CANOE TRIP REPORT: August 2022 (Part 1 of 3)

TRIP REPORT (PART # 1). This was my 18th trip to Isle Royale. It was a canoe trip with my college roommate from 40 years ago. It was his second trip to Isle Royale. It was our first canoe trip on the Island. On August 15th, we traveled from Grand Portage, MN to Windigo to McCargoe Cove (all via the Voyager II). Our canoe was transported on the Voyager. We spent the night at McCargoe Cove at Tent Site #1. The next day (August 16th), we portaged the canoe from McCargoe Cove to Lake Chickenbone. Canoed across Chickenbone. Portaged to Lake Livermore. Paddled across Lake Livermore to Lake LaSage. Paddled across Lake LaSage. Portaged to Lake Richie. Spent the night of August 16th at the Lake Richie Canoe Campground. We had it all to ourselves.

THINGS TO NOTE: When we stepped off the Voyager at McCargoe Cove, Park staff reminded us of the confirmed blue-green algae bloom at Lake Richie and informed us of a SUSPECTED blue-green algae bloom at Lake Chickenbone. (Thank you Triggs!). Thus, both lakes were off limits as a source of drinking water.

We spent the first night at McCargoe Cove because it was already early afternoon when we arrived at McCargoe Cove and we wanted to stay at McCargoe and enjoy it. After dinner, my trip partner (Joel) portaged the canoe to the junction where the trails to East/West Chickenbone and McCargoe Cove all meet. Thus, the canoe would already be portaged almost halfway to Lake Chickenbone. The next morning, we broke camp at McCargoe Cove, carried our packs to the above mentioned junction--then portaged the packs and canoe the rest of the way to Lake Chickenbone. The water at Chickenbone was gross. Algae and "gunk" were everywhere--even in the middle of the lake.

On the the map--the portage between Chickenbone Lake and Lake Livermore is shown as a very short and straight 0.2 mile portage. In reality, the last part of the short, straight, portage (as it appears on the map) is covered with logs and fallen trees and is no longer the portage. The actual portage is probably closer to 0.5 miles (or longer) in length and has a couple of hills and turns. The water in Lake Livermore looked fine--as did the water in Lake LaSage. However, both ends of the portage at Lake LaSage (entering near Lake Livermore and exiting near Lake Richie) had lots of weeds and silt. This was especially true on the side of Lake LaSage closest to Lake Richie. I picked up some leeches on my feet and legs while wading in that "mucky" shoreline while landing and unloading the canoe at Lake LaSage. Thus, we opted to go back out into Lake LaSage with the canoe and draw our drinking water where there were less weeds, silt, and leeches. The water out there was clear and fine (and I didn't have to wade in "muck", silt, and various plant life).

Once we entered Lake Richie, we paddled a short distance to the canoe campground at Lake Richie. We had it all to ourselves that night. (August 16th). (This trip report will be continued in a day or two--with "Part # 2")