Power & Motoryacht – September 2019

WAYPOINT

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ften called the “Jewels of Lake Superior,” the Apostle

Islands, just off the Bayfield Peninsula in northern

Wisconsin, are a fascinating geological destination,

and they bear the title well. Though cruising Lake Su-

perior is not for the faint-hearted, the Apostle Islands

make the trip worthwhile; there is no better place to experience the

world’s largest freshwater lake.

The Apostle Islands are most well-known for their brownstone

and sandstone caves, many of which are large enough to navigate

a boat through. “The caves are so spectacular,” says Capt. Ashley

Georgeson of Bayfield, Wisconsin-based PMG Charters. “There

are really deep caverns and big openings that you can maneuver

right into. It’s a remarkable experience.”

Ashley and her husband, Capt. Pete Georgeson, have been

offering boat tours of the Apostle Islands since 2011, but Pete has

come to the area every summer since he was born. Now, the couple

lives here year round and has two boats that they use for tours,

each capable of holding six passengers and making multiple trips a

day during the summer months. PMG Charters regularly enter the

caves on their tours.

The caves are also popular among kayakers on calm days. The

geological feature is unique to the area; the inland sea’s winds, ice,

and currents create the necessary environment for erosion to oc-

cur. During the winter, the caves fill with ice and when the lake is

frozen through, the mainland caves are opened for hiking tours

that attract tourists by the thousands.

The same weather patterns that have formed the caves do im-

pact boaters, however. “Lake Superior weather is pretty crazy,”

says Ashley. “You’ve got to keep an eye on the weather and it’s very

variable.” A calm day on the lake can quickly turn for the worse if

a squall line suddenly rolls through, and Ashley urges boaters to

check in with the National Park Service. Cold water temperatures

mean that ending up in the water can become dangerous quickly.

“Know where your safe harbors are and be experienced,” she urges.

“I wouldn’t go out on a 15-foot boat.”

At 14 miles long, Madeline Island is the largest of the Apostle

Islands and the only one that has a permanent settlement. There

are close to 300 year-round residents and 1,000 summer residents.

Tourists can rent a summer cottage, hotel or campsite. The Mad-

eline Island Yacht Club is a full-service marina that operates year-

Apostle

Islands, WI

Explore the sea caves, fish, hike and more on the

shores of Lake Superior.

By Carly Sisson

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