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We were up early and ready to leave at 0800 but the weather did not get the message as we had pea soup, 50 foot visibility, fog. By 0930 the visibility had improved to 100 feet and we could at least make out the other two boats in the anchorage. We decided to leave but we had to choose between going out the tricky eastern entrance using our inbound track on the chart plotter or go out the relatively open western entrance using our radar and chart plotter. We chose the latter option. Kevin stayed down below on the chart plotter while I was up in the cockpit using the radar to mark islands and keeping an alert lookout for any other boats. The teamwork paid off as an hour later we had successfully negotiated our way through the islands and shoals out into the open waters of the Lake. The fog persisted with visibility below ¼ mile all the way across to Blake Point on Isle Royale’s eastern tip. Then we got lucky. Just as we got to Blake Point , the visibility opened up to 2 miles and we could actually see the entrance to Rock Harbor and the narrow channel down to Snug Harbor. I had not been looking forward to piloting down that stretch on radar. On the other hand after having made it into Rossport and out of Loon, I think Kevin and I are getting good at it. Though there is no doubt my blood pressure will elevate anytime we are forced to employ the tactic. We rounded the point into the harbor at 1330 and were very pleased to find plenty of open docks. As soon as we got here the visibility started to drop and an hour later we were socked in again. Yes, we were lucky. After lunch Kevin took a hike looking for moose and actually spotted a mother and calf. We ate dinner at Rock Harbor Lodge and Kevin went for another hike while I attended a lecture on loons.
We plan to stay here tomorrow, clean the boat and do laundry in preparation for Kevin’s leaving and Will and my four grandsons arriving on Saturday morning. I hope they have a smooth crossing from Copper Harbor.