We finally have arrived at Isle Royale National Park one of the least visited national parks. This part of our trip is one of the hardest parts to get scheduled. You can only get here by seaplane or by ferry. The ferries come and go from different locations and they don’t all run everyday. You need to try and get your lodging coordinated with your transportation and the location from which you want to travel. After several changes we eventually traveled out on a seaplane from Hancock, MI.
On the drive to Hancock from where we had left our motor coach we did get to see two bald eagles. The first one took off from a ditch and went into a tree along side the road. The second one took off very close to us and flew very close to the car, you could have counted the individual feathers in his tail he was so close On the return trip we saw one eagle as he flew straight at us on the road.
This was our first experience on a seaplane. First off you need to send them you body weight when scheduling your flight. You can take up to 50 pounds of luggage with you but the size of the luggage is limited as it either has to fit in one of the pontoons or in the back of the plane behind the back seat. They need to control the weight on the plane and how it is distributed.
It was raining the day of our flight so we were a little concerned about delays but they said it was no issue as long as fog did not roll in over the canal where we would be taking off. The plane can actually hold 6 passengers but they normally only fly with 5. They put two in the back seat, 2 in the middle and then one sits in the other front seat besides the pilot. We got there with our fellow travelers and lined up on the floating dock. Eventually we all got there, Bruce had to go back and help Richard, the camper, get his camping gear onto the dock. He was told to unload his back pack and split out some of the items as his back pack was too large for the plane. We had been told the luggage had to be the size that would fit in an overhead bin on a regular plane. His back pack was too fat.
The pilot, also known as the luggage handler and the person fueling the plane, looked us over and commented that he was happy to see we were all dressed appropriately. Thought that was a little strange but think I figured that out later when we observed someone else that had flown out earlier. We were all in jeans, hiking boots, long sleeved shirts, jackets and hats. Bruce and I also had a vest on under our jackets.
Our luggage handler then loaded our luggage, splitting it between the pontoon on the side next to the dock and the tail of the plane behind the back seat. He then folded the back seat back into place and we were then each handed a life vest and given instructions for putting it on and when to use it. Do not pull the cord while in the plane. The pilot had a list of all the passengers so he checks to make sure he has the right people and knows our names. He then assigns seating, we think based on weight. The other lady, Karen, and I got the back seat and loaded first so he could then open the middle seat back up. He then had Karen’s husband get in the front seat on the right side as he had to climb through the middle seat and squeeze through the gap between the two front seats. Bruce loaded next in the middle seat, sliding over to the right side with Richard, the camper, on the left side. The middle seat is wide enough for 3 but fortunately no one was squeezed in on this trip. The pilot then took his seat up front on the left, he had his own door.
Bruce in the plane
At the dock we took off from there was another man available to help untie the rope from the dock and hold onto the rope hanging from the wing until the plane was ready to leave. There is a very different process on the island.
The plane was built in 1952 and it is still in service, as Bruce put it, the plane is the same age as me. Bruce was very interested in all the gadgets inside, especially the flap control.
Flap control
We got off the water and the flight was a little rough a few times with the clouds but we got out to Isle Royale after about a 35 minute flight. I spent most of the flight checking out the inspection tags on the life vest and any certificates relating to the plane that were posted inside. Of course it was a little late to be inspecting the plane as I was already on it.
View from plane
Now for landing. You land in a protected area on the opposite side of the peninsula from the lodge. The landing was smooth and we hit the water, slowed down then turned around to come into the floating dock. As we got closer the pilot slowed the plane down and turned off the propeller, but did not turn off everything. As we coast up to the dock, the pilot opens his door and when we get even with the dock he jumps down from the plane onto the pontoon and makes a grab for the rope on the pontoon then jumps to the dock pulling on the rope and yelling into the door for Karen’s husband to pull the throttle all the way down. Not sure who was more shocked the rest of us or Karen’s husband. He did not know what to grab so Richard and Bruce are telling him what to grab. We stopped and got unloaded and got our luggage.
Plane coming in for landing
Coming from behind little island
Landed
Return flight coming in for us
Turned and coming to dock
Our pilot getting ready to jump out
Pilot grabbing the rope as he coasts up to the dock
Pilot after tying off plane
We were met by a “bell hop” on the dock. He said he would take our luggage to the lodge so we did not have to carry it. The “bell hop” drives a Kubota Tractor with a small wagon behind it. He parked it higher up on the trail and then carried our luggage to the trailer. Karen and her husband were staying in what is called a housekeeping cottage where you have a small kitchen and can cook all your meals. No housekeeping services while you are there but they do provide all the linens and dishes and pans. The cottages are on the side where the plane landed. I guess you have to bring all your food as the food that was in the small park store was very limited. Of course they could also eat at the restaurant by the lodge.
Bell Hop on trail
Bell Hop at lodge
Trail up from sea plane harbor
What we learned from float planes.
1. No security checks to go through, I did not have to show my ID card for bypassing the machines because of my implant.
2. You can carry what ever liquids you want on the plane
3. No flight attendant serving drinks and snacks, Bruce wanted to know if he slept through that part of the trip.
4. No pre boarding based on frequent flier programs
5. No first class seats, it is all based on weights.
On the trip back we saw lots of trees that had started to turn.
Sugar Maple trees from the plane
Sugar Maple Trees