Caving via Kayak

Yesterday Ryan and I drove to the Apostle Islands National Seashore where we acquired our backcountry pass for the night at the Bayfield visitor center. Bayfield, a tiny little town overlooking Lake Superior, was absolutely adorable. Old Victorian homes overlooked the bay in pristine condition with well-tended flower beds, another gem that we hope to return to hopefully when our budget would allow for one of the cute bed and breakfasts in the area.

Then it was off to Cornucopia where we checked in for one of our few guided touristy things – sea kayaking and exploring the seashore’s caves. Our tour set out at 12:30pm, perfect timing as the winds had died down and we were able to explore the caves more fully than the morning tour. Ryan and I shared a tandem kayak (thinking back to the fly shop owner’s advice in Grayling) and Ryan was overjoyed to do most of the paddling through the caves, battling three foot waves while steering with his feet, while I took pictures and videos like a good blogger should. There’s really no way to describe what caving in a sea kayak is like, check it out for yourself below… (click here if video does not load).

Cool huh? You can really get back in there and explore and Ryan and I would love to go back and explore further. Of course weather permitting. When Lake Superior gets angry, those sea caves are no place to be. The sandstone cliffs have been pummeled by waves for centuries and there’s certainly no denying how much harm the force of water can do. We thoroughly enjoyed the day though, and had such hot weather we even took a dip in Superior afterwards. Refreshing!

Then we had a five mile hike to the backcountry site I’d reserved for us. Our beautiful, backcountry spot had a picnic table, fire ring, private beach, and a sunset view, but at a price. I think I have about 20 mosquito bites on one shoulder alone, and the trail was long with rolling features that really took its toll on our (my) strength. The foliage was starting to take over as well, so at times we felt like we were bushwacking. It was a truly beautiful view though, and the sea caves from this angle were unique as well. We even walked over a natural bridge at one point across a cave, frightening some boaters below.

Mosquitos aside, we enjoyed the sunset, and our dehydrated food on the beach, then Ryan managed to start a beautiful fire which somewhat abated the bugs while we sat and enjoyed the seclusion of our site and the lapping of the waves on the beach. Lightening was striking cloud to cloud in the distance and even rolled over our site in the middle of the night, though we had no major rain or thunder.

The next morning a fog had rolled in over the lake and as we were hiking back out, it started raining. Soaked, we returned to the car, did our best to clean up gear, changed clothes, and clambered into the car for the drive to Jay Cooke State Park.

Jay Cooke is famous for its “swinging bridge” which no longer swings after it was rebuilt for the fourth time after the 2012 flood. In other words, Jay Cooke is famous for its flooding. The Saint Louis River is the largest river that flows into Lake Superior and what a force of water it is. This is what it looks like on a low day.

So in 2012, when a hydroelectric dam overflowed and then broke, Jay Cooke State Park took the brunt of the hit, with trails, roads, buildings, and of course, the swinging bridge completely destroyed. It’s drizzling lightly now, an unfortunate circumstance for the clothes and stuff we have out to “dry” from earlier this morning. Here’s to hoping the clouds will break soon!

Tomorrow we’re off to Voyageurs National Park and our first multi-day backcountry experience. You won’t see a post for a couple days while we’re canoeing, but pray to the powers that be that the mosquitos will have already had their fill of other yummy tourists before we arrive. Cheers!