Lake Superior Provincial Park 6 days up the coast July 2016

[yellowcanoe]

We started at Katherine Cove.. One Mad River Monarch sea canoe..with single blade at first. And one old Wilderness System Shenai Greenland style kayak.. You can do this in an open canoe..as the pics will show one paddler doing the same and much more. Wisdom trumps equipment.
The Mad River has a name Slug Tug.. It handles all the food and larger gear. The Shenai only handles small delicate stuff like the sleeping bags tent , Helinox Furniture and sleeping bags and clothes.
This was a no portage trip in boiling hot weather. Not normal for this area at all.. Superior was swum in several times . Dutifully the drysuits and tarps were in the Monarch.. Not needed. It showered once and we just welcomed the cool down.
Beacb cbairs were the most required . I wish I had brought our Green River screw into the sand Umbrella.

The sea was dead calm at our launch out of Katherine Cove. We marvel at the color and pattern. First paddle is only 12 km to Beatty Cove.

Second day we meet with Mike Ranta and Spitzi who are paddling across Canada in a canoe on behalf of Canadian Vets.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/atikokan-paddle-ranta-1.3534165

https://mikeranta.ca/

Spitzi is an awesome pup and Mike an awesome guy. He has a Kevlar Nova Craft and has made decks that can be signed by vets. Pics later.

..We only do 14 km to Gargantua Harbor. There are people there but no problem getting one of many sites. We do meet and talk with some folks and the sailboat owners.
Next day to Chalfant Harbor. Its nice to find a shady campsite. We are noticing that out of all the campsites on the LSPP map some are disused. Ours is the only one of five that has visible usage in Chalfant Harbor. Another couple camps on a sharply tilted high energy cobble beach across from us ( about a km)

The next day is a 22 km paddle to Till Falls. Breaking surf and a wildly changed campsite with large cobbles is far from inviting. Last time it was a lower sandy beach. We move on to a more friendly campsite but it lacks a thunderbox. Still we have to hunt a little to find a small cobble level terrace and get a GREAT sleep. Yes you can sleep on stones!

We have the aim of getting to Michipicoten River where our car awaits. but Superior who has been so calm and loverly turns into a witch. And keeps up the tantrum for three days. We do escape our cobble beach early in the morning, paddle past Old Woman Bay in the shadow of those great cliffs and up into the wind into Brule Harbor.. Five campsites beckon.. One is a dicey landing Two are not to be found. One is overgrown totally and only the farthest shows sign of any use. Its got a thunderbox. It is far from trampled. I suspect Joel Cooper of Wawa is responsible for the wonderfull situated loo.
And we unpack our chairs get out our books after this 10 km paddle and...the pine marten resident runs right by us. No camera of course at hand.. Next morning we observe the main body of Superior from our cooking nook in the woods. Still having a hissy fit. We are not paddling into that... So we have a nice leisurely breakfast.. No campfire.. Our site is all on duff and on a terrrace with a sharp rise in back.. During coffee and Sudoku we hear an incredible banging..
I think BEARS are DESTROYING our BOATS! Bearanoia.. The source of the noise comes into camp. I am armed with a cup of coffee and a pen and not a camera. Not 3 meters away is a cow moose and an almost grown calf.. Wait wait for me to get my camera and take your portrait! Meanwhile the marten runs by again! The moose look at us for five seconds and leave at a quickish walk.. uphill. Its amazing how well they can cover ground . Its amazing they cant see a boat well enough to not stumble on it.

At this point we have agreed that the next day we will paddle back to Old Woman Bay and hitch a ride back to our truck.. Uh not quite. You see we have not been able to find our Helinox Table since our cobble beach camp.. So we paddle some 8 km back to that and then 5 km back to Old Woman Bay beach. No table. We unload the boats pack the gear, load the boats and the table falls on my husbands noggin. So much for kayaks.. Gear gets stuck in the bow!
Bill Mason loved Old Woman Mountain. After seeing it three times in two days I think I am done.

 

[Iskweo]

Very nice trip...I can feel how hot it was. Beautiful though. And I can see why you took a pass on the wave action. Nasty.

 

[DuctTape]

Looks like a superb adventure. Mother Superior can have wicked attitude changes. I would love to revisit her waters.

 

[redoleary]

What a great trip. I've hiked that area a few times but never paddled on the big lake, definitely on the to-do list. Great photos too.

 

[Mama]

Amazing blues in those pics. Lovely. Thank you so much for sharing.

 

[latremorej]

Thanks YC, I got a laugh out of the kayak eating the table bit. My father blamed me for his missing hammock tarp for about 4 months.... until I finally arrived back at his place to find the enormous bow hatch on his Pygmy Borealis XL was holding it.

Jason

 

[Odyssey]

Beautiful coastline. I've yet to see it for myself from the water. Superior can look glassy calm and serene, but it's the rough stuff that keeps me on shore. Katherine cove is a perfect swimming spot, the shallows nice and warm. Old Woman Bay as beautiful as it is can be f f f frigid. Once met an older couple basking in the sun drying off. Thought I'd try a swim myself. Stuck my first foot in and it felt like it was hit with a sledge hammer it was so cold. I passed on the swimming there. Thanks YC for this paddling perspective.