Isle Royale Aug 2019
The trip ditched the Chevy and the Treks for the Jeep, backpack, trekking poles, and 3 of my favorite kids. All had an adventure of a lifetime.
After a long days drive, the kids go to town for a burger and a beer as we prepare for our great outdoor adventure.
There is a country song about this “waiting on a woman”
Did anyone really sleep? Up early and at the dock. If you don’t have it when we leave the dock – you don’t need it. The first backpack trip for Chelsea and the longest for Sarah and Sean. We are about to get on our way.
The expression here says it all – “I excited” 
Listen carefully to the instructions. I just hope they don’t have to hand out the “orange things” that are laying on the ground.
We are on the channel headed out to the big waters. The trip is longer than that of the USS Minnow which was only a 2 hour cruise. This cruise is scheduled to take 6 hours. At least we have an island destination and the boat is scheduled to return so hopefully we won’t land on uncharted ground like the Gilligan, the Skipper et al.
After hours of euchre, endless cups of coffee and everyone eating Chelsea’s club sandwich. It is “LAND HO”
Ahoy Mates – we are almost to Isle Royale
Arrived at island about 3pm. Certain we can’t make daisy farm by dark, the plan is for 3 mile dock before night fall.
Sights along the way, the dock and the camp at 3 mile dock.
We made our first camp site. Ended up in group camp. What a great way to make friends that you will see at various times on the trip.
Fishing and water at the 3 mile dock.
Three mile to daisy – thank goodness for boardwalks. One muddy trail.
WILD BERRIES!!!!!
Daisy camp and daisy dock.
Daisy to Chickenbone Lake.
Camp “Chicken Little”
The girls take the 1/2 mile walk to the lake to get the group the water for the evening.
Fishing is the only thing that can be done in this inland lake. One can see the leeches at the shoreline just waiting for you to dip your toes in the water.
Relaxing. Getting ready for our mega-hike in the morning.
Chickenbone back to 3 mile dock. An unbelievable 14.5 mile hike. I was worried we would need headlamps to guide us in but we made it by 7pm.
3 mile to Rock Harbor.
Is it a mirage? Or did we really see a moose in the campground on the last day. Yes, he was real and loved to pose for the paparazzi.
The Celebration.
We made it. A few blisters but everyone is still smiling.
The girls take a pack off trip to Scoville Point while Sean attempts to fish in the waves at American Point.
We had an incredibly rough trip home. 13 foot seas. Hydraulic hoses broke on the fore deck. The crew said it was the worst passenger crossing in 30 years. The winds had been 80 mph throughout the night. There were danger warnings for crossing the bridge. Sean worked some phone magic. We got to this hotel around 11pm. The only restaurant open in St Ignas was the big “M” supper club. But when I peeked out the curtain in the morning we were on the beach. Hand breakfast on the deck. Amazing.
