“Apostle Islands will forever hold a special place in my heart and soul. Sea kayaking with veterans of all levels teaches me so much about what life is really about. Thanks to TRR for showing and teaching me that service to others, especially veterans, is the key to happiness.” – DT, US Army disabled vet retired
Team River Runner’s fourth Apostle Islands National Lakeshore (AINL) sea kayak camping event was a great and challenging adventure. We filled our five days, Aug. 21 – 26, 2021, with learning, bonding and new personal achievements.
During prior trips to this beautiful remote Lake Superior destination at the northern tip of Wisconsin we paddled to and camped on the “inner” islands of the archipelago. For our 2021 trip, I chose a more challenging destination – Stockton – one of the “outer” islands. The paddle out would be nearly 12 miles; more demanding but hopefully more rewarding for our group of six vets (five with disabilities) and six volunteers.
Members of our group for this regional TRR event carpooled from Milwaukee, Kenosha, Appleton and Green Bay in Wisconsin plus Minneapolis, MN. TRR chapters in Green Bay and Milwaukee provided sea kayaks and gear for some participants who didn’t have their own. Most of us gathered the first night at a group campsite on the mainland at Little Sand Bay, where we enjoyed a roaring campfire. Others met up with us Sunday morning at our launch site, the nearby Legendary Waters Resort, operated by the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. We loaded up our kayaks with dry bags full of camping gear, clothing, and other items for our planned four-night stay on Stockton. Then we launched to Basswood Island before a longer crossing to Hermit Island, where we stopped for a lunch break. From there we crossed to Stockton Island. Total paddling time including lunch break was about six hours. During the final two hours we experienced an increasing headwind. Some participants needed assistance during these last few miles of rougher water so we clipped in with tow ropes and pulled together as a team in true TRR fashion, getting everyone safely to shore on Stockton Island.
A unique addition for this trip was our volunteer, Jacob, a kayaking friend from Green Bay who happens to be a talented cook. I invited him to join our TRR event to prepare breakfasts and evening dinners and he eagerly agreed. The meals were outstanding, which ended up making me look like a genius. On top of that, Jacob also arranged special delivery service for his heavy coolers of food and cooking equipment. Jacob has a friend who is a member of the U.S. Coast Guard stationed in nearby Bayfield, WI. Tirelessly working upward through the chain of command, Jacob arranged USCG delivery from Bayfield to us on Stockton Island. Just as we arrived on Stockton after our long paddle, we were met by the boat and crew from Coast Guard Station Bayfield delivering Jacob’s food and cooking supplies. What a welcome sight that was!
The islands of the AINL are designated 80 percent wilderness area, making it a refuge to relax and enjoy the solitude and nature of this remarkable location. We spent the next few days hiking and paddling on Stockton, as well as just chilling and hanging out. One of our hikes, a 10-miler, was to the “singing sand” beach, one of the few beaches in the world where the sand makes a unique ringing or “singing” sound as you rub it between your hands.
Kelly demonstrates the singing sand of Stockton Island
The National Park Service provides steel bear boxes at each campsite to store your food, toiletries and anything that carries a scent that might attract bears. Some members of our group saw a bear not far from our campsite, but we didn’t have any problems with them. Our primary adversaries were small red squirrels who dashed in and out of our dining area looking for a discarded crumb or a bear box accidentally left open.
A kayak trip on Lake Superior is not something to take lightly. The saying up there is, “The lake is the boss.” The weather can be unpredictable and changes quickly. Perfectly flat one day, the next day (or even the same day) waves can reach five feet, eight feet or higher. (In October 2017, NOAA buoys recorded 29-foot waves!) Our planned return date was Thursday, Aug. 26. We were prepared to stay longer if necessary because of wind and waves, and we kept a close eye on the weather forecast, which by Tuesday predicted strong winds and waves for Thursday and Friday. We decided to get a jump on the stormy weather by paddling back to the mainland a day early, and that turned out to be a good decision. Our paddling weather on Wednesday was absolutely beautiful – sunny skies and only a slight headwind at times. Our return paddle to Red Cliff took about 5-1/2 hours.
After unpacking kayaks, we loaded gear into our vehicles and drove to Bayfield for a celebration lunch.
Not ready to say goodbye, we headed back to Little Sand Bay for one more night of camping followed by a Thursday morning paddle from Meyers Beach to the mainland sea caves. After a couple of miles we had to cut this paddle short because of increasing wind and waves. It was good that we turned around when we did. Back at Meyers Beach a small craft advisory had been posted.
Several of the vets shared their pride in what they accomplished on this trip. For some, paddling between Stockton and the mainland was their longest single-day paddle – and they did it twice! They expressed thanks to Team River Runner and donors for sponsoring this event. One vet told me the TRR Apostle Islands trip is always the highlight of his year.
Watch my YouTube video of this trip.
