The Road and The Apostle Islands

On our way to Ashland, Wisconsin, we did a couple of annoying things.  One, we let Carmen, our Garmin, lead us into a park.  She showed a road going through the park and back onto a major thoroughfare.  The park in all of its infinite wisdom, closed the road to through traffic and is only open to foot traffic!  So, we unhitched the car to make the sharp turnaround in the parking lot.  And after 15 minutes, we were back on track.  However, it was a very pretty park that provided Rick with a leg break!  Carmen was not done with us....our next stop was to be a museum and another opportunity to stretch our legs and learn about the local ironworkers.  This museum was mentioned in one of our guidebooks, "Off the Beaten Path."  After circling around the block twice, we decided to continue our journey.  No museum at the address given in the guidebook.  Maybe our guidebook was truly off!!  In any case, we made our way to Ashland, Wisconsin to Kreher Campground, which is a city park located right on Lake Superior.  No icebergs here!

Next morning with filled with bright sunshine and no icebergs!  So, we headed to Bayfield for a cruise to see the Apostle Islands.  There are 20 islands, which is more than the original 12 (perhaps someone couldn't count?).  Anyway, the cruise was thoroughly enjoyable.  A few icebergs in the inner bay, but none in the channels in and around the islands.  Everyone has told us that this winter had been the longest, coldest winter in about 40 years!  One little old lady even told us that Lake Michigan froze solid for the first time in 48 years!  BRRR!!!  Glad we winter in the desert.

While on the cruise, we saw a bald eagle on an iceberg, just waiting for those fishies!  Lots of gulls and cormorants, too.  Just a spectacular day for cruising.

One of the prettiest sights are the Sea Caves on Devil's Island.  The Native Americans called it The Land of Evil Spirits.  The wind and water make strange low moaning sounds at the Sea Caves.  No wonder people called it Devil's Island.

The lighthouse on Raspberry Island is being preserved by the National Parks.  It's a beauty!

This is Captain Jack saying farewell and calm seas until we meet again!


















We also visited the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center.  What a treat this place is!  They have a wonderful exhibit and movie plus a boardwalk.  Upstairs is a huge mural, covering 3 walls, depicting the area and people through time.  To help raise funds, local people paid money to have their faces used in mural.  The young park ranger at the front desk has an uncle and great aunt depicted in the mural as Ojibway peoples of not too long ago.  We lost a couple of hours inside the visitor center!  A must stop and see place!