The blue line on the map below illustrates our progress to date for circling Lake Superior via Kayak. Please click on "View Larger Map" link for a more detailed view of our progress including trips dates and team members.
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Friday, August 29, 2008
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Keeweenaw Krush Trip Log
2008 June 22 – June 27: Upper Entry of the Keweenaw Waterway FJ McLain State Park MI to Lower Entry Boat Ramp MI
Expedition Team: Tom Lynch, John Lynch, Scott Laven, Tom Bray
Camp I – Just West Eagle River MI
Camp II – King Copper Motel Copper Harbor MI
Camp III – East Tip of Manitou Island across from Light House
Camp IV – 2 miles west of Montreal River
Camp V – Stamp sand flat south of Gay MI
For me, this adventure started after completing the Gary Bjorkland half marathon in Duluth, MN. Up at 5:00 AM, run race at 6:30 am, done at 7:45 am and on the road with Scott Laven by 11:00 AM. We loaded up Scott’s pickup, gathered a few additional provisions in Superior WI and then on down the road to the Houghton/Hancock area of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
This road trip took several hours longer that it should have as a few miles East of Ashland, WI, the muffler parted from the tail pipe on Scott Laven’s truck. The screeching sound of metal scraping on asphalt, forced us to stop and forced Scott Laven (an all around moter head and handy man) to rip out muffler and lash the tail pipe to the frame. A short time later, this time in the parking of Walmart in Ironwood MI, Scott was at again, under the truck this time to rip out the tail pipe. With muffler and tail pipe now secure and in the bed of the pick up, we we’re back on the road to the Upper Entry. Scott and I both commented how the loud reverberating sound of Scott’s boss truck (sans muffler) made us feel like some “real” down home local yoopers.
Tom Lynch
June 23, 2008
The day started with usual last minute packing and schlepping of equipment and provisions to the beach launch site. Year after year, it never ceases to amaze me that after seeing all of the provisions, gear and other equipment spread out all over the beach that we manage to get it all stuffed into our 4 kayaks. Mission accomplished once again as we had room to spare. For this trip, we also had the good fortune of having Scott Laven’s sister Julie and friend help us move our vehicle from the upper entry to the lower entry. Many thanks to Julie Laven and friend for helping us out.
Day one was mostly uneventful as we rattled off 18 miles of easy paddling in light wind and little seas. We found a suitable camp site just to the south west of the town Eagle River.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Friday, June 1, 2007
Union Bay to Upper Entry Keeweenaw Water Way
2007 May 25 – May 29: Porcupine Mountain State Park Union Bay MI to Upper Entry of the Keeweenaw Waterway FJ McLain State Park MI.
Expedition Team: Tom Lynch, John Lynch, Scott Laven, Tom Bray
Camp I – Ontonagon Township Park Just east of the breakwall.
Camp II (Two Nights May 26,27)– Stanton Park at Agate Beach in Misery Bay
Camp III FJ McLain State Park
May 24, 2007
After a long road trip to the Upper Pennisula of MI, we stayed at the Americ Inn in Silver Bay MI which is on the south shore a few miles East of Porcupine Mountains State Park. on
May 25, 2007
A small craft advisory was in effect until 2:00 pm; therefore, we took our time to getting started and decided to do the first day as a day paddle type of outing. We dropped off kayaks at Union Bay, drove East back to Ontonagon to set up camp and leave a vehicle at the end point. We enjoyed moderate SW winds to start and then a fairly calm day for the rest of the late afternoon. We arrived to our previously set up campsite at 7:00 pm after 17.5 miles of paddling. As this was our first paddle of the season, the entire team was very tired as packed and Loaded up all the gear for our early departure on Saturday.
May 26, 2007
We made a quick stop at 14 mile point to view the abandoned and burned out light house. This was viewed and enjoyed in the company of ten or so ATV’s running up and down the beach. This day was a long day of paddling that kept getting longer. As they are numerous private cabins and homes on this section of south shore, we had great difficulty finding a suitable place to camp. Finally, we found a private camp ground, Stanton Park at Agate Beach in Misery Bay which ended up working out quite well for us.
May 27, 2007 - Wind bound
As forecasted, it really started blow out of the SW shortly after midnight. Throughout the night we could hear the waves crashing the beach at Misery Bay. With the howling wind and with little sleep, I lay awake contemplating whether or not we would be able to leave Misery Bay on Sunday. It was Just as I was thinking, as there would be no way we would get through the breaking surf at the beach and even if we did, paddling in a 5 – 7 foots waves with winds 25 – 30 knots would be uncomfortable and risky. Scott completed some minor kayak and gear repair, Tom Bray read and took a nap and John and Tom went for a run.
May 28, 2007
We paddling 20 miles on this last day and were treated to a scenic set of sandstone cliffs which were quite prevalent on this section of the south shore all the way to the Upper Entry. We took a break and stopped at an old mining site and observed a group of juveniles playing a game a splat ball. After another 20 mile day, we finally made the Upper entry and stopped at the North break wall beach to check out McClain state park and to determine where the camp ground is located. To our dismay, we figured that it would take a couple of more miles of paddling to the camping area. We rented one of McCLain’s primitive Cabin Sites for the night.
To view Scott's photos from this trip: click here.
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