Wisconsin Point

 

Another beautiful day in Duluth. Skies are sunny. Wind is mellow. Temps of 84 by my house but only 72 by the lake. A perfect day for a ride in a kayak. I packed my kayak and my lunch. I arrived at Penninsula Point Park about 11:30 a.m. I parked next to the water right next to the airport where the sea planes are stored. A helicopter was taking off while I unloaded. I decided to head past the airport towards Wisconsin. I wanted to get to Wisconsin point and if the water seemed safe perhaps even paddle in big, bad Lake Superior. Lake Superior scares me somewhat which is a healthy attitude to take. I canoed on it once back before I had kids with my sister in law. We put in at Lutsen resort and took out at the same place some hours later. On that day the water was as still as glass. I could see the big boulders under us deep into the water. We passed a rocky island and gulls dive bombed our heads.That was a great trip until we returned. Her giant, 130 pound fluffy white dog kept swimming towards us and tried to get into the canoe. Another time I sea kayaked the Apostle Islands with Wilderness Inquiry. Our guides had a weather radio and that felt safe. Today felt safe too.

After two hours I arrived at Wisconsin point. Fishing boats with down riggers are out here. Funny  how voices carry far over a lake. Speed boats go by. Yachts go by. Do they slow down for a kayaker? Most don't. If they don't slow down at all I yell at them in a Scottish accent like Jack and Vic from my favorite Netflix series. "Ya wanker! Ya flaming arsehole!" And I also add (roll your R's on this one, "Ya sorry prick!" They can't hear me so that was fun. I eat my lunch rocking in the waves and head back to my car. Cormorants fly by. A mallard goes by. Crows land on the sandy beach. Ring billed gulls go fishing. Red eyed vireos and ovenbirds call out to me. I spread my dry bag over my legs to prevent sunburn. I can see cars going by on Highway 53 in Superior.

As I go by the airport again a red, white, and blue helicopter lands. This flock of geese swim in formation. Two adults in front, two adults in the back and five fuzzy goslings swim in single file in the middle. When I come back here again I think I will park in the same spot but paddle in the opposite direction which would be towards the lift bridge. Now that I am home again I have disembarkment syndrome. I can still feel my body moving to waves that are not here anymore. The waves did get a little rocky out there on Wisconsin point. Between the vessels speeding by at full throttle and the echo of those waves bouncing off the steel corrugated sea walls that line the opening of the channel I was bouncing around like a rubber duck in a restless child's bath tub. Compared to my last outing on Boulder Lake Reservoir, this was an urban adventure while that was wilderness. I had so much fun!