1:30 finally came and I boarded the MV Sandy along with 6 others (plus Captain Ron and Derek and a park volunteer) for the last time of my visit to Isle Royale. It took quite a while to make the trip over as Passage Island is about 3-4 miles northeast of the mainland of Isle Royale...and Lake Superior was starting to misbehave!
After we docked, we had a 1 mile hike to actually reach the lighthouse...only 4 of us plus the ranger went ashore, the 3 other passengers were still pretty green from the trip over. The hike there was great and didn't disappoint (see separate entry) and my only disappointment was that we were not allowed inside. The light was constructed in 1882 by the US to fulfill an agreement with Canada that they also construct a lighthouse near Detroit near the mouth of Lake Eric, which they finished in 1889. The light was built in the Norman Gothic style to resemble other lights including McGulpin Point which I 
climbed in June! It originally housed a fourth order Fresnel lens and was automated in 1978 and still functions as a beacon for ships today. A foghorn is also located there on the island and is activated by pressing a signal 5 times. I asked the ranger if she could activated it...but she declined. So...scampered down some rocks to the waters edge to peek at some lichen and get a different perspective.
With a little time left, I investigated some old tracks on the property. As you can see by the rocks, getting supplies up to the lighthouse for maintenance and the family would be quite difficult, even in good weather. So they devised tracks and a car to assist them. I thought it was pretty ingenious!
Do you think the kids that lived here ever used the car as a roller coater? I would have!
With such a nice walkway of sorts I decided to
explore over on this side. But I was quite careful on the weathered boards!
climbed in June! It originally housed a fourth order Fresnel lens and was automated in 1978 and still functions as a beacon for ships today. A foghorn is also located there on the island and is activated by pressing a signal 5 times. I asked the ranger if she could activated it...but she declined. So...scampered down some rocks to the waters edge to peek at some lichen and get a different perspective.
With a little time left, I investigated some old tracks on the property. As you can see by the rocks, getting supplies up to the lighthouse for maintenance and the family would be quite difficult, even in good weather. So they devised tracks and a car to assist them. I thought it was pretty ingenious!
Do you think the kids that lived here ever used the car as a roller coater? I would have!
With such a nice walkway of sorts I decided to
explore over on this side. But I was quite careful on the weathered boards!
Yep...rocky just like the other side...but a nice view! A freighter came within a few miles while I was exploring. Shortly after I was at the base of the lake, the ranger called...time to head back. We had to cover another 1 mile of trail back to the dock where Captain Ron awaited...we hoped!
Soon we were underway and left the calm waters of the secluded cove behind. Once we were back out on the lake I remembered the foghorn and I carefully made my way up to the bow to ask if he could signal for it...not now he said, the water had gotten quite rough and the boat required his full attention...good idea. I kicked myself for not remembering before, about 10 minutes when conditions allowed he did signal for it...but we were too far away. Bummer.
Only us 4 hikers had our heads up and seemed to be enjoying the ride.
The waters eventually calmed after Scoville Point when we got some protection from the mainland and Derek was allowed to take the helm as Captain Ron sat nearby mentoring him. The skies grew dark and clouded up...there would be no picturesque sunset this evening to bid me farewell. 
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