Mike and Roxanne travel east

Ashland, MN and the Apostles Aug 9, 2007

We head out to Bayfield and the Apostle Island National Lakeshore with our first stop being the Northern Great Lakes Visitors Center. This center details the area's regional and cultural history. The center is a joint of the forest service, national park system and local agencies.

Here we learn about the diversity of the area and how different groups helped shape the history. First the Native Americans (Ojibwe) from 1400 to the present. Next cam the fur traders, or voyageurs, from 1660 to 1840; and quarrymen, 1869-1899. Fishermen were prevalent during the 1800's and logging from the mid 1800 to the 1950's. The mining of iron ore has been prevalent throughout most of these times to the present. All of these have all helped to form the area and the towns.

The center is home to the Whittlesey Creek Wildlife Refuge with hiking paths and a viewing tower where you can see Lake Superior.

Just as we arrive at the Visitor Center in Bayfield we hear thunder. As we are leaving the center the rain starts and by the time we reach Little Sand Bay Visitor Center we are in a deluge with the wind blowing. You can see nothing. We just sit in the car for a few minutes while the worst passes over and then make a mad dash for the center. It rains for another few minutes, then the sun comes out and it is beautiful.

The Apostle Islands, an archipelago or a large group of islands jut into Lake Superior as Wisconsin's northernmost landscape. The 22 islands' scenic, historical, biological, and recreational significance were recognized in 1970 and 20 of the islands were set aside as the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. Long Island was added in 1986.

The wooded islands are trimmed with sea caves, sandstone cliffs and pristine beaches. Native Americans, voyageurs, loggers, stonecutters, fisherman and farmers have all left their mark on these islands.

Lighthouses were first built to guide boats to the small harbors of Bayfield and Ashland. Later as commercial traffic became so important to Duluth and Two Harbors were lights were used to warn captains of the dangers of the islands and the reefs in the area. There are six lighthouses throughout the islands.

These islands had once been so run down with commercialization that the National Park system would not even consider them for inclusion. Now the park has recovered and tress come right to the waterline, wildlife abounds, with over 35 mammals, 150 nesting birds and 800 kinds of plant life. Bald eagles, blue heron and the endangered plover mix with black bears and blueberries and the erosion has all but vanished. In fact the National Geographic Society has named the Apostle Islands as one of the two most pristine park units in North America.

Camping is allowed but only what you can hike in and hike out. B You can view the shorelines of these islands by tour boat, private boat kayak or canoe. However the weather in this are is quite unforgiving as we noticed. Storms come up unexpectedly and are harsh. Lake Superior is over 1300' deep in places and creates it's own weather so boating can be quite treacherous. Over 1000 ships have been wrecked in lake Superior alone.

This whole area was created through glacial action between 9500 and 12,000 years ago.

We watch the movie on the park and then walk down to the Fishery.

The Fishery was begun by the Hokenson brothers in 1927 and worked until 1960's. In the 1940's as engineers began to connect all five great lakes with canals the lamprey eel came into Lake Superior. This intruder began the ending of the herring fishing on the lake and the Hokenson Brothers moved on leaving only artifacts behind. The NPS has restored the twine shed and the fishery building and offers tours.

We finish up and head back towards Ashland. We found an organic farm and I buy some yellow cherry tomatoes and some blueberries. I had the tomatoes gone before we got back.