Cruising_World_2016-06-07

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june/july 2016

As we rounded the northwest side of the island near dusk, we

saw the race fl eet headed our way, but the light air had become

no air. We stayed well off to the side as the boats crawled past the

caves, with not a sound from any of the crews or a single motion

that might upset their balance. With 50 miles still to go, it was

going to be a long night for the racers. Conditions improved,

though, and three days later, on a diff erent 12-mile windward/lee-

ward course, we saw the same boats fl ying spinnakers in 20 knots

of wind on a madcap dash to the fi nish line off downtown Bayfi eld.

For two nights we settled on the north side of Oak Island,

where we hiked up its 200-foot-high sand bluff to look out over

the islands and the open lake. Several of the outer islands slowly

dissolved into a fog bank, and we almost needed radar on the

dinghy to fi nd Catamount when we rowed back. But as the wind

pushed the fog to the east, we were surrounded in the cockpit by

our own personal rainbow —

a “fogbow,” if you like — that

started on our bow and ended

on our stern.

Lake Superior’s average sum-

mer water temperature is a kill-

er 49 degrees, but at Oak Island

we swam off the boat in June.

Local mariners assured us that

by August the water is down-

right toasty. No way that ever

happens on the Canadian shore.

It’s clear why sailboats rule

here. Sailors can haul anchor,

set out for the day, be fairly assured of good winds, sail to their

heart’s content, and use their dinghy-racing skills to tack and jibe

and kite their way through all the narrow channels. Underwa-

ter obstructions are rare, and what is there is almost always sand.

Then, at the end of the day, they can check the forecast, call their

buddies, and pick an anchorage that (usually) works for the night.

OK, full disclosure here: We did have to move once in the

middle of the night. While we were parked on the east side

of Raspberry Island, after a visit to its 1863 lighthouse and a

chat with the very knowledgeable park ranger, the wind veered

straight down on us well after dark. So we had to raise anchor

and work our way back to Stockton Island’s Quarry Bay. But you

know what? The moon was full, it was warm, we were by our-

selves, and there was nothing to hit.

We also discovered one other advantage to anchoring in

the Apostles. Because there are no hidey-holes and no fully

protected harbors, every anchorage has a view, whether it’s of

the sunset, the sunrise, the next wilderness island or out onto the

vast expanse of Lake Superior itself.

We had planned to stay in the Apostles only a few days

before heading for Canada; we wound up staying nearly two

weeks. Occasional anchoring issues now seem trivial. We were

impressed by the sailing opportunities: good winds, great

views, attractive little Bayfi eld, historic lighthouses, sea caves

and hundreds of like-minded sailors, all in a wilderness setting.

We had clearly been wrong the fi rst time. Aside from that fi rst

night with the blackboard- scraping schoolchildren, we loved

every minute of our visit.

So mea culpa, Apostle Islands. You deserve all those accolades.

Fred and Jennifer Bagley live in Vermont and sail Catamount on the

Great Lakes every summer.

A fog bank rolls into Oak Island (below). Quaint Bayfi eld,

Wisconsin (left), is a short sail from the Apostles and an

ideal spot for re-provisioning and shore leave.

While getting your boat to

the Apostle Islands, in Lake

Superior, may be a stretch

for all but the most com-

mitted Great Lakes sailors,

cruising the area is easier

than you might think.

The Apostle Islands are an

ideal spot for trailer-sailors,

who can pick from a bevy of

launch sites, none more than

a few miles from the fi rst

night’s anchorage. Since all

the islands are fairly close

together and one can anchor

close to shore at virtually all

the beaches, it is a perfect

spot for your pocket cruiser.

While 21 of the 22 islands

are part of the Apostle

Islands National Lakeshore,

under the jurisdiction of the

National Park Service, there

are no entry fees. If you are

cramped for space, several

anchorages have campsites

just inland for a small over-

night charge. A Wisconsin

fi shing license is required

if you are looking for lake

trout.

The best cruising guide

to the Apostles is Superior

Wa y (4th edition, 2008),

by veteran Lake Superior

sailor Bonnie Dahl. Replete

with information on the

best anchorages for various

wind directions, historical

descriptions of lighthouse

keepers and shipwrecks, a

summary of services avail-

able in Bayfi eld, and more,

this book is a must-read.

For bareboat charter

options, check out Superior

Charters (superiorcharters

.com) or Sailboats Inc. (sail

boats-inc.com).

But a word of caution: You

may not get enough of this

area in just one visit.

june/july 2016 CRUISING NOTES

cruisingworld.com

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MARIANNE G. LEE (CENTER); FRED BAGLEY (LEFT)