Why I Intentionally Plan an Easy First Day

I INTENTIONALLY plan for an easy first day on almost all of my Isle Royale trips. Overall, it makes for less frustration, less disappointment, and less exhaustion.

It is "interesting" watching people arrive at Isle Royale. The vast majority of them are in quite a rush to get on the trail, get out on the water, or to get to their room/cabin and then get out and start exploring. The biggest irony is, many of them would tell you that they came to Isle Royale to RELAX--and here they are rushing around!

I am USUALLY the opposite of that. I typically take my time as I prepare to get on the trail or water. I usually plan to cover only very low mileage (or even NO mileage) on Day # 1. I also resign myself to the fact that I probably won't get a wooden shelter and that I may even have to share a tent site.  I am typically one of the last persons to leave the dock/arrival area. Then, I start out moving at a very leisurely pace.

Why I plan for an easy first day ...

1.  I have learned that I am usually tired and a bit "out of sorts" on Day # 1.  In the days leading up to my arrival on Isle Royale--I have typically been rushing around at home and work. I have been packing, attending to last minute details, and getting things "squared away" (at both home and work) -- before I leave on my trip. I have a 10-12 hour drive to the boat or seaplane. I have typically spent one (or two) nights in motels before I get on the ferry or the plane. (Thus, my sleep schedule is a bit off from sleeping in motels). I usually have to get up pretty early on the morning that I board the ferry or plane. So, overall, I am feeling tired and a bit sleep deprived on Day # 1.  My eating, sleeping, and digestive schedules are all a bit "off" from traveling. Then, I have had a 35-45 minute seaplane flight (or a 1.5 hour to 6 hour ferry ride) to the Island. By the time that I actually reach the Island, I am tired and "out of sorts" (and a bit "high" on adrenaline from the excitement of being on the Island again--then feeling a "crash" as the adrenaline leaves my body).  All of this negatively impacts my energy and endurance on Day # 1. Thus, I try to have an easy Day # 1 planned.

2. No matter how early in the day you arrive on Isle Royale, your Day # 1 is always a SHORT DAY in terms of available time to do activities.  Even if you arrive on the Island at 8:30 a.m. and finish checking-in and getting your permits by 9:00 a.m.--the sun has already been up for a few hours.  (And, many people do not arrive on Isle Royale until the afternoon). Thus, It is nearly impossible to squeeze a full day of activities into this  "shorter" day.  (And, the more "stuff"--and the more mileage-- that I try to squeeze into this shorter day--the more that I typically end up regretting it). Thus, I try to plan a very easy Day # 1. Don't try to squeeze a full day of activity into a day that you KNOW is going to be a short day.

3. There is always the possibility of experiencing a transportation delay in getting to the Island.  Such a delay might be for only a couple hours in duration--or it might be for an entire day (or longer).  The more "stuff" (and the more mileage) that you have planned for Day # 1--the more that your plans will be negatively impacted by any delayed arrival.  If you are hiking or paddling, and you intentionally plan to cover NO mileage (or just a few miles) on Day # 1--you are not very far "behind schedule" if your transportation is a few hours (or even an entire day) late. You can get back "on schedule" fairly easy. Conversely, if you you plan to cover many miles on Day # 1--and you are a few hours (or an entire day) late in arriving on the Island---you are already way behind schedule and you will possibly be having to "rush" for the rest of your entire trip.  That is why I INTENTIONALLY plan for a very easy Day #1 ...it provides a bit of a built-in cushion or buffer against any potential travel delays.

A COUPLE OF STORIES
In 2012, my former college roommate and I were going to get dropped off (by the Voyager II ferry) at McCargoe Cove at 1:00 p.m. on Day # 1.  We had plans of hiking 13.5 miles to Little Todd Harbor Campground on the day of our arrival.  Well, there was a rare (non-weather related) departure delay for the ferry and some "slow sailing" en route to the Island.  Thus, we got to McCargoe Cove closer to 2:15 p.m. (instead of 1:00 p.m.)--and we got on the trail at around 2:30 p.m.  Fools that we are, we STILL wanted to get to our planned destination that day--even though there had been a delay in arriving on the Island.  We did indeed get to Little Todd harbor that day--but we got there in the dark. We had to set up camp, filter water, and eat our evening meal--all in the dark.  We had planned too aggressive of a Day # 1--and the transportation delay compounded our poor planning. I think that was the last time that I planned an aggressive Day # 1 on an Isle Royale trip.

In 2022, I did two Isle Royale trips--one hiking trip and one canoe trip.  On the hiking trip, I arrived at Windigo around 10:30 a.m. (Central Time). I got my backcountry permit-. I then  went and secured a shelter at Windigo (Washington Creek Campground). I spent the day relaxing at Windigo and Washington Creek. I took two naps before 7:00 p.m. I hiked ZERO miles that day. On the 2022 canoe trip, the Voyager II dropped off me, my canoe partner (and our canoe) at McCargoe Cove in the early afternoon.  We set up camp at McCargoe Cove. We then relaxed and explored the McCargoe Cove area. Our actual "canoeing" would not start until the next day (with a 2 mile portage). Thus, after dinner, my canoe partner decided to portage the canoe roughly half the distance to the place where we would enter the water the next morning (so we would have an easier and quicker start to the the next day).

Ironically, my travel partner was the same one in both the 2012 "death march" to Little Todd Harbor  and the 2022 canoe trip. And, both experiences started with us arriving at McCargoe Cove via a ferry. We had learned (in ten years of "maturing") to not rush Day # 1 on Isle Royale.  I can promise you, the relaxing Day # 1 at McCargoe Cove (prior to the actual start of the canoe trip) was CONSIDERABLY more fun than the "forced march" (some of it in the dark) to Little Todd Harbor in 2012. 

YOU CAN ALWAYS CHANGE YOUR PLAN!

If you get to the Island on time on Day # 1--AND--if you are feeling good--nothing says that (as the day unfolds in real time) you can't push your day's activities beyond what you had originally planned.  If you planned to cover ZERO miles on Day #1--you can certainly change your mind and decide to cover a few miles on Day # 1 (if you arrive on time and are feeling well). If you had originally planned to cover just a few miles on Day # 1--it is perfectly fine to re-evaluate that plan when you reach that planned initial destination--and travel farther on that day. A HIKING EXAMPLE:  You may PLAN on hiking only to Three Mile Campground on Day # 1. However, if you arrive on the island on time--and if you are feeling good when you reach Three Mile (and there is plenty of daylight remaining) --you can certainly press on to Daisy Farm by the end of Day # 1--or maybe even Moskey Basin (If they are located on your planned route).

It "feels" much better (mentally, emotionally, and physically) to be AHEAD of schedule than to be BEHIND schedule. 

CONCLUSION
PLAN FOR AN EASY DAY # 1.  That way, if you arrive on the Island late and/or if you are feeling tired--you have already accounted for that in your initial plan.  Conversely, if all goes well, and you arrive on time--and you are feeling great--then having an easy Day # 1 planned gives you an opportunity to do MORE THAN PLANNED--and get "ahead of schedule" (or get to your destination early and get some rest).

A Final Example:
In my opinion, one of the worst plans that someone can have--is to arrive at Windigo on Day # 1--and plan to hike the 13.5 miles to NORTH Lake Desor Campground on Day #1.  No matter how early you arrive on the Island, you are already getting a "late" start to your hiking day toward North Lake Desor.  For most hikers, it is important to start that tough 13.5 mile hike very early in the day.  There are few (or no) good places to camp along the trail (or to filter pleasant tasting water) between Windigo and North Lake Desor. Thus, once you start from Windigo toward North Lake Desor--you pretty much have to get to North Lake Desor on Day # 1 --or spend a horrible night along the trail--with limited water to drink (or you need to hike in the dark). Many people have planned "too big" for their Day # 1 (by planning to get to North Lake Desor on Day # 1) and they subsequently found themselves doing a "risky" hike in the dark on the Minong Ridge Trail--and either having a horrid night sleeping on the trail or arriving at North Lake Desor in the dark, thirsty, exhausted, and hungry (and STILL having to set up camp, filter water, and prepare a meal--all in the dark).  Planning an easy Day # 1--and staying at Windigo the first night--and starting the hike to North Lake Desor EARLY on Day # 2--could avoid all of that risky night hiking, exhaustion, and dehydration.

No matter what your overall Isle Royale plans are--try to plan for an EASY Day # 1--and avoid some potential Day # 1 unpleasantness.