Hello! This stretch takes us from Barker’s Island Marina, Superior, Wisconsin, to Houghton-Hancock, Michigan. Yes, we are back in Michigan and the Eastern time zone! As an unapologetic homebody, it feels good to be back on familiar turf. We’ve also noticed a funny pattern: Sundays and Wednesdays keep turning out to be the best weather travel days.
July 22 (Wednesday): Barker’s Island, Superior, Wisconsin → Bayfield City, Apostle Islands
The cruise to the Apostle Islands was calm and pleasant. In the Apostle Islands, we paused on the water for a little Nordic Tug rendezvous with Fairweather, a brand‑new 44’ Nordic Tug. Always fun to meet another boat in the family.
The Apostle Islands were named after the 12 disciples - or apostles - of Jesus in the early 1700s by French explorers and Jesuit missionaries. While there are actually 22 islands, 12 were considered major islands when discovered. They are not named after the apostles, but are called Bear, Cat, Gull, Hermit, Ironwood, Madeline, Michigan, Otter, Outer, Raspberry (my favorite), Stockton, York, etc. Father Pierre François Xavier de Charlevoix, whom Charlevoix, Michigan is named after, never visited the islands but put the name on maps published ~1744.
July 24 (Friday): 3 mile trip from Bayfield City → Madeline Island
Bayfield is my ideal stop — cute shops and restaurants. We planned to stay longer, but when I went to extend our reservation, they were fully booked. That turned out to work in our favor: Madeline Island had an open slip, and we were able to spend time on another Apostle Island. Madeline is quieter than Bayfield, but also cute, and gave us a fresh change of scenery.
July 26 (Sunday): Madeline Island → Houghton-Hancock, Michigan
We left early for a long 14‑hour run across flat water and fog. All day, our weather apps showed thunderstorms forming, dissipating, forming again — NOAA even upgraded them to “possibly severe” that morning. Thankfully, by early afternoon the storms had fizzled out for good, and our approach to the Keweenaw Peninsula channel (or correctly, the Portage Waterway) was uneventful.
Poor Rob. He’s bored with flat water and no wind. We did have fog around us for most of the trip. The fog may have been odorless smoke as we cruised out of the yellow-smoke zone. We are out of the smoke zones entirely in Houghton.
Water temperatures ranged from 62–65°F out on the lake and 70–72°F in the Portage Waterway. As we came through the waterway to the Houghton County Marina we saw lots of people enjoying the late Sunday afternoon dog day of summer: kayakers, canoeists, swimmers, water‑skiers, picnickers, and families grilling along the shoreline. Happy times!
After docking Sunday evening, we walked over to greet the owners of the new Nordic Tug 44’, whom we’d met on the water earlier in the week. One hello turned into lively conversation about Great Loop plans as they are starting theirs shortly. A late night, but a lovely one.
July 27 (Monday): Staying put in Houghton
Monday we woke at 5 AM ready to depart to Marquette, but thunderstorms in the forecast made us (Amy) pause. We could have gone — but after yesterday’s long passage, relaxing a few days and having a chance to enjoy where we were seemed like the best decision. And Wednesday (of course!) looked even better for the next leg.
Tuesday we hiked to Walmart for essential (coffee) provisions. I was not expecting Houghton-Hancock to rise in elevation so quickly and substantially on both sides of the waterway. Good exercise!!
Wednesday we enjoyed strolling down Sheldon Avenue, Houghton’s main street. A pizza lunch with chocolate brownie + ice cream dessert at The Ambassador was just perfect.
Tomorrow we rise early for the 9-hour cruise to Marquette!
Thank you for checking in, and thank you for your prayers — they matter!
Amy (& Rob)
Barker’s Island to Houghton-Hancock
Barker’s Island to Houghton-Hancock
Our journey so far - from St. Clair to Houghton-Hancock
Our journey so far - from St. Clair to Houghton-Hancock
Unmanned boat patrolling around Isle Royale. This one is configured with radar, a Flir night vision camera, AIS, and StarLink.
Unmanned boat patrolling around Isle Royale. This one is configured with radar, a Flir night vision camera, AIS, and StarLink.
The Edmund Fitzgerald departed from Superior, Wisconsin, on November 9, 1975
The Edmund Fitzgerald departed from Superior, Wisconsin, on November 9, 1975
Scene from our walk to the grocery store - provisions! Preston C. reports that this is a ballast regulator which moves stones around the tracks. We implicitly trust anything Preston shares about trains as he was running rail roads before he was captain of M/V 45 N!
Scene from our walk to the grocery store - provisions! Preston C. reports that this is a ballast regulator which moves stones around the tracks. We implicitly trust anything Preston shares about trains as he was running rail roads before he was captain of M/V 45 N!
Also along our walk: Fairlawn Mansion and Museum.
Also along our walk: Fairlawn Mansion and Museum.
Leaving Barker’s Island for the Apostle Islands — this is the GREEN marker!
Leaving Barker’s Island for the Apostle Islands — this is the GREEN marker!
Beautiful morning!
Beautiful morning!
First Annual Nordic Tug ‘On-the-Water/Apostle Islands’ Rendezvous.
First Annual Nordic Tug ‘On-the-Water/Apostle Islands’ Rendezvous.
Sand island in the Apostle Islands — heading to Bayfield City
Sand island in the Apostle Islands — heading to Bayfield City
Heading to Bayfield City
Heading to Bayfield City
Lenland Tug and Flour Power tucked in at Bayfield City Marina
Lenland Tug and Flour Power tucked in at Bayfield City Marina
The Old Rittenhouse Inn (& fine dining), Bayfield, WI
The Old Rittenhouse Inn (& fine dining), Bayfield, WI
Nice walk!
Nice walk!
View of bay from upper-deck restaurant.
View of bay from upper-deck restaurant.
Bayfield: Nice place to be for a few days!
Bayfield: Nice place to be for a few days!
Leaving Bayfield
Leaving Bayfield
Dodging ferries on way to Madeline Island
Dodging ferries on way to Madeline Island
Town building, Madeline Island (we didn’t take a lot of photos while here)
Town building, Madeline Island (we didn’t take a lot of photos while here)
Madeline Island to Houghton - 12.6 hours of flat and foggy. I’ll take flat over sporty any day!
Madeline Island to Houghton - 12.6 hours of flat and foggy. I’ll take flat over sporty any day!
Land in sight! Coming up to the Portage Waterway. (Note the waterfall!)
Land in sight! Coming up to the Portage Waterway. (Note the waterfall!)
In the channel - many boats (it was sunny, warm).
In the channel - many boats (it was sunny, warm).
Old fishing boat
Old fishing boat
There are people along the shore enjoying the day!
There are people along the shore enjoying the day!
The Portage Lake Lift Bridge: Heaviest lift bridge in the world. It stays in intermediate position during the summer (35’ clearance), and in the winter lowers so that snow mobiles (originally a train) can use the lower leve while cars cross on top.
The Portage Lake Lift Bridge: Heaviest lift bridge in the world. It stays in intermediate position during the summer (35’ clearance), and in the winter lowers so that snow mobiles (originally a train) can use the lower leve while cars cross on top.
LT at Houghton County Marina.
LT at Houghton County Marina.
Pretty river next to road (walking to Walmart to provision).
Pretty river next to road (walking to Walmart to provision).
View of Houghton (marina is in Houghton County, north side of waterway).
View of Houghton (marina is in Houghton County, north side of waterway).
Ranger III Ferry to Isle Royale did not leave a wake! It makes the 6 hour trip to Isle Royale on Tuesdays and Fridays during the summer.
Ranger III Ferry to Isle Royale did not leave a wake! It makes the 6 hour trip to Isle Royale on Tuesdays and Fridays during the summer.
Walking around Houghton, looking north. Leland Tug in on the other side with the other boats.
Walking around Houghton, looking north. Leland Tug in on the other side with the other boats.
Birthplace of professional hockey!
Birthplace of professional hockey!
The arena — birthplace of hockey…
The arena — birthplace of hockey…
Inside the arena…
Inside the arena…
Quincy Mine, from Houghton.
Quincy Mine, from Houghton.
Quincy Mine — tours are available.
Quincy Mine — tours are available.
Quincy and Torch Lake Cog Railway.
Quincy and Torch Lake Cog Railway.
Looking north from Houghton (our marina is just to the left).
Looking north from Houghton (our marina is just to the left).
Houghton’s waterfront. Possible to tie up here. A portion of the wall had electricity available - but it was a pretty long distance to water level (reminded us of the Waterford wall, entry to the Erie Canal).
Houghton’s waterfront. Possible to tie up here (a part of the wall had electricity available - but it was a pretty long distance to water level)
At the Ambassador — ready for our pizza!
At the Ambassador — ready for our pizza!
End.