The most beautiful place I don't think I'll visit again

Approximate map of the trip!

At the end of July I took a sailing trip to Isle Royale, located in the northern part of Lake Superior, with my parents and oldest sister.  Basically one surveying error from being in Canada, it's one of the least visited national parks, though, to be fair, Alaska kind of skews things, what with their penchant for national parks accessible only by private aircraft.  Isle Royale is accessible via boat or seaplane, and they even have ferry service from Minnesota, Michigan, and Canada.  So now there are no excuses for not visiting!

We departed from Bayfield, WI (gateway to the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, which everybody should see if they haven't already; no, I'm not even close to being done shilling for the NPS).  

We anticipated about a 20-hour crossing to the southern tip of Isle Royale, so we left at 3 PM to ensure that we arrived under daylight.  Hitting big rocks is an important thing to not do. 

Foreshadowing: I wasn't particularly judicious when packing, so I packed three sweatshirts.  Much scoffing was had at my excess.  You only need one sweatshirt, right?

The trip started off with a wonderful sail through the Apostle Islands.  We made it out of the islands in only a couple hours. 

That gold thing is so that our little boat shows up on radar.

Sunset as we enter the vastness of the lake beyond the Apostles

So...you think you want to go on an epic sailing voyage.  Have you tried staring at nothing for hours on end in the pitch dark with 20mph winds blowing at your back off of 38ºF water?  I wore all three of my sweatshirts and my rain jacket.  I didn't even last an hour in the cockpit in the middle of the night before I needed to head down below where it was a toasty warm 56ºF. 

Pretty sure we found this water's source.  Glacier Mist indeed.

At least one good thing came from that windy overnight...we made it to Isle Royale in a mere 16 hours.  Our first stop was Windigo, where one of the two visitor centers on the island resides.  

And apparently a warning to moose.

A rare shot of the boat from not on it. 

There's a per person per night fee regardless of whether you are staying on land or water.   The Windigo visitor center is really nicely done.  There's an informative exhibit about the island, including the original fresnel lens from Rock of Ages, the most fantastically named of all the lighthouses I've been to.  We passed Rock of Ages on the way in but it wasn't visible due to the Lake Superior Fog of Legend. Hopefully it would be visible on the way out! [/foreshadowing]

Be mesmerized by the shiny of the 2nd order Fresnel lens! 

I was really excited about the possibility of seeing moose.  I'd never seen a moose in real life before. Possibly relatedly, I have never been to Canada. I was thrilled that within minutes of arriving at Windigo, we saw a mom and two calves frolicking in the water.  Unfortunately they were binoculars-distance away, so this the best I could do with my camera. 

I promise those brown spots are moose.

We overnighted at the dock in Windigo, providing access to both the nature trails and the unexpected surprise of flush toilets.  Hooray!  It's the little things, really.  After availing ourselves of the wonders of indoor plumbing (it had been less than a day without-- goodness this is going to be a long week), we embarked on a hike that promised a scenic view of Washington Harbor from inland.  

Twisted bark is twisted.

I think we lasted about 1.5 miles before turning around.  It turns out that inland is really hot and sticky and also steep.  My recently injured ankle was starting to ache, so I decided to ice it when we got back. Luckily for me, we were on an island in an ice bucket!  

Ahhhhh...

We settled in for our nightly ritual of wine and snacks before dinner.  I could get used to this.  

Non-skid plastic wine glasses, of course!

There were three other sailboats at the dock with us, all of them groups of guys.  One man from the boat behind us decided to jump in to the lake.  I normally have no qualms about taking a dip in Lake Superior, but this far north?  No thanks!

Sleep that night was a bit rough.  Washington Harbor is only partially protected and there were moderate winds.  Fortunately we were on the side of the dock such that we were being blown away from the dock. The people on the other side were being slammed into the dock all night. 

The next morning we departed for our next stop: Siskiwit Bay, or, more specifically, Malone Bay, which is near Siskiwit Lake, the largest lake on the island.  There's a small dock in Malone Bay and we found ourselves in the company of one other sailboat and a fishing boat.  The guys on the fishing boat had been coming to Isle Royale for over 50 years.  They hauled their dinghy across to Siskiwit Lake, which is overpopulated with lake trout.   We opted for the hike without a boat.  

It's us!

Beautiful fields of wildflowers all over the island!

The hike to the lake was short and scenic.  Thick forest opened up into a wildflower-covered meadow, which led us to the shore of Siskiwit Lake. 

Paddling on Sisiwit Lake

The stream that feeds the lake with water from Lake Superior was tempting to wade in. 

When we returned from our hike, the fishermen were busy filleting and frying their catch.  They made sure nobody in any of the boats was allergic to peanut oil (charmingly sweet of them) before frying up their surplus trout and offering it up. 

I didn't partake, but I have to admit I was a little tempted. 

There was a no-longer-staffed ranger hut near the dock in Malone Bay that had ample reading material about the island, including the diary of a school teacher who lived and taught on Isle Royale in the 30s.  We read a little bit of it.  She seemed like a fiery and strong lady, but I suppose you had to be to survive a winter here.

Next stop: Chippewa Harbor. Supposedly we were sailing along the coast of the Island to get there, but I only think that because the GPS said so. Lake Superior fog means not seeing much.

Charts are your friend

We planned on anchoring out this night, but stopped briefly at the dock to take our daily hike, which afforded us a beautiful view of Chippewa Harbor.

You didn't think I could go a whole post without my Five Fingers, did you?

We left the dock to go find a cozy spot to anchor for the night.  Chippewa Harbor has a little inlet that takes you into a second harbor, essentially offering 360-degree protection from weather.  We were the only boat there that night and it was unimaginably placid.  The water was like glass, reflecting the trees. It was just us and a couple of incredibly vocal loons.  I had never heard loons as chatty as these guys.  I never slept so well on a boat as I did that night.

Seriously, you guys.  This really happened.

View at sunrise

Sunrise in Chippewa Harbor

Leaving Chippewa Harbor, we'd almost forgotten that there was an entire giant lake out there. We'd been protected from the freezing and the wind and the fog in our serene little anchorage.  Oh.  Right.  There it is.

Hi, my name is Fog.  Welcome back.

Onward to Rock Harbor!  Our last stop on the island, Rock Harbor is a tiny bit of civilization.  The national park is headquartered here, there is a marina with fuel/pumpout, and there is even a lodge (the only non-campsite lodging available on the island) and a couple of restaurants.  And showers.  Have I mentioned that we hadn't yet had a shower this week? They cost $6 for five minutes and were worth every penny.

Sailing in to the Harbor, we passed the first lighthouse we had really seen all trip.

Rock Harbor Lighthouse

We settled in at the marina and took care of various business, such as making sure we had enough fuel to get back home.  There was a small fuel spill, and I was very impressed with the marina employee's conscientiousness about cleaning that up (with absorbent pads because dispersants are not allowed in the lake).

We took a brief hike around the harbor, which is called Snug Harbor.  (Not a super appropriate name because it's incredibly unprotected as far as harbors go.)  There was a little lookout and a dinghy from a shipwreck near the island.

I can hardly believe this is right here in the Great Lakes

We also went on a little hike across to Tobin Harbor, where there is a seaplane dock.  We even saw a seaplane take off!  That evening we had dinner at the more casual of the restaurants on the island, which was surprisingly tasty and vegetarian-friendly. 

The next day we went for a longer hike up to Suzy's Cave, which is an inland sea cave that was formed when the lake level was higher and covered the island.   The hike followed the lakeshore for a fair bit before turning inland. 

Shiny!

This tree isn't going to let a little boulder get in its way!

We were able to assure a few weary hikers we ran into that they were, indeed, almost to Rock Harbor.  :^)  It was about 2 miles to Suzy's Cave, high up on the island.  It was a pretty impressive formation. I can't even fathom the lake being that high. 

There are not a lot of species of mammals on the island due to how isolated it is.  In fact, the red squirrels on Isle Royale have been isolated for so long that they are considered a distinct subspecies. 

Aw. Isn't he the cutest little scavenger?

We ran into a little bit of trouble leaving due to the engine's reticence to start.  Diesel engines don't much care for cold.  But, but...it's JULY!!  Yes, it was.  But nobody told the lake that.  The engine had been sitting in the ~45-degree lake for two days without running, so it took a little work to get it going, but it did finally start! 

On our way off the island, we stopped by the Rock Harbor Lighthouse and the Edison Fishery, which was in use until the 1970s.  The fishery was staffed by two national park volunteers, a married couple who spend their winters down in Florida volunteering at Everglades National Park.  I want to be them when I grow up. 

Edison Fishery

The lighthouse doubled as a local maritime museum.  There were artifacts from several shipwrecks in the area as well as an informative display about the history of navigation around Isle Royale. 

Rock Harbor Lighthouse, with a thing from a shipwreck
and I swear I know what it's called and I will remember it!

The museum included the original Fresnel lens from the lighthouse, which has since been automated with an acrylic lens like a lot of lighthouses. 

It's a little baby 4th order Fresnel lens!

As we passed Outer Island, welcoming us back into the Apostle Islands, we were greeted by this stunning sunset. 

Oh, by the way, we passed within half a mile of Rock of Ages Lighthouse four times and never saw it. 

The Carolinas: Check and Check

Over the past week I embarked on the great Carolinas Tour. I had been contemplating a trip to Cape Hatteras National Seashore for a while, and when it happened that there was going to be a memorial there for my friend Jenn, I decided that I really wanted to go. The Outer Banks was one of the last things I talked to Jenn about, so it seemed fitting to take this trip for her.  While I was in the area, I decided to also take in a bit of Raleigh to visit the school I attend but had never physically seen, and South Carolina to visit some friends and see Congaree National Park, in my never-ending question to visit all the National Parks.

First stop: Raleigh, where I learned why I can't live in the South.  Only May and it was already 90ºF and fairly humid!  Miserable!  I am told that is considered "spring weather". No thanks!  I walked a couple miles around the NCSU campus, bought some t-shirts, and called it a day. 

Every big institution needs a monolith so you know how important they are.

While they might not be my favorite place for weather, Raleigh sure does make it easy for a vegetarian to eat!  For the first time in my life, I tried Chicken & Waffles, a combination which has long mystified me.  But now I get what's so great about it: EVERYTHING. 

That's right. VEGETARIAN 'chicken' and waffles! It's every kind of confusing. 

Woke up bright and early the next morning for the long drive ahead!  It was about 3.5 hours to Roanoke Island and on to Cape Hatteras!  Which, of course, means lighthouses! I stopped in Manteo, which is a little town on Roanoke Island to see the Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse.  I also bought a sundress that turned my skin blue. 

Isn't it cute?

Onward across a scary bridge! Actually the bridge to Roanoke was scary in its own right.  I'm not a terribly big fan of long bridges, and the Outer Banks appears to quite like them.  Good thing the OBX, as they call themselves, is so pretty.   In any case, I made it across a 3-minute bridge to Nags Head, from where I traveled north to Currituck Beach Lighthouse.  I thought it wasn't too far north, but it turns out this is the kind of place where you measure distances in minutes, not miles.  It turned out to be well worth the drive, though.  

Beautiful natural brick!

 A quick climb later, and I was at the top of the lighthouse where it was ever so slightly windy...

Just a bit!

I made it to Kitty Hawk and to the Wright Brothers Memorial just 37 minutes before it closed for the day.  The gate attendant was very skeptical about my still wanting to pay and go in.  She said "you know this means that all vehicles have to be off the grounds by that time?" She didn't understand what an efficient national park visitor I am! 37 minutes to see the markers from the first three flights, tour the visitor center and look at the models of their plane and glider, speed-walk to the top of the monument, take some photos and run down, snap a quick photo of the entrance sign on my way out? Well.  I only needed 33 minutes. 

This is at the top of a very tall hill.  My calves can tell you all about it.

I booked a place for the weekend called the Lighthouse View Motel.  They did not lie.  I figured I would walk over to the lighthouse in the morning. 

A bed, clean linens, and a view of Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. What more can one need?

Ha! Never mind.  It was intermittently pouring rain in the morning.  I didn't see the point in paying $8 to look at a view of...rain and clouds and possibly nothing further away than my hand in front of my face.  So instead, I did what any reasonable person does when it's pouring rain and incredibly windy and just generally miserable.  I took my car on a boat! 

1.5 hours of staring at rain falling while be jostled by the waves. What could possibly be better?

 It was not a particularly fun boat ride as far as boat rides go, but it was free!  And as soon as we arrived at Ocracoke Island, the sky cleared up in time for great pictures of the Ocracoke Lighthouse!  This lighthouse isn't available for climbing, at least not legitimately. 

And me without my rappelling gear.  

 Walked over to the beach on Ocracoke and introduced my brand new Freaky Fuschia (which takes 4 attempts to spell every time) Five Fingers to the water!

They thought it was pretty super.  They hadn't seen the crabs yet. 

Had time for lunch and then decided I'd better head back if I was going to make it to Jenn's memorial service on time! The boat ride back was much nicer. The rain had stopped, so I was able to enjoy some fresh air. 

Apparently there are no little cars on Ocracoke

I made it to the beach location with a couple minutes to spare, and found...nobody there.  Bizarre...did I have the wrong place? Wrong time? I didn't know.  That was disappointing, but I made the best of it.  I had my own little memorial for her, and then I took some photos. 

I'm being followed!

 As I was heading back to my car, I saw two figures in tie-dye on the beach.  Though I'd never seen them in person, I knew immediately that it was Jenn's mom and husband.  I ran over as cool as one can run on the beach and then stopped short when I saw her husband kneeling on the sand.  He was clearly spreading her ashes on the beach.  Not a moment I wanted to interrupt. I waited what I thought was a reasonable amount of time.  I'm sure by now they'd noticed the person standing awkwardly kinda close to them pretending not to stare.  I introduced myself as a friend of Jenn's.  There were hugs, and tear, and stories, and they insisted that I should come to dinner with the group of them that was going out after the memorial, which, as it turns out, had been moved to an indoor location.  Oops.  But really, I wouldn't have had this happen any other way.  It was amazing to get a chance to talk to them and to hear all of their stories. 

So, this is when I lost it and started bawling. 

Morning came, and it was time to say goodbye to Cape Hatteras.  The sun was shining and the sky was clear; I hated having to leave amid such perfect weather! On my way off the island, I stopped to climb the remaining two lighthouses that I hadn't made it to earlier. 

First was Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, which was in the middle of being painted.  You can see the seam in the photo below between the finished and unfinished halves. 

Artistic framing in order to not get any industrial equipment in the shot. 

This was a gorgeous lighthouse.  Black and white marble floors, red trim and stairs. 

Entrance to the tallest lighthouse in North America!

The view from the top was predictably stunning.  Visibility was so good that I could see the Diamond Shoals Light structure, which is 12-miles off shore (and non-operational these days). Fun fact: Diamond Shoals Light was bought by a private owner at auction a couple of years ago.  No doubt he is going to make it into an off-shore secret lair. 

At the top of the tallest lighthouse in North America! They really want you to know this fact!

 Onward to the 5th lighthouse of my stay in the Outer Banks: Bodie Island Lighthouse.  It's pronounced like 'body', which was news to me, but it helps to think of it as spelled incorrectly instead of pronounced incorrectly. 

Just like in the picture!

 This one was a fully guided tour, which was a little unusual and tedious for a lighthouse climb, but, as always, the view from the top was worth it!

Marshy!

The interior of the lighthouse was very similar to Cape Hatteras with black instead of red, and the Five Fingers were perfect for climbing the lighthouse! 

Don't go getting vertigo now!

Now for the fun part: not pictured is the 7.5 hour drive to Columbia, SC.  That was rather pushing the amount of driving that I wanted to do in a day, but I really wanted to visit Tammy and Robert while I was out that way!  Plus, Tammy promised me waffles!  And boy did she ever deliver.  There were mac & cheese waffles, pizza waffles (made with puff pastry), goat cheese & sundried tomato waffles, brownie waffles, and the rhymiest of waffles: falafel waffles! Robert suggested additions in order to make awful falafel waffles, but Tammy fortunately declined his ideas. 

Can you put it in a waffle iron? The answer is always yes!

 The morning brought more waffles and a science lesson!  Because all breakfasts need more science. One of the kids was wondering about buoyancy/displacement, so Tammy demonstrated with an inverted wine glass in a glass of water.  There was blue food coloring involved, as with all the best science lessons. 

Afterward, I took in a nice hike at Congaree National Park, which I had never heard of until Tammy told me about it.  It was only about an hour drive from Columbia, which makes it awfully accessible for a national park!  There was fortunately a nice boardwalk through the park, because the park's main feature is swampland.  

A peaceful walk through a forest is exactly what this vacation needed, and slightly drizzly weather was great for it.  Not too crowded, not very buggy.  Just me and some trees.  :^)

One last little jaunt up to Charlotte, NC marked the end of a much-needed, action-packed vacation.  1,000 miles of driving, two never-before-visited states, and a national park! Whew!