Apostle Islands, Bayfield, Wisconsin

We base camp and make daily forays into the islands and/or surrounding activities. Here are some pictures of the sea caves on the mainland and Sand Island. Note the water temp varies from place to place. Shallow sunny beaches are the warmest. Other deeper areas are COLD, 48 degrees. This Lake Superior really doesn’t warm up much.


Note that there must have been a big storm last year. Most of the camp site stairs, the visitor center at Little Sand bay, and of course these stairs at the Sand Island light house were destroyed or relocated.

The day we did the mainland caves it reached 80 degrees in the day time. The hydro-skins were a little hot so I paddled through a lot of these. Of course that was the day I had problems with water spots, and drops on the lens.

There were a lot of outfitters doing the Meyers beach to the mainland caves (1.5 miles one way) . For the most part they were outfitted well in sea kayaks, tandems, and wet suits. But later on the way back from our 8 mile paddle we passed a lot of rec kayaks, including sundolphins with paddlers shirtless and barefoot. It was a calm day.

lovely

As you said there is a lot of variation in temp… We launched from the beach in Bayfield and there was a swimmer practicing. She lamented the warm water that was too warm. it was 63 degrees. There…

I did the sea cave tour outside Bayfield as a teenager on a Wilderness Inquiry guided tour and it was great. I highly recommend it to everyone.

W.I. was well prepared with decent tandem kayaks, wet suits, and knowledgeable guides. We paddled out into the waves and 2 yaks flipped, and the guides got them back into the boat and to shore competently. Although I didnt think much of it at the time, I now know they handled the situation quite competently.

Pretty pictures.

@kayamedic said:
As you said there is a lot of variation in temp…
lot of variation in ‘acclimation’ as well.

I’ve been in FL for a number of years now.
I wait until June/July, when the ocean temps get into the 80s to flip upside down (gotta listen to what the dolphins are talking about).

On my last paddle around L.Superior ('92), camped on my last night at Chapel beach (between Munising and Grand Marais).
As I was leaving (around 6am), there were a couple of Russians taking an early morning swim.
I asked them if it wasn’t a bit cool, they said it was ‘balmy’ compared to their ‘home’ lake - Baikal.

@kayamedic said:
As you said there is a lot of variation in temp… We launched from the beach in Bayfield and there was a swimmer practicing. She lamented the warm water that was too warm. it was 63 degrees. There…

Meyers beach was warm.

In Yellowstone lake, 55 degrees, the guides said it was warm. The Californians said it was hot.

I guess it’s all relative. It’s cold to this Florida guy.

I will be there in about four weeks. I wear my dry suit on cooler days, and wet suit on very hot days.

Swimmers at Sioux, Wi………Happy Valley Extension beach……(South of Bayfield)…….Of course notice that most of 'em are wading not swimming. Except for Riker, the flat coat retriever, he’s swimming in a fur coat…

@MCImes said:
I did the sea cave tour outside Bayfield as a teenager on a Wilderness Inquiry guided tour and it was great. I highly recommend it to everyone.

W.I. was well prepared with decent tandem kayaks, wet suits, and knowledgeable guides. We paddled out into the waves and 2 yaks flipped, and the guides got them back into the boat and to shore competently. Although I didnt think much of it at the time, I now know they handled the situation quite competently.

Pretty pictures.

I’ve seen them taking rank beginners out in conditions I don’t think they should have, but as far as I know everyone lived through that particular day. There have been some incidents in the area with less favorable outcomes. I wouldn’t trust my life with them.

The blinding white of Wisconsin swimmers in late July. I need my sunglasses. B)