A late start to the islands this year. Usually I've been up camping in the Apostles by the first or second week of April, this year I'm well into May for the first overnight. Maybe I was just waiting for one of the nicer weekends.
Rather than drive two vehicles this time, we decided to cram everything in my Jeep, take the Skoac three place trailer and head out on Friday evening for the drive to Superior Wisconsin for a pizza dinner at one of the finest brew pubs around. The Thirsty Pegan has been a stop on the way up to places north for a few years now, and I've never been disappointed in the service, pizza, live music, or the beer. I recommend them anytime you're going through the Duluth/Superior area. The key for an enjoyable dinner is bar area seating rather than the dining area .. the older I get the harder time I have picking up conversation in an area with lots of background noise. Even though the band was playing I can hear better without the dining room noise. I don't know if it's just me, but I've heard the same comments from other 50+ individuals. The next morning after breakfast at the Egg Toss in Bayfield we meet Chris and Cathy at Boreal Shores Kayaking and look over the two kayaks they have set up for us. The black over black NDK Explorer I've had my eye on since way last year is loaded up on the Jeep, along with a nice NDK Explorer HV, and we are off to the islands. Lots to do this weekend in only a short two days. We need to make it to Manitou for Saturday night, but even though it's now a noon departure, we still need to spend some time meandering around some of the islands, maybe stop for a late lunch on the way. Manitou has been closed all last year due to bear activity, we found some tracks on the beach, but never saw any bears.
We did check out the collapsed "hole in the wall" on Oak Island the next day as we made our way around the back side of the island for an extended paddle back to Red Cliff. A nice first weekend on the islands, some new boats, and I'm ready for the next few weekends coming up. Its going to be the Skoac "Spring Fling" on Sand next weekend. Then a group of us are headed up to Thunder Bay for some time at the "Saunas". I've not made it to the Saunas yet so this one I am really looking forward to.
