Pat Lutch, my wife Beverly and I did a kayak camping trip on one of the many islands in the Turtle Flambeau Flowage near Mercer, WI.
The flowage is located at the dammed confluence of the Turtle and Flambeau rivers. There are about 40 campsites located on the 25 islands and along the shore line on about 30 square miles of water and woods. Each island has a fire ring, pit toilet (located remotely in the woods), and many have picnic tables.
After Labor Day, this vast, beautiful, wooded area is quiet, and relatively deserted, with the exception of a few fishermen. The paddling is easy with lots of areas to explore. Navigation is aided by experience with a map and compass.
We left Chicago on Thursday, September 6th, stayed overnight at the Indianhead Motel in Ironwood, launched into the flowage the next morning from Fisherman's Landing. We paddled around for a couple of hours until we found an island with a campsite (with picnic table) that was acceptable to all three and set up camp. The remainder of Friday and Saturday and Sunday were spent doing some paddling in the flowage among a lot of warm and gentle rain. The campsite was dry with two dry tents and a tarp over the picnic table. Pat and Beverly were prepared for the rain, Pat with a dry suit and Beverly with good rain gear. I was not well prepared, having left my dry suit at home, and I spent a very damp weekend and was a damper on paddling in the rain.
Pat returned to Chicago on Sunday afternoon, while Beverly and I paddled some more, visited with my cousin in Ironwood and returned to Chicago on Monday.
Beverly Serrell and Jim Des Jardins
