michigan troll

Hey Mark,
We ran almost 300 hundred miles the half week were there and saw maybe 10 boats besides our group. The depth below the bottom of the boat in the arch was 3.5 feet. I have dozens of photo's but I am limited to how many I can post here.

seef158

The apostle islands area: Bayfield, Washburn and Ashland Wi all have marinas as well as one in Lapointe on Madeline island. We've gone the past two years with my 24 formula and never had any trouble with big water, it stays decent in behind the islands and the water is plenty warm to swim.

Dreamer1q

You should post up the next time your putting a group together. I would be willing to tag along for a trip like that. Plus its nice to know a boat or two on Superior.

CarbonCredit

Two years ago we spent a week in August bombing around Au Train and Shelter bays and Munising / Pictured Rocks and had a blast. I need to find a way back up there soon.

One day while running out of Munising the water was so agreeable we water skied up and down Pictured Rocks - got some great pictures. Never thought we'd be water skiing right there. Water was pretty cold though.

As far as clarity - no kidding. While idling in unfamiliar waters around Au Train island I had a scare thinking I was suddenly running shallow (5 feet or less) over some big boulders. Checking the depth sounder we had 15 feet under the boat. I've heard seeing down 50 feet in some areas is not unheard of if the water stays calm and cold long enough. I believe it.

If you do go make sure you get a good weather forecast and that the boat is in sound mechanical shape and you've loaded up on safety equipment (duh).

Also learn to read the skies and know when to get off the water. Lake Superior can kill without mercy. There are few ports spread over miles of open water with few bays to take shelter in. Weather can come up so fast you could be caught out in wicked stuff and unable to make port. I was once caught in 15 footers and 80+ MPH winds in northern Lake Michigan (anyone remember the "blow of 87"?) and have a lot of respect for what these waters are capable of. Lake Superior with its long fetch and prevailing westerlies can make the other Lakes look like swimming pools.

Get charts of the waters you'll be in as well as there are shallows (sadly more now as the water levels are so low). You may need to find them locally (I couldn't find any in the GR area). The hardware store in Munising sells them.

Now, if the water levels would only start to rebound...

halfgassed

not shure how true it is but I heard superior is up 8" the other day.

seef158

we will betrailering to bayfield area in the 3rd week of august, then hitting up the up-houghton/tourch lake area, let me know if any interest. we have done this the last two summers in my 24' formula, single big block. You just have to be smart and watch the weather and fuel up when you can, as said before, ports are few and far between.
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