Sea Caves

Apostle Islands National Lakeshore Trip – 9/4/10 - Day 8 – Lakeshore Trail at Meyers Beach - 10 miles 

The last day of this big adventure at Lake Superior. First stop: Gruenke’s for breakfast! A different table, totally new view of the restaurant’s atmosphere, fantastic veggie omelets and fluffy pancakes. Now we were fortified for a trip to the Apostle Islands Visitor Center.

We were curious about the sea caves that we had missed on our kayak day. At the VC we saw an excellent slide show of the sea caves visible from the Lakeshore hiking trail at Meyers Beach – decision made! The rangers described the hike as muddy (maybe for normal people but not for us) and the turnaround at about three miles (again, for normal people but not for us – we stretched the six-mile out-and-back hike to ten miles).

The Apostle Islands are an archipelago, an island chain, of 21 islands. The steep sandstone walls of the mainland fronting on Lake Superior along Meyers Beach and on some of the islands can rise over 50 feet above the lake. Sea caves are carved from the sandstone by the relentless wind and waves and ice. Formations called windows and arches are also formed on sandstone that juts out into the lake. Sea stacks occur when the sandstone rock erodes between closely spaced joints. Click here for more info and great photos of sea caves.

The Lakeshore trail undulates around curves, at times jutting out into the lake to look back at the caves, at other times skirting the edge of the cliffs:

Sea caves (photo by Jeff)

Me on the edge of a cliff

Neil on top of an arch

A window

Wonder how that tree is hanging on?

Mike on top of a cave - would have been awesome to paddle in and out of them

Sea caves

Eventually the trail swung away from the shoreline (turnaround time for the normals) and we followed the trail looking for its end point on our map, near a backcountry campsite… or is it a beach? Or both? At this beach we took a lunch break and then some of us turned back while some looked for the connection between the beach and the alleged backcountry site.

 By the time we regrouped back at the cars the day was fading and we went back to Bayfield in search of our last meal. This being Saturday night of Labor Day weekend, a few thousand other tourists were also hungry so we had some wait time before we pulled up chairs to our table at Maggie’s. Our server was an older gal who needed a night off, but otherwise Maggie’s was lots of fun, especially if you like flamingos everywhere. Great food, a beverage or two, and then it was time to retreat to our luxurious cabins and cram stuff into duffel bags for the flight home.

Our North Shore/Isle Royale/Apostle Islands trip was a unique adventure that just gets better with the telling. I am so very fortunate to have the time, money, health, energy, friends and understanding spouse combo that makes it possible for me to enjoy these wonderful national treasures.

How to shake the let-down from a fabulous trip? Get back on the Mountains-to-Sea Trail!

 “Take nothing for granted. Not one blessed, cool mountain day or one hellish, desert day or one sweaty, stinky, hiking companion. It is all a gift.” ~ Cindy Ross, Journey on the Crest, 1987

Love Many, Trust Few, But Always Paddle Your Own Canoe

Apostle Islands National Lakeshore Trip – 9/3/10 - Day 7 – Sea Kayaking

All night the wind howled and tents flapped. I was pretty sure we would not be paddling today on Lake Superior. Outfitters near the Apostle Islands will not rent you a sea kayak unless you take their orientation class, so we were part of a guided tour with Living Adventure. When I made (nonrefundable) reservations they emphasized that they do not cancel for rain but wind is a different story.

Wind notwith- standing, it’s time for wet suits and an alternate route. Our original hope of kayaking in and out of the famous Apostle Islands sea caves was scuttled in favor of the more protected Red Cliff Point shoreline near the outfitter’s base. In addition to our group, there were six other brave souls who paid a significant chunk of change to paddle on Gitche Gumee. We had plenty of gear to keep us warm, hats, gloves, and fleece under the wet suits.

Our pre-trip instructions were cheerfully delivered by our seasoned college student age guides, Zack, Chris & Jennifer. Key words to remember were “dude,” “right on,” “sweet” and “cool”. The surfer dude vernacular was so pervasive that it became part of our own for the remainder of the trip. And the guides were really very knowledgeable about the flora and fauna and all things paddling and kept up a steady stream of information sharing all through the day…sweet…(plus the guys were not at all hard to look at…)

Partners in kayaks: Cathy/Mike – Kim/Neil – Sharon/Jeff. Jeff should have been in the rear because he is stronger, but I enjoyed this first opportunity to work the rudders. Despite the lessons about using my waist to pivot rather than my arms, I still finished the day with exhausted forearms. No, Jeff, I swear I was paddling (nearly) every stroke right along with ya…

We were awed by bald eagles, Jeff’s first sighting ever, and cormorants, a first for me. One of my favorite childhood books was Island of the Blue Dolphins – remember how Wonapalei made a dress out of cormorant feathers?

Lake Superior is a graveyard for many shipwrecks. We explored the ribs of the ill-fated Fedora as our guides gave the background story. At various points we could see several of the Apostle Islands at once, Oak Island, Hermit Island, Stockton Island. This is a paddler’s paradise, but in the height of the summer season there are boat shuttles to help you hop from place to place. Some of the islands have lighthouses and hiking paths. (Note to self: this area is a great place to return to.)

Kim and Neil modeling paddling skirts

Jeff and me

Around the last bend, the wind worsened and the waves grew noticeably choppier – a quick turnaround and some strong paddling and we landed near Frog Bay for a not-too-soon lunch stop. Our guides unpacked a folding table, spread it with a tablecloth, served up hummus and wrap sandwiches, apples, granola bars and cookies – a little bit of luxury on a cloudy, drizzly day. Yes, sunshine would have been nice, but we were getting wet anyway, right? So this really was the best day for rain on our trip. Except for that part about peeling out of the wet suit to take a potty break behind a tree…

Jennifer, Zack and Chris ~ lunch is ready, dude!

Back near the take-out point, we grouped together to get a lesson on how to paddle onto the concrete ramp and get out of the water. For fun, Guide Chris demonstrated a full roll in the chilly waters. We taunted Zack until he did one too – a round of applause for both!

We changed clothes, gathered our piles of wet stuff and prepared to leave. We noticed our guides were cleaning up all the equipment in the rain and agreed that they had made the difference between an okay day on the water and a fantastic fun paddling experience in the rain. We pooled money and gave them a very big tip that brought smiles to their faces – beer money! Sweet!

With plenty of daylight we drove on to our last accommo- dations for the trip, “luxury” cabins at Apostle Islands Area Campground near Bayfield, Wisconsin: no lights or heat but dry and cozy and bathhouses nearby with lights, flushing toilets and free hot showers (hot being relative). Gals shared one cabin, Jeff and Neil shared the other, while Mike opted for his custom home-on-wheels. No one snoring in there but him!

Jeff is pretending not to be tired

Back in Bayfield, we chose dinner at Greunke’s Restaurant. This place was very eclectic, old album covers on the walls and movie posters everywhere, mismatched place mats, silverware, dishes. Another lake trout extravaganza appeared and we ate off each other’s plates until all the food was gone. I guess we can’t do that when we get back to the office…

After dinner we walked around Bayfield, talked to a couple of shop owners, and asked another outfitter what he recommended we do for our last day: go back to Little Sand Bay? Go to Meyers Beach and hike along the tops of the sea caves? Take the shuttle over to Madeline Island and Big Bay State Park? Stay tuned…

One day an Eskimo sitting in his kayak got chilly; but when he lit a fire in the craft, it sank, proving that you can't have your kayak... and heat it too.

God Is Great, Beer Is Good, and People Are Crazy

Isle Royale Backpack Trip – 9/2/10 - From Michigan to Wisconsin via Minnesota 

Cathy and I woke up at almost 7:00 a.m. to the sound of Mike creeping into the shelter to retrieve his food and cooking utensils. Great temps for snuggling down in the sleeping bag and we had all morning to get ourselves together.

After breakfast and packing up we walked up to the Visitor Center to kill time while waiting for the ferry, which was not due in until noon. I only wanted to do the walk once. I carried my loaded pack while wearing my yellow Crocs, a very stylish look. I thought my Crocs might get noticed, but as usual my Liberty hat drew all the attention.

At the camp store we scored pieces of apple pie (Jeff and I ate ours right away), then sat in the VC writing up notes about the trip and browsing through books and posters. Another camper came in to report a wolf sighting right outside her tent in the Washington Creek group camping area. The wolf population, currently around 25, is carefully monitored and any sighting is a very big deal.

Under the shelter by the docks an Isle Royale ranger conducted a program on the Park's moose population and winter ticks. His presentation was excellent for such a non-sexy subject and included audience participation where we drew “blood” from a jar with an eyedropper (water with red food coloring). I hope I don’t come back in my next life as a moose.

At last the ferry was ready to go and we waved goodbye to our unique adventures on Isle Royale, a place I will likely never see again because there are so many more awesome national parks yet to experience. The ride back was not as choppy and I snoozed a little down in the enclosed cabin.

Back at our vehicles, we got gas and began the long drive back down the Minnesota North Shore on Highway 61 to our ultimate destination, Little Sand Bay Campground near the Apostle Islands in Wisconsin. Mike was driving and I was riding shotgun again, listening to one of Neil’s CD mixes like Forrest Gump’s box of chocolates…you never knew what you would hear next. Mike skipped tunes he didn’t like, such as “Who Let The Dogs Out?” and we loved “People Are Crazy.”

The drive was frustrating for me as we seemed to chase the other car from place to place. We stopped at Betty’s Pies (Minnesotans do love their pies) and then got separated looking for a restaurant in Duluth. Communication was breaking down because we were all tired and decisions were being made by a few and not getting passed on to everyone else. It didn’t help that cell reception was spotty. At Grandma’s Restaurant in Duluth we had a good meal and tried to regroup. By then it was dark and we had a couple of hours more to drive and a campground to find. The short version of the rest of the day is that I had a meltdown at the lack of communication (which I was also at fault in). I talked with Cathy and Kim later that night and set things right, because I know they are not doing anything intentionally, but they assume that Mike is always going his own way and do not realize that I did not want to be lumped into that mentality – just because I’m riding with him doesn’t mean I want to be left behind - a lesson for the future. Why am I writing this here? (1) so I remember this when I contemplate another trip and communicate more clearly, writing things down if necessary, and (2) to warn others that I can sometimes be the problem child in the group (to which Mike and Jeff can attest).

This day of traveling ended with setting up my tent very late, bedding down at 11:30 p.m., knowing that we had to be at the kayak outfitter’s place by 8:00 a.m. Are we on central or Eastern time? And is it raining again?

Nobody trips over mountains. It is the small pebble that causes you to stumble. Pass all the pebbles in your path and you will find you have crossed the mountain. ~Author Unknown

The Big Lake They Call Gitche Gumee

Isle Royale NP & Apostle Islands Trip - North Shore Minnesota – Day 1 – 8/28/10 

Members of the Carolina Berg Wanderers, a hiking group in the Charlotte, NC area, are adventurous souls who like to hike, bike, paddle and play both locally and globally. While our backyards of North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia have enough outdoor adventures to last a lifetime, occasionally someone gets a wild idea to go farther. I confess I had never heard of Isle Royale National Park before Cathy tossed it out as a destination, but I knew that big fun was likely to ensue, so I signed on literally sight unseen. Over several months we planned different aspects of the trip, with Cathy taking the lead since she was familiar with the area.

And that’s how I found myself in the Minneapolis airport with Cathy, Jeff, Kim and Neil, stuffing duffel bags into a rental van for a two-day drive up the North Shore of Minnesota. First stop: Target for a food supply. We would be camping and backpacking for the next eight days.


En route we stopped in Duluth, MN (cute town!) supposedly for a visit to a local outfitter shop, but the Portland Malt Shoppe ruined us right off the bat. For the rest of the trip when food was scarce, we daydreamed about these malts.

Our first adventure stop was at the Split Rock Lighthouse to meet up with our friend Mike, recently retired and meandering across the country in his customized van (aka “home”). At Mike’s invitation, I jumped ship from the rental’s back seat to his front seat for the next few days.

I expected Split Rock Lighthouse to be a lonely, brooding place, but there was quite a lively park atmosphere on this Saturday afternoon, lots of families and children. We walked on several short paths up high on the cliffs and down to the shore of the much-anticipated Lake Superior. The big Gitche Gumee will be our focus for the rest of our trip. (And "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" was in our head for days.)

Southern innocents, we took off our shoes and plunged right in – but this ain’t Myrtle Beach! Our feet were numb within seconds. I had to hold onto Cathy to keep from falling.







Cathy got the scoop on another overlook point a few miles further up the coast, so we headed for Palisade Head, which is part of Tettegouche State Park but not contiguous with the rest of the park. Here are Mike and Neil on the huge rock outcropping of Palisade Head.

View of Shovel Point from Palisade Head. We'll be looking from there back to here tomorrow.

The view looking straight down: a hardy ash tree holding on for dear life

At last we headed towards our first night’s home that Mike had reserved for us at Eckbeck Campground in Finland State Forest. I have a brand new tent from my friend Judy Gross (Heartfire) of LightHeart Gear that uses only my hiking poles and stakes to set up and I was anxious to try it out. I was also anxious to eat supper. In my haste to set up camp, I tripped and fell out of the tent opening, catching myself with my left hand and bending back my left thumb at a very unattractive angle. During dinner I held onto a glass of ice water and watched my thumb swell up impressively.

At the Northern Lights Roadhouse we had an excellent meal. We chatted with the waitress and asked her a question about some of the local sites, to which she replied that she was new here herself, she had just moved from Charlotte, North Carolina. Ha!

A slightly restless first night’s sleep in a new state after a long, long day. And my thumb hurt. (Postscript: when I got back home to Charlotte I had my thumb x-rayed ~ broken.)

Never do anything that you wouldn't want to explain to the paramedics. ~Author Unknown