A week in the Apostles ~ Day 2 Kayaking the Sand Island Sea Caves

We had a restless night while anchored in East Bay off of Sand Island. There were lots of boat noises all night and we awoke to a red sunrise with thunder coming from the west. As we started coffee, the storms built around us. We put the boom awning up and settled in to wait for the weather to clear. With luck, the storms would pass by lunch and we'd be kayaking soon after. The raindrops were big chunky ones that ping off the tin chimney of our cabin heater. It is our first storm aboard Mystic.

Kayaks on Sand Island

The rain did not last long but we could hear the menacing thunder for some time after the storm passed. It was the only warning we needed to remain tucked in the cabin. The plan was to explore the Sand Island sea caves in the kayaks. We also wanted to visit the lighthouse. Sand Island had been closed for most of the summer of 2013 due to aggressive bears. Campers had been irresponsible with food lockers. so the bears were boldly visiting campsites to look for handouts. This created safety concerns. I would love to get a photo of a bear (from the safety of the boat), but I do not wish to come across one while hiking the island.

Hammock on Sand Island

Once the weather cleared, we prepared the kayaks for launching. Using a line attached at each end which ran loosely along the top, we lowered them over the side and tied them up against fenders. Using our wooden ladder, we maneuvered ourselves into the kayaks, released the tethering lines and set off. This technique worked like a charm and we were able to launch and reload in about five minutes for each kayak.

Dave in his kayak with Mystic at anchor

Nature's artwork is everywhere in the Apostles. It's difficult to give it justice with words; you have to experience it. Lake Superior water is the coldest and the clearest of all the Great Lakes. You can see the bottom, even when anchored in 30 feet of water. The sea caves are fascinating and thrilling. We took a ton of photos and delighted in each new cavern we explored. It was early so we had the caves to ourselves and made our way from the south to the north. We beached the kayaks at Justice Bay. There were several boats anchored here. They made for a great view when seen from the inside of the caves. We found quite a bit of sea glass and a heart shaped sandstone along the beach at Justice Bay. After enjoying a snack, we walked the path to the Sand Island Lighthouse.

Sandstone heart rock found in Justice Bay

The water is so clear in the Apostles

Sand Island shoreline flora

The Sand Island Lighthouse is built from Apostle Island Brownstone which was quarried right at the building site. The beautiful spiral staircase is made of metal so it is sturdy but it has no rail. It is attached to the wall at the two landings in front of the doors to the living quarters. This made it look like it was free-standing. It appears to be built by locking together sections and is held in place by tension. Our guide told me to keep my left hand on the wall and to look up as we ascended the steps. I was fine going up but found myself terrified at the thought of going back down. When we got to the top the guide shared fascinating information about the history of the light but I couldn't concentrate. Dave took a photo of me then the guide took a photo of us together. I managed to make my way back down although I was tempted to sit on my butt to feel more grounded. At the bottom, Dave leaned over and whispered in my ear, "You did good!" I was not able to hide my fear from him. He knew I was terrified the whole time.

Spiral staircase

At the top of Sand Island Light

At the top of Sand Island Light - a little nervous

Outhouse

1881

On our return trip we passed many people kayaking the caves; some of them were swimming and resting on the smooth rock formations. We returned to Mystic and took a nap on deck. After resting, we went back out to kayak the southern caves, covering at least a couple more miles. The south end of Sand Island is private property. The caves are less dramatic here but we enjoyed the exercise.

We had a busy, fun filled day and we were exhausted from all the activity. After dinner we headed to bed early.

This day was our most magical day of a week of special moments.

Dave and Beth exploring the caverns of the Sand Island Sea Caves