Trip Report Part III

Early monday morning, we load up and head to the ferry. We're on the Voyageur II which takes us from Grand Portage to Windigo to Rock Harbor (our final destination). You'll see from the photo that the boat isn't very large. In fact, it's the smallest ferry we saw in Rock Harbor. A little boy saw the ferry in Rock Harbor and commented loudly how it looked like a tin can. The captain corrected the boy saying "actually, it's an aluminum can." I think quite a few of us had reservations about getting on this ferry (which also happens to serve as the mail boat).
We leave the dock promptly at 8am CDT. Stop for 30 minutes in Windigo (just enough time for a double diaper change) and a short rock hunt. Then back on the ferry - arriving in Rock Harbor a little before 3:30 EDT. Luckily, the lake was extremely calm on the way out. And, the engine was very loud so we didn't really feel bad when the girls had their mandatory crying fits during the day. The girls did exceptionally well on the ferry both on the way out and return trips. Lolo played with her toys, rocks, and sang a medley of tunes. Norah smiled and grinned at everyone....and thoroughly enjoyed the wind in her face.
Once we arrived at the island, we checked into our cabin. No, I wasn't brave enough to camp with the girls. The cabin is like an upscale 1950s girl scout camp (if there can be such a thing). It came complete with spiders and other bugs to make it a "wilderness" experience (I was pleasantly surprised to find that we were able to keep the mosquitos out quite well...and yes, they were enormous). However, the view (see side photo) from our back window (which is actually the entire backside of the duplex cabin) is beyond spectacular. Private and unspoiled. Isle Royale is a very interesting island. No roads. Accessible only by boat or floatplane. We (Lolo, Jim and I) actually spent part of a morning sitting on the float plane dock - throwing rocks in the water, looking for fish, watching canoes and kayaks go by, waiting for moose, and watching the planes come in. (Norah took the opportunity to nap in her pouch). Lolo was quite interested in why this prop plane (we watch Jay Jay the Jet Plane so she's familiar with different types of planes) would land on water and didn't have wheels. I'm seriously considering the plane option on our next trip there....either that or a shorter ferry ride from Michigan.
Trip Report Part IV to follow.