Boat Tour of Voyageurs National Park, Kabetogama Lake

Oh my goodness, what a day!  We contacted a private tour company about taking a boat tour of VNP since the majority of the park can only be seen via boat, how the heck else can we see it?  The national park offers, for fee, boat tours but they were booked up until beginning of August and we would have moved on, so we got Captain Bill to take us out today, with another couple, for over 5 hours on a power boat, lots of horsepower on that baby!  Learned lots of stuff, one that really struck us is that there is no topsoil on the islands, only rock.  The trees cling to the rocks and cannot root down.  Original settlers had to freight in soil just to build small gardens for food.  Another thing - the beauty of this area is something the camera just does not capture - you have to visit to appreciate what is here.  Stunning.

20 foot aluminum Hewes, lots of horsepower

Captain Bill launches while we watch, a one man show

Bye Visitor's Center - see you later in afternoon

And we are off!  Zoom!

We met at the Kabetogama Visitor's Center of VNP at 9am, he gave us the shpeel on where we were going for the day, the history of the park and how it was formed, who lived there back then and how progress, if you call it, has changed the makeup of who and what is left living within the park's boundary.  Bill has spent every year of his 64 years living on the lake, first visiting his grandparent's summer home - not too far away from the resort we are staying at - and now living (summer's only) just down the road.  Bill knew who lived where (some homes/showcases were CEO's of businesses) and what the stories were.  Bill had his dog Riley along, he was adorable to watch while we were moving along and also once we hit land, he would bee-line to find a bush to go potty.  Cute.

Sailboat!!!

Pack of pelicans

Eagle spotted 

At Gold Portage, starting to move to north shore of lake now

Just beautiful

Fun, fun day.  We started out heading the shoreline on the southern shore of Kabetogama Lake, headed west to Gold Portage where the Ojibwe and then the voyageurs beached their canoes and headed (portaged) to Rainy Lake.  Then we headed along the north shore of Kabetogama stopping at Ellsworth Rock Gardens briefly before hugging the north shore to Lost Lake where many boaters get lost because they have not paid attention to their surroundings.

Loon - the most wonderful sound of a Loon, goal completed to hear it again

Our sea dog, Riley.  He is 11 year old Irish Terrier, very friendly

A water slide off back of boat to slide into the water.  Hah.
A rental houseboat.

Back at Ellsworth Stone Gardens, Riley had to pee.

Captain Bill waiting on us at dock

In 12 feet water at dock

From there we headed through Squaw Narrows toward Mica Island where we were in Canadian waters for a bit, got to Kettle Falls and had a half hour stop to see the historic Kettle Falls Hotel and view the dam.

A boat-in camp sight, reservations required.  Over 249 sites on Kabetogama.

Not well marked, a buoy to show a rock below surface 

Riley tuckered out, that's a GPS collar - so Bill can locate him if he
runs off when they get to an island.  He can track him.

A McGregor Sailboat!  We owned one years and years ago. Sigh.

You can rent one of these!

Remnants of past lives.  Resort abandoned, now belongs to park.

Zoom - the wake pounded us.

Dropped down through Namakan Lake (Rainy is the largest, then Kabetogama, then Namakan) until we got to Hoist Bay where logging was done.  Continued westward along the southern shore of Kabetogama to IW Stevens resort, stopped to look at wildlife in Moose Bay (no moose just eagles) then back to the visitor's center where we started out from.

At Kettle Falls Dam and Hotel, northeastern corner where Namakan and
Rainy Lakes come together.

Spillway at the dam.

Voyageurs had to portage on land to go around Kettle Falls

Historic Kettle Falls Inn

Wonderful day.  Much to see and take in.  We were thinking of renting a power boat to do some tooling around while here and decided we did not want to, the fear of getting lost because of so many islands and the fear of hitting submerged rocks and deadheads (old trees), that we will only take out the kayaks and stay close to shore.

Eagle flying overhead

McGregor did not make much progress

This old resort - I could have lived here.

Needs some TLC

View out the front porch, looking west up Kabetogama Lake

I guess you could say these are real footers for the foundation of the resort

Captain Bill waiting patiently, with Riley, at the dock

This is truly a boater's paradise.  Where once this lake housed over 50 resorts now has 5.  No restaurants or hotels now, once was bustling.  Kabetogama Lake was an ultimate destination before the depression for summer get-aways.  Now, only private homes line the southern shore, the northern shore of Kabetogama is back to the way the voyageurs saw it.

Same McGregor again

At Hoist Bay, an old logging area.  Pilings all that's left of train depot
to haul the lumber inland 

3 story ice house barely visible

One of 3 Ojibwe Burial Mounds

Number 2

Number 3, all sacred

House boats, power boats of every shape and kind, 2 sail boats (one was a McGregor which we used to own), very few kayakers or canoes because the lake is just too big and by afternoon the waves kick up and it makes it difficult to get back if caught too far away, they stay near shore for the most part.

Large deadhead (end of tree only visible above water, rest is below)
Bill called park service to get it pulled to shore

Kayaker out in the middle of nowhere 

Wildlife we saw were many, many eagles, pelicans, loons, sea gulls, did not see moose or deer or beaver.  Saw ancient Indian burial mounds, saw narrows and crossed into Canada for a bit, too many islands to even count, just beautiful country.  Many boaters out, some fishing some just buzzing by.  My feelings about the day - wonderful, great way to see the park without the expense of owning or towing your boat here.  Also, much cooler on the water and when we stepped on land for a bit, the bugs ate us alive.  Wanted to stay on the water forever.  I loved today but we are both exhausted from being exposed to the sun/wind/water for over 6 hours.  And in the 6 hours, Captain Bill took us 60 miles around Kabetogama Lake and nudged into Namanke as well.  Would not trade this feeling in for anything.

Almost back to beginning, full circle, 60 miles later

Last hurrah - adult and yearling eagles in nest

And today has made us realize how much we missed being near the water.  Some day when we stop moving around and are stationary for the summer months, we want to be near a small lake so we can kayak.  We also are so happy we spent the money to do this tour, how else can you take in the beauty of the park where pictures do not do it justice?  We will remember this experience for many years.