offer protected anchorages and some docks for almost any
weather, yet are close enough to the towns of Bayfield and
La Pointe, where boaters can refuel and resupply before
cruising off again.
In a lake known for its cold, cruel waters, the Apostles are
possibly the sweetest place to visit in all of Lake Superior
— unless you hit the black fly hatching season.
A trip to the Apostles means seeing history close up. You
can tour a collection of six lighthouses. Manitou Island has an
old fishing station that has been restored by the National Park
Service. Underwater shipwrecks like the Lucerne and the Sevona
attract divers. In September 2016, the pristine shipwreck of the
J.S. Seaverns, which sank off the coast of Michigan Island in
1884, was discovered with its hull still intact. Its exact location
is still protected. Everywhere you look — below the water and
above — the ancient geologic history of the islands is in full view
through sea caves, sandstone cliffs and rock arches.
The Apostles have attracted people for thousands of years.
Artifacts have been found from early Woodland Indians
dating back 3,000 years ago. Madeline Island later served
as an important post during the fur trade. The Jesuits who
drew the first maps of the area in the early 1700s presumably
gave the name “Apostles;” however, instead of islands named
John and Peter, you’ll find Gull, Devils and Raspberry. By the
1800s, lumbering, commercial fishing and quarrying sandstone
brought in more white settlers. Logging cleared most of the
island’s trees, but the forests have been replanted in the last
half-century. It’s still possible to see some of the ancient forests
in preserved areas around a few of the lighthouses.“Welcome to boating”
Navigating through the Apostles is fun and just enough of
a challenge to keep things interesting.
Cruising can be tricky. Shoals can suddenly rise up from
the lake floor, leading to depths of 4 feet or less. A careful
eye on charts and navigation equipment is crucial. Boaters
should watch for fishing buoys and pond nets set by a
commercial fishing fleet from Bayfield. The nets are marked
by flags and are usually low enough not to interfere with
propellers, unless the water is shallow. Just in case, we always
keep a keen watch and go around. We’re also constantly
watching for kayakers; they may appear in a group of one
or two at a time, paddling between islands.
Twelve of the islands have public docks available on a
first-come, first-serve basis, though space is often reserved
for park service and tour boats. But it doesn’t matter — the
Apostles offer some of the most beautiful protected anchorages.
We have found anchoring in the Apostles to be both
art and science — a melding of intuition and facts. For
example, One evening, after a full day of hiking, running
on lake-submerged rocks, climbing and paddling (bad gas
in the Zodiac engine), our family of five was exhausted.
The wind had shifted to the east, so we left Justice Bay and
rounded the northern edge of Sand Island for Lighthouse
Bay. There were half a dozen sailboats already anchored.
The wind was up, but the waves were not. We anchored,
grilled dinner, worked puzzles and played Battleship on
the flybridge. Two books later, the kids climbed into their
bunks and were asleep within minutes.Apostle Islands Hotspots
Each of the 21 Apostle Islands has its
own charm and personality. Most are
accessible by boat, some are best for
just a quick stop, and some for days.
Here are some highlights:
Stockton Island: One of the most
popular islands, Stockton has docks,
well-protected bays, beaches, hiking
trails, a ranger station and one of
the most concentrated populations
of black bears in the world. It was
originally two islands, which was
joined by a bridge of sand called atombolo. You can now hike to see bogs,
dunes, lagoons, savannahs and forests.
Oak Island: Oak has the highest
point in the Apostles, at 1,081 feet
above sea level. It’s a great island to
hike with 11.5 miles of maintained
hiking trails and some spectacular
natural creations, like the Hole-in-
the-Wall sea arch.
Raspberry Island: The Raspberry
Island Lighthouse is the easiest
lighthouse to reach from the
mainland, making it a frequent stopfor boaters, kayakers and visitors
aboard the Apostle Islands Cruise
Service. A short hike across the
southern part of the island will take
you to two sweet anchorages and a
delightful beach.
Devils Island: One of the more
remote islands, Devils, is worth the
trip. It has a lighthouse and some
amazing views of exposed sandstone
sea caves on the northern side of the
island. Anchoring in the rocks can be
tricky, but the views are stunning.1: Hiking the trail at Sand
Island — always on the
lookout for bears!
2: At anchor near Sand
Island.
3: Sitting in Indian
Paintbrushes at
Sand Island.
4: Eating ice cream at
Grampa Tony’s on
Madeline Island.
5: On the beach at
Michigan Island.1 2 3
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