Isle Royale: Friday 7/9

General:

Isle Royale 2010

Again, our group went separate ways this day. Dan to McCargoe Cove, Don & Steve to Lake Whittlesey and Sean to rest at camp.

Dan:

Got up quite early & told Steve my plan. Left extra water bottle for Sean but otherwise took a water maker, stove and everything I'd need for two days out. Big push to McCargoe...10.6 miles up over the central ridge. My knee was popping a bunch, but really took a bad pop as I arrived in camp. Hurt a lot. Talked to some guys on the dock & got tips on where to make water...very silty at shore. Filter wasn't pumping! I thought, oh-oh. I'm gimpy, and have no water. Finally after dis-assembling & re-assembling then just pumping vigorously, something clicked in & water began to flow...thank you Lord. Took a nap. I forgot my Advil. Took 2 of 6 available in the first aid kit I brought. Went down to dock & took a sponge bath, then laid out on the dock in the sun just to enjoy the warmth and quiet. Awesome. Tried to figure out how I'd get back to Chip Harbor by Sunday...no way I felt I could hike it the way my knee was feeling. Figured out the Voyageur II (V-II) would show up the next day around 1 pm. Decided to rest knee as much as possible, take the V-II to Rock Harbor, stay the night in a shelter there, then the V-II again Sunday morning for a Chip harbor arrival at about 9.30. Couldn't wait to see the looks on the guys faces as I stroll off the boat!

Read the bible a bunch. Made water for dinner, the night and next morning. Suzy was there with co-workers. They work for the park service doing science. Studying the forest development over time. They set up quadrangles & take down all kinds of stats on the forest. Right now they're defining the quads...which involves complete bushwhacking all day long. What a job!

Dinner of Ramen & potatoes...very satisfying after a long day. Made tea with Beef Jerky, with hard candy for dessert...then off to bed.

Steve:

Don:

Don & Steve headed out in the Kayaks to Lake Whittlesey. We paddled up Chippewa Harbor to the Portage. We carried Kayaks .6 miles to the long lake. A beautiful paddle opened up to us. We found the campsite with no one around the whole trip. Caught & ate walleye for dinner. We rested amid the Birch trees in our camp overlooking the lake. A most picturesque spot. Everything was perfect, until...

Sean: