and use) this network? I really have no idea.
In late afternoon, we headed back up to the smaller campsite at the mouth of the bay and set up camp there. It was actually nicer than our previous location. We could see (and hear) the surf crashing on Otter Island, reminding us that the Lake was still roaring. This was a bit strange, since we were so protected the water was glass-smooth in front of us.
Thursday
It rained during the night, and the sound of the surf was still unmistakable. So, no one was in a hurry to get moving. The weather radio indicated 1-2 meter waves, and our observations suggested 2 meter was about right. It was still raining (misting) during the morning, which made for a nice quiet environment. I really like that kind of thing. A friend of mine noted that there is no such thing as bad weather, only lousy gear. Our gear was good, and so we could enjoy the mist and how it changed the mood of our campsite with the fog and wet leaves.
In the early afternoon, we were beginning to go stir crazy. The surf was still there, but we decided to paddle out to take a look. Turns out that the wind had calmed a bit, so the waves were more like swells (the faces were not quite so steep). Thus encouraged, we returned to camp to get ready for departure.
We paddled up and around the point, and found the going was pretty good. This turned out to be an ideal situation, since the swells were crashing spectacularly on the shoals and rocky shoreline. Yet, were quite comfortable paddling along and just enjoying the show. It was clear to me that attempting this section yesterday would have been a mistake - very little safety margin for something going wrong.
We arrived at the gravel spit at the northwest tip of Spar Island, and noted that there was in fact an indication that camping was available there. None of us had noticed it before - otherwise we would have paddled to here instead of Otter Island. In any case, the camping there was quite nice. Jill prepared a very tasty dinner, and we discussed what needed to happen to finish up the trip on time. We concluded a longer day tomorrow would get us back on track, and targeted doing about 28 miles. With an early start, this should not be a problem.
This was also our first (and only) attempt to actually hang a bear bag. The problem was that we had a LOT of stuff to hang, and that the trees in the area were not ideally suited for the task. After a substantial amount of effort, we were close to a regulation bear-bag, but were also quite close to a "bear pinata" - that's what I call a bag that will likely provide more entertainment for the bear than actual deterrent. It was dark and late, we had been assured the odds of seeing a bear were minimal, so we called it done and went to sleep.
Friday
I awoke in the dark, and got my tent packed up using the headlight. It turns out that being sick was slowing me down a bit, and so I compensated by waking up earlier. We were on the water by 7, and started paddling north.
Our first goal was to make it to CPR slip, which we had heard was worth checking out. It was sort of a like a "super Swede Island" - two large buildings, extensive set of docks for use by sailboats and powerboats. This was maintained by a much larger group of volunteers, and supported through extensive donations. There was a sign asking those who were on guided trips to not use the facility. The sauna was large enough to fit a small crowd. Unfortunately, we did not have time to fire it up, and had to be content with simply noting it for future reference.
Paddling north from CPR slip after lunch, we saw some nasty thunderstorm clouds in front of us, and concluded they were going to stay in front. So we kept going, and made the crossing from Bowman Island over to Hope Island. The north side of Hope Island has a really nice gravel beach, and made for an ideal break location. Paddling into Armour Harbour was strange, because no exit could be seen until we were almost on top of it. We kept looking at the maps, making sure we were in the right location.
As we cleared Armour Island, I glanced behind us and saw that another thunderstorm was forming to the south. We opted to cut our day at 22 miles, and darted into McHab Harbor. We were able to get our tents set up, and Matt even got a little fire going before it started raining. And hailing. Matt's fire was in a depression, which soon filled with water and his fire was no more. After a hour or so, the rain let up, and Mother Nature treated us to a really nice sunset.
Saturday
Saturday was our last "real" day of paddling, and no one was in a hurry for this day to be over. We crossed Moffat Strait, and found the columnar basalt on the southwest tip of Simpson Island. This was really impressive, since it went on for a while.
The camping spot on the west side of Woodbine Harbor was nice, but we could only note it as a place to stay in the future.
Paddling on the McCay cove, we figured that would work for a lunch break. The marked campsite was already taken by some tandem kayakers. We considered paddling up to say hi, then noted that they were nude and hiding behind a bush, and decided to give them the privacy they were expecting. On the east end of McCay cove there was a nice spot for a lunchbreak, and an opportunity to get cleaned up in the water. I tried to climb up to Beetle Point, but found it to be more challenging than expected. With more time, I could solve the problem, but had to leave it for the next trip.
Leaving Simpson Island behind us, we paddled on towards the lighthouse on Battle Island. This was one of the more impressive lighthouses in the area, and made for a really nice target as we paddled towards the island. We headed north to Harry Island, where I was eager to check out the campsite noted as the "Harry Hilton". This was an interesting place - the sort of place you would expect to see in Deliverance. A bunkhouse and such, but limited options for tents. With such images in mind, we opted to find a better location, and were rewarded with an awesome spot on the northwest side of the island. Perfect view of the sunset, lots of space - what could be better? A perfect way to spend our last night of the trip.
Sunday
Conditions were expected to pick up Sunday, so we packed up and got moving. Truth be told, no one was going to be depressed if we had to spend another night out camping. But, there were some advantages to getting home Sunday night and so we stuck with the original game plan.
We crossed Wilson Channel without incident, and paddled towards Rossport. There was a lighthouse indicated at Whiskey Island that was disappointing. After the red/white picturesque lighthouses we were accustomed to seeing, this was a simple strobe on the edge of a rock outcropping.
Rounding Whisky Island, Rossport appeared. We quickly crossed Rossport Harbour, and just like that, the trip was over.
Full set of pictures here
posted by Aras at 7:57 PM
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