Kayaking to South Manitou Is

[taco2go]

Some pictures from a short solo kayaking trip last weekend to South Manitou Island in Lake Michigan
Wind and weather conditions were unusually calm so I jumped at the opportunity to make the 7.8 mile crossing from Glen Haven to South Manitou Island, just off the coast of Leelanau County (Lake Michigan). Uninhabited now, the island used to be a busy harbor during the 18th and 19 centuries.

My son does a dry run in the garage the night before

The crossing took a little over 4 hours- with breaks, and waves no more than 2 feet throughout the Manitou passage
Approaching the lighthouse. Sorry about the wet lens

Putting into the bay- the only natural harbor between Chicago and the Straits of Mackinac.

Views of the eastern shoreline. The North and South Manitou Islands are now part of the Sleeping Bear National lakeshore

 

[Nuclear Redneck]

Very nice!

Is that a Featherlite kayak? What model?

 

[taco2go]

The weather was nice enough to do some hiking inland- there are many miles of trails criss crossing the island

I spent most of the following day exploring the scenic eastern and southern ends of the island.Several shipwrecks litter the coastline around the island- providing allure to kayakers and scuba divers.
Approaching the 'Francisco Morazan', a Brazilian freighter that ran aground during a storm in 1960.

Birds eye view from the shore

A closer look- despite the eerie, food-spitting cormorants that now call it home.

 

[taco2go]

Monarch butterfly with Sleeping Bear Dunes in the background

View from my Campsite on the morning of departure.

On the drive home from Glen Haven, I had a nice 'overland' moment, drooling over this beautiful NAS 110 in a restaurant parking lot.

 

[taco2go]

Very nice!

Is that a Featherlite kayak? What model?

Yup- Its is a folding Feathercraft Kahuna. I have a hardshell, but I find that albeit a little slower, the feathercraft 'flexes' better in the waves.

 

[RHINO]

neat trip, seems like it'd be kinda spooky around that ship, or any other wreck like that.

 

[kerry]

Great trip and pictures.

 

[T.Low]

Don't make it sound so easy. It may not be as far as Pelee Island in Lake Ontario or something, but the Manitou's are definitely a committment. Lake Michigan can change quickly, and thats a north bound shipping lane. Cold water. Thats a very respectable open water crossing. Nice job.
Did you wake for the sunrise?