Our itinerary

ITINERARY FOR COPPER ISLAND KAYAK CHALLENGE

Terry and I got out the maps this morning to measure some of the distances between various points on Copper Island and reconcile our fantasies with our 65-and-67-year-old bodies.  We’ve come up with an itinerary that is based on good weather conditions, so of course not only are the distances estimated, the entire itinerary is subject to change and chance.

  

MONDAY August 25th:  leave Copper Harbor, arrive at Gina Nicholas’ house, Smith Fisheries Rd, accompanied by Evan McDonald, Erika Vye and Steve Brimm.    22 miles

Geoheritage sites:  

Green Rock  

Hunter’s Pt 

Horseshoe Harbor

High Rock Bay

Keystone Bay

Fish Cove

Montreal River Mouth

Bare Bluff  Below Bare Bluff

TUESDAY August 26th:  from Gina’s house around Bete Gris, may stop at South Point McKenzie cottage for internet access if needed, on to camp at Brunette Park.   12 miles

Geoheritage sites: 

Mt Houghton

Bete Grise

Pte Isabelle

WEDNESDAY August 27th:  Brunette Park to Louis Point, stay at Jane Pallin’s brother’s cabin, Jane and friends to accompany us part way.       18 miles

Geoheritage sites:  

Tobacco R & Gay Sands

Big Traverse

Pt Louis

THURSDAY August 28th:  Louis Point to South Entry.  Lunch with Belotes at Sunrise Beach, they accompany us to South Entry.  Camp at White City?  Island in the canal? mouth of the Snake?  Princess Point?  Libby Meyer should be with us by this time.   16.5--20 miles

Geoheritage sites:  

Rabbit Bay

Rabbit Island

Jacobsville

Man Made Channels

Sturgeon R Delta

FRIDAY August 29th:  through Portage Lake, under the bridge to stay overnight at Churning Rapids.  We are hoping that various friends and neighbors will be joining us as we go through the Houghton/Hancock area, maybe stopping somewhere for lunch together.    16--20 miles

Geoheritage sites:  

Isle Royale Sands

Keweenaw Fault

Waterfront/Canal Houghton

SATURDAY August 30th:  from Churning Rapids to Ekstroms’ cottage for lunch, on to camp at the mouth of the Gratiot, joined by Ekstrom family members.    15.5 miles

Geoheritage sites: 

North Entry

Hills Creek Sands

Gratiot R Mouth

SUNDAY August 31st:  from mouth of the Gratiot to Kurtzs’ at Eagle River    10.5 miles

Geoheritage sites: 

 7 Mile Pt

Eagle River Sandbars/Ice Volcanoes

Great Sand Bay

Eagle Harbor Light

MONDAY September 1st:  Kurtz’s cottage to Rose’s Silver Island.  Bill and Nanno have agreed to let us have friends join us for sauna and feasting.  We’re hoping they can make it too!   10.5 miles

Geoheritage site:  Silver Island

TUESDAY September 2nd:  Silver Island to Copper Harbor to return the tandem kayak to Sam’s Adventure Company.         10 miles

Terry studies the map issued by the Keweenaw Water Trail

  

Hey, we made it into the paper!  Embarrassingly big, but thanks for the publicity, Dan Roblee!

Getting ready: Janet's story

Okay, one of the ways we're preparing for this excursion is learning how to blog using my mini ipad.  This may be the hardest part.  

Yesterday I received this story from Janet Dalquist, adventurer extraordinaire, who is about as fearless as they come, about an expedition at a time before the kayak craze, before cell phones and emails, free-standing tents and jet boils. Here's a challenge for you:  what all can you think of that we take for granted now that didn't exist in 1988? which really, seems like just yesterday.

Note to Sue Ellen Kingsley and Terry Kinzel prior to their kayaking around Copper Island, August 2014

8/14/14

Hi -- A comparable note.  In 1988 August 14-15 Don Yerg and I canoed from the Copper Harbor marina to the Lac LaBelle marina.  We had flat water all the way to Keystone Bay and camped overnight.  On the 15th there was a major storm which blew through the Baraga area, almost a tornado in power.  As I recall, the Gazette reported trees down, and the same storm hit the Iron Mountain and Norway area.  Sons David and Dan were really ticked off at me.

That morning there were high rolling waves, not breaking, from the East pushing into Bete Gris.  Yerg, whose PhD was in meteorology, was reluctant to start out.  I had no qualms having canoed in much worse conditions (choppy heavy waves in Green Bay) and believed we could actually surf most of the way back.  We did and it was glorious.

We took time to take a welcome dip at Bete Gris and then headed around the breakwater into Lac LaBelle and the resort area where we had parked our cars.  Just as we entered the old river area heavy rain and wind hit us--a surprise, because the day had been sunny and windy.  We hugged the shoreline in the midst of rough chop and paddled like hell to get to the resort.  And we did, safely.

My impressions:  Few safe places to get to quickly if the weather requires it.  Looking into clear flat water I swear you can see almost to the middle of the earth!  Huge huge boulders.  No fish.  No boats, canoes, kayaks.

I am glad we did it!

Good luck.

Jan Dalquist

Thank you so much for this story, Jan.  You put us to shame.  We should have it relatively easy, although I won't say any more for fear of jinxing our trip.

Janet is planning to be at the Harbor Haus on Sunday the 24th and we're looking forward to hearing more of her adventures.

You all come, too.

SEK

Sent from my iPad

Please Join Us at the Bon Voyage Gathering!

Date: Sunday, August 24
Time: 5pm
Place: Harbor Haus in Copper Harbor


Appetizers provided by Harbor Haus • Cash Bar • Dine Together (Dutch / Pay your way)